And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:3-4
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6
Light & Darkness
In Scripture, the words “light” and “darkness” are often symbolic. Intellectually, “light” refers to God's wisdom and biblical truth, while “darkness” refers to ignorance and lies. Morally, “light” refers to purity and holiness while “darkness” refers to sin and wrongdoing. In Scripture, Jesus is the Ultimate Light. He is the highest, truest, purest wisdom that exists since He is our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor 1:30). Jesus is called the Light of the world, and whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness but have the light of life (John 8:12). God is the provider of light through Jesus (2 Corinth 4:6) and in our future eternity, He will be the source of light (Rev 21:23). There will be no need for the sun in eternity.
Visible Light & Gospel Light
Visible light is a great necessity, yet Gospel Light is an even greater necessity. Visible light gives sight to our eyes and warmth to our bodies, plus many other wonderful blessings. Visible light helps us to know where we’re going and how to safely get to our next destination. In the same way, Gospel Light gives sight and warmth to us as well. But the value of it is infinitely more precious than even the rising sun. It lights up the eyes of our hearts with the Truth and brings eternal life, plus all the spiritual blessings in Christ in the heavenly places (Eph 1:3). In the eternal sense, Gospel Light helps us to see where we’re going and how to safely get to our final destination: Heaven.
The same God who spoke physical light into existence is the One who must speak supernatural light into the soul and bring sinners out of darkness into His kingdom of light. The light is the knowledge of the glory of God shone in Jesus Christ. When we were dead in our sins and first believed the saving Gospel message, the Lord granted us life by shining spiritual light into our hearts, awakening us to the truth of who we are, who God is, and how to find eternal life in Him: by repenting of our sins and trusting in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Possessing Gospel light separates believers from the world as God’s children and heirs of His Kingdom of light. We are set apart for good works (Eph 2:10), the purpose of His will, and the praise of His grace (Eph 1:5-6).
The Greatest Miracle
Since we've been given Gospel Light, we believe everything God says in His Word. God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105), as the Holy Spirit illumines truth in our minds and helps us walk in holiness on the path to our heavenly home. The Bible is the Instructions Manual to life. God tells us all we need to know and always grants us more wisdom when we ask Him for it (James 1:5).
With Gospel Light, we can see the reality of this world and both heaven and hell, as God grants us wisdom to rightly understand all that He has chosen to reveal in His Word. Even the weakest believer who possesses Gospel Light is still infinitely wiser than the most educated unbeliever. With Gospel Light, we know the reason for our existence, our ultimate purpose, and why God still has us in this world (We're here to glorify God in every single thing we do, love and serve one another, and be a witness to the truth in Jesus. We are here to shine the Gospel Light while we still can). With Gospel Light, we never need to fear a thing because we know our final destination is heaven and that we'll arrive safely with Jesus. With Gospel Light, we know how the world began, how it’s going, and how it’ll end. With Gospel Light, we’re able to see our sin as more deadly, God as more holy, receive Jesus as our Savior fully, be saved eternally, walk in the truth wholeheartedly, and rejoice unendingly in the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. Nothing shines brighter than Jesus, yet He is so gentle on our eyes that we will gaze at Him forever in eternity.
To have been given visible light and the shining sun is a miraculous gift, but to have been given Gospel Light, by grace through faith in Jesus, who is the Light of the world, is an infinitely more miraculous gift. Visible light is a miracle, but Gospel Light is a bigger miracle. The greatest miracle God performs is the salvation of a soul.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I praise You for sending your Son Jesus into the world to be the Light of the world. Jesus died on the cross to save me from my sins, rose again from the dead, and granted me eternal life by grace through faith in Him. Father, thank You for helping me see the light of the gospel in all its glory! Thank you for granting me spiritual light so that I may have eternal life. Father, I ask that You shine the Gospel Light into hearts that are still darkened to give them the light of the knowledge of Your glory in Jesus. Help me to carry the Gospel Light everywhere I go and let it shine brightly for all to see, as You do the saving of souls! But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us (2 Cor 4:7).
All glory belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In His name I pray amen.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5
And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:30-31