Light 4

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and him is no darkness at all. - 1 John 1:15	Physical light is a metaphor of the Perfection of God. Think about the properties of physical light. When you turn a light switch on in a room, the darkness must vanish. It cannot remain where light is. God is separated from evil and spiritual ignorance and blindness. He has no part with sin. Bright light symbolizes this great truth. Do we often try to bring God down to our worldly, fleshly level and make Him a partaker of our evil ways? Think on it!
There is teaching in many churches that all that is required of the Christian is to "get saved." "Escape Hell by accepting Jesus. Go through some ritual and join a church, get baptized, and you are secure forever. (Inner change is not even mentioned.) All God wants of you is to 'get saved' so He can keep you out of Hell and make your eventual home Heaven." The Bible does not teach this. Getting saved is the beginning of the Christian life. As Christians we are to also walk in the light and we will desire to walk in the light if we are truly saved (born again.) Our life is in Christ and we are to live walking in and after God's Spirit -- a life of loving obedience in all aspects of life. We have fellowship with God as we walk in the light. When we turn from the light, we reject fellowship with God for the flesh and darkness.	But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. - 1 John 1:7
Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. - 1 John 2:7-10	It is not that, through law, we are required to love others so that we may have fellowship with and be right with God. Rather, it is that if we hate others we are not abiding in the light. And the Christian life is all about abiding in the light! We are not under law but under grace. But there is one "law" we must obey: We must abide in and walk in the light! To do that we are simply to be what we became when we were born again. We received the light when we were born again; we received more light as we grew in grace (more understanding of the Word and of our walk with God.) Our light shines brightly when we are filled with the Spirit. Buf if we give way to our capacity to hate, we are not abiding in or walking in the light, and thus the darkness prevails. The light switch is turned off and we stumble in darkness.
There is much imagery used in John's description of God's Holy City, New Jerusalem. The Bible opens with a garden and the fall, the loss by Adam and Eve of God's inner light It closes with a description of a glorious city that will be replete with the glory and light of God. A "city" implies multitudes living together, and the "holy city" pictures living together in perfect harmony and love, with God's Light showing the way. Click here to read all of Chapter 21 Then close window to return here..	A description of God's Holy City: Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; - Rev. 21:11
More on the Holy City, New Jerusalem: And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. - Rev. 21:23, 24	This is God's perfect will for man, that His Holy City cover the earth. God's city is not a literal city like New York or Paris. "City" is used as a metaphor for all peoples who have the Light. How do we know this? Because in a literal city, the sun and moon are needed, but in this city only the Light of God, the Light of Christ, is needed and indeed shines. The word for "light" here means a candle or lamp, while the word for "lighten," photizo, means spiritual illuminator. The New Jerusalem is actually on the earth right now in the hearts of those who are of the Light. But the Bible comes to a close telling us that one day it will cover the earth! Hallelujah and Amen!!!

I hope you have enjoyed and been enlightened by our study on God's Light. I hope that, by this study, you have come to see that Christianity is not ritual, form, law, etc. but is about receiving Christ and possessing, abiding in and walking in Spiritual Light. Please study the Word for yourself and pray to God daily that He will enlighten you and teach you His Truth.