But everything exposed by the light becomes visible …
Summary: When someone suddenly “get’s it,” we say the “light went on.” In my own faith journey, a whole string of lights had to go on.
Today’s passage sounds like it might have been written by Captain Obvious! So what? Why should we care that things exposed by the light become visible?
The answer to that question is that Paul is speaking metaphorically. While we all know the difference between being in a dark room and one with the lights on, we have trouble seeing the difference in the spiritual realm.
One of the great rewards a teacher has is seeing the student make a mental connection. Understanding something difficult requires fitting mental puzzle pieces together until they fit. When a puzzle piece drops into place, we say the person “gets it.” Some call it an “Ah Ha! moment.” Other times we say, “the light just went on.”
When the “light goes on,” we can “see” what we didn’t understand before.
During my college years, my personal faith journey took me away from faith in God, where I got lost in my own spiritual desert. Then, at some point, I realized people are more than random biological constructs. Darwin was wrong. He can’t explain the human spirit, and we don’t have to go far for a real-life example of a human spirit. Our own thoughts are invisible to the outside world while still being visible to us personally.
Thinking about it more, I pondered the mystery of phantom limbs. People who have lost an arm or a leg don’t see themselves as missing a limb. Their inner being, their spirit, is still whole. Then there was the fact that my thoughts don’t follow the rules of physics like every other physical object. Thinking and imagination defy logic. These two observations made me realize that our spiritual existence is real.
I had read the Bible years before, but in my wanderings, I had been taught to question everything about it. The people who taught me these things did a good job. I questioned everything and believed nothing. One day another light went on. If people can exist as spirits, then other spirits can exist. The idea of the spiritual realm pre-existing the physical realm finally made sense to me.
And then the Big Light went on. What Paul says is true:
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)
If other spirits can exist, then God can exist. If God exists, he created everything. I reasoned that if God could create the universe and everything in it, he could get a book published, too. And it would be just the way he wanted it.
Seeing the Bible as a book written by God changes everything. It is not just a collection of stories about God. It is more than a fabrication written by ancient Jews. It is the record of a God who exists outside of time and who speaks to us through the Jews over thousands of years. Seeing it this way everything changes. The book makes sense. As some would say, it “rings true.”
These days, when I open the Bible, I am raising a spiritual window shade. Light beams in, and it illuminates things I couldn’t see otherwise. Everything exposed by the light becomes visible.
Application: Don’t stumble around in the dark. Let in the light!
Food for Thought: Why do some people prefer the dark?
At its simplest measure, the dark is a hiding place. People fear exposure because it means facing the truth. Something I have learned is that once you know the truth, it is unavoidable.
Jesus spoke in parables. When the disciples asked Him why, he said:
Mark 4:11-12 ESV And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that
“‘they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.’”
What I have come to personally know in my walk is that once I have understanding I am responsible for it. When the enemy tries to tempt me to return to the old self, the truth is like a beacon shining. It is no longer an oops, but an act of disobedience. In God’s grace, He gives us time to adjust to the light, but once we know the truth, it is a different circumstance all together. People fear that. In a smaller sense, they would rather not know about the homeless man, than to know and understand that they should help. In a larger sense, they would rather believe that they are not accountable to God, than to know and know they should turn from sin. People can only visualize what they think they will lose.
Jesus also said:
John 10:9-10 ESV I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Submission to Jesus means letting go of everything that we thought we knew about God, ourselves, others and the world. It is hard to comprehend the level that reaches inside us. That we stand in our own way to finding the very peace we seek by not submitting.
Paul wrote in Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” Paul really understood the difference between the dark and the light. He willingly gave up everything about the dark in exchange for the light. By earthly measure he lost everything. In heaven’s eyes he gained everything.
Chris,
Nicely said!
I especially liked “once I have understanding I am responsible for it.”
The human mind is not unbreakable. God knows this as well as we do. To rub our noses in Absolute Truth would destroy us. Ironically, that wouldn’t be a loving thing to do. So by pointing us to the truth through parables, God points us to the way out of the dark.
Why do some people prefer the dark?
Some people don’t really want the truth. It’s easier too justify themselves in the dark. Some are afraid of being wrong. Some have made deals with other spirits.
This example isn’t real, but I keep coming back to it. In the Voyage of the Dawn Treader, as they sail closer to Aslan’s realm the sun gets brighter and its hard to keep your eyes open. They end up drinking the sea water, which in this special circumstance was sweet not salty. It was supposed to be the reason that they could adapt to the extra bright light without hurting themselves. (I don’t remember all the details)
I think of this and often wonder, what have we not had that will keep us from seeing Jesus? Or what details do we miss because currently we have to “squint” not to be blinded?
I don’t know if CS Lewis had a specific analogy, or was just trying to make where God is more than what people can physically experience. But perhaps some enjoy the dark because they just can’t handle the light yet.
Angela,
You raise an interesting point. Being “in the dark” spiritually allows us to pretend that we are in control. If we choose to live in the dark we consciously avoid any knowledge that would conflict with the narrative we choose to live in. The Truth of God can be spiritually blinding because it overwhelms every fantasy man’s mind can concoct.
I appreciate your personal testimony and enjoyed the comments by others. I feel like everything I wanted to say has already been said – and said very well. And I agree that some people are more comfortable hiding their deeds in the dark. I have never met a pedophile who had announced his sickness before he was caught.
Thanks Rich,
That’s an especially terrifying example!
08-21-2023, Why do some people prefer the dark?
In our Bible, darkness is used as a spiritual term, to describe or mean ignorance, error or evil, while light symbolizes knowledge or understanding, truth and righteousness.
John 1:5, 3:20, 8:12, Ephesians 5:8
Our flesh desires what is contrary to the Holy Spirit, who is calling us to reject the desires of flesh as we submit to His power and control of the desires in our hearts.
Galatians 5:17, Romans 8:7, 8:13
All are required by God to identify themselves with the light – the truth – so that they may receive salvation through Jesus Christ who is Light.
John 3:17-19
Born as spiritual beings, confined in physical bodies, we exist as beings with our flesh having power over our spirits. First priority is being fed, cleaned, sheltered and clothed so we can grow physically, while the needs of our spirits are totally ignored. In time our ego begins being fed by encouraging words from others, and we begin to seek the approval of human beings as our standard for successful, acceptable behavior.
We live in darkness until the Light of God is revealed to us to the degree we can no longer deny the eternal truth’s of sin, righteousness and judgement to come. This is when we must make a decision regarding our living in Light or continuing to exist in the darkness, and unfortunately the majority seek to continue living in the dark. The lie of their acceptability, according to men rather than submitting to and enjoying life in the righteous Light of God.
John 16:8-13
Thank you, Ron!
I like the way you explain this:
“Born as spiritual beings, confined in physical bodies, we exist as beings with our flesh having power over our spirits. ”
Until we are “born again.” (John 3:3)