John 3:19
“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”
This verse harkens back to the first chapter of John’s gospel where he writes, “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
The formula is quite simple:
Jesus = God = Light
Darkness = Evil
People loved darkness because their deeds are evil.
Without Jesus, even if people want to love God, they can only look at the light, they cannot be part of it. With Jesus, we are allowed to be part of the light, to have the light (God / Jesus) within us.
Q: How has having “the light” in you changed your life?
Jesus uses light, electromagnetic radiation which allows our eyes to see, to reveal a spiritual reality which has an eternal effect on the lives of all who receive Christ. Without light, we have eyes but are not able to see, we are blind. Without the Light of God, the Holy Spirit in our hearts giving power to our spirits, we are alive to our flesh, and dead to God.
Our bodies, the flesh are merely the temporary housing for our eternal spirits. When I received Christ, the Holy Spirit of God came into my spirit and I was raised from the dead, given eternal life.
I was born again. Spiritually I was a baby in Christ, innocent and free from sin.
I was called to separate myself from my old ways, the people I knew which conflicted with Gods will for me, these influences (drugs, alcohol, women, worldly power and praise) would only have a negative influence on my new God given desire to grow in Christ.
I needed to learn how to walk, study Gods word and live in humble obedience to His will.
I needed to allow Gods Spirit in me, to empower my spirit with the ability to see and conquer evil in my flesh. See and avoid the temptations of this world which still seek to take me down.
I needed to stop loving myself above others, and allow God to love others through me.
And the list goes on. Bottom line is, everything I was opposed God and I now live my life working toward allowing God to direct me in everything He has for me to do..
Before I received Jesus as my Saviour, it was look out for number one, and I was number one.
After I received Jesus as my Saviour, the Light helped me see the sinfulness of my greed, and helped to love others.
I remember something a brother in the faith once told me:
Since he’s been walking in the light
he sleeps better at night.
How true that is! The things I used to worry about now rest securely in our Father’s hands. I can trust him, and so I no longer worry like I used to. I, too, sleep better at night!
Good stuff. I know that Jesus says He is the light of the world and whoever follows Him will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8: 12). I no longer need to walk in, dwell in darkness. This is freedom. I like freedom.
I always thought darkness was when the sun went down or I turned off the light in my room before going to sleep,..after studying the Bible and learning of this Light called Christ that has been with me ever since the beginning of time I now know what kind of Light is meant,..Once the Light was turned on in my life I was able to see all the dirty and nasty things I did that I thought was right and felt good,..Christ’s Light shines upon these dark areas of my life and has cleaned things up,..I am making progress everyday only because of the Light that He shines in and through me,..
Great question and great follow up guys.
It has changed a lot in me I never knew what a relationship should be like and I never knew what love is. Some times it is hard to see and be in the light when you’ve lived your whole life in the darkness. It takes time to adjust.