Hello everybody, it's me Mr. Tall23 back in our video.
I just want to do a quick sound check first to make sure the sound is working.
Okay, so the sound is working for this video.
So in this video I want to talk about the subject of light in the Bible and it's an
important recurring subject in the Scriptures, especially in the New Testament, regarding
our salvation and the nature of Jesus Christ and who He was and why He came to this world.
He is the light and in Him was light according to the Bible.
And the book of John starts out by telling us that the Word, when it says in the beginning
was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God, it says in the next few
verses that in Him was life and the life was the light of men.
And then it says a few verses later of this Word in John 1.9, that was the true light
which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Now before we get into exactly what this means a bit later, I want to look at also what Jesus
said in His ministry in John 8.12 where He said, it says, Then spake Jesus again unto
them saying, I am the light of the world.
He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
And the next chapter He specifies what He means by this.
It says in John 9.5, as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
But Jesus was the light of the world because He was in the world, as it says in John 1.10,
He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not.
Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us and as long as He was upon this earth during His
ministry, He was the light of the world.
It had to do with His appearance in the world, that's why it says in the book of Matthew,
when He goes into Galilee, He leaves Nazareth to go and preach the gospel.
It says that the people that sat in darkness saw a great light which was Jesus, the light
that had come into the world.
He also says in John 12.46, I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on
me should not abide in darkness.
Now here we have an explanation of the term light of the world.
The reason why Jesus was a light is because those that believe on Christ are taken out
of darkness and brought into the light.
The symbolism here of light and darkness involves several things.
Firstly that the Bible tells us that God is light in 1 John 1 and that only those who
believe on Christ become the children of light, we'll get into some verses about that later,
which means the children of God since God is light.
But then there's also the fact that the gospel, the light of God's word reveals the truth
about our sin.
The Bible says that my word is a lamp unto my feet.
It's the word of God which reveals the path in which we go, which exposes that which was
in darkness and brings it into light.
Now with Jesus is coming into the world, Him being the word of God made flesh according
to the Bible, He's the light that shines in the darkness.
And when you light a lamp or you turn on a light, the darkness no longer abides, the light
shines in the darkness.
Now it's not exactly that dark in my room right now, but there is some darkness on my
desk right now.
There's some shadows because I'm kind of in like a corner of my room, there's some shells
over here.
But if I turn this lamp on, the darkness that was here goes away because the light is on.
The light shines in the darkness as it says in John 1 5.
Darkness is not a substance, it's just a lack of light, that's what darkness is.
It's just a lack of light, a lack of what allows us to see clearly and not stumble upon
our path.
Jesus said in John 3 19 to 21, and this is the condemnation that light is coming to the
world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.
For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds
should be reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they're
rotten God.
So looking at verse 19, we know first that the light came into the world, the light that
is coming to the world is Jesus.
So the condemnation of those who do not believe is that men did not choose light, but rather
chose darkness.
They that did evil and so they did not come to the light, lest their deeds should be reproved.
And that's indeed one of the reasons why people do not get saved, why they do not come to
Christ because they don't want to come to the light for salvation because they know
that they're sinners but they don't like the fact that they're sinners, they don't want
to humble themselves and admit that they've done something wrong.
When we're talking about coming to the light here, it means in the sense that Jesus said
in John 6 35, he said, he that cometh to me shall never hunger, he that believeth on me
shall never thirst, where believeth and cometh is used interchangeably.
So when it's talking about coming to the light, it means coming to him for salvation, believing
on him, trusting on him.
The truth is that Jesus lights every man that cometh in the world as it says in John 1 9.
Everybody is exposed to the light, but because men love darkness rather than light, they
turn from that light, they don't want to be saved because they're prideful, because
they don't want their deeds to be reproved.
So the light of God exposes the sinful nature of mankind and shows those who do evil that
their needs are evil and that they cannot be justified themselves but must be guided
by that light just like you can't walk in darkness unless you have light and that light
is Jesus Christ.
So once we believe on Christ, then we are brought fully out of the darkness and into
the light.
Here's another passage, John 12 35 to 46, I've already read verse 46, but here's the
full context and the verses preceding verse 46.
It says, Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you.
Walk while you have the light, lest darkness come upon you.
For he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
While he have light, believe in the light that you may be the children of light.
These things spake Jesus and departed and did hide himself from them.
But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him, that the
saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our
report, and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Therefore they could not believe, because that Isaiah said again, He hath blinded their
eyes and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with
their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
These things said of Isaiah, when he saw his glory and spake of him.
Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also many believed on him, but because of the fairest
sees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue, for they
loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent
me.
And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me.
I have come in light unto the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide
in darkness.
Now the main verses I want to look at are verses 35 and 36 and also 46, although the
other scriptures in between are important, and I'll get to that a little bit later, and
how that explanation of the fact that the Pharisees could not believe is relevant to
what Jesus is saying about light.
Now Jesus said, Walk while you have the light, lest darkness come upon you.
Remember, Jesus is the light of the world, and he said in John chapter 9, As long as
I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Notice that he says here, Yet a little while is the light with you.
He's acknowledging that the light which he gives does not last for all, but he commands
that we must walk in the light while they have the light, because by contrast those
that walk in darkness know not whether they goeth, meaning they don't know where they're
going or lost.
That's why the Bible says, The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was
lost.
That's why we are called lost, because we are in darkness.
While in darkness we're lost, but Jesus tells us how to be brought out of the darkness and
says while you have the light, believe in the light.
So this is what we must do in order to walk in the light.
Once we have the light of the world revealed unto us, we need to believe.
Jesus said later in the chapter in verse 46, I am come a light into the world that whosoever
believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
So the scriptures tell us that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we are saved.
Or as Jesus said, He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting
life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.
In John 5 24.
So when we are given eternal life, when we get saved, we are also brought out of darkness
so that we no longer abide in darkness, but in the light.
So Jesus says that we should walk in the light while we have the light, lest darkness come
upon you.
Now, what exactly does he mean by that?
We are already in darkness before Jesus.
But remember, John 1 9 says that he lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Everybody is exposed to the light of God.
However, those who do not walk in the light, meaning believe on Jesus, the light of the
world will have that light taken away from them and thus darkness will come back to them.
And that's what happened to the Pharisees in this chapter that it says in verse 37,
they did not believe, even though he done many miracles, they saw the light of the world.
They knew that he was the son of God, but they didn't want to believe on him.
And then in verse 39, it says that they could not believe they rejected the light that they
had with Jesus Christ.
They turned from it.
And it's just like the people in Hebrew six who were once enlightened, it says, but when
they turn from Jesus Christ, it says that they can never be renewed unto repentance.
So they had the light, but they chose not to walk in the light by believing in the light.
Therefore it says he has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should
not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted and I should
heal them.
Thus we can see that there are two types of people.
Everybody's given light, but those who reject the light and do not come to the light of
the world will have the light depart from them so that they can no longer believe.
Darkness has come upon them and they no longer have a guidance toward the truth.
However, those who do respond to the call of salvation and believe in the light are
no longer a darkness.
The Bible says in first John chapter one, verse six to seven, if we say that we have
fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth.
If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another in the
blood of Jesus Christ, his son cleanses us from all sin.
If we walk in the light, again that's defined as believing in the light, the blood of Jesus
Christ cleanses us from all sin.
So Jesus said in John 12 that we need to believe in the light and if we do that, then we abide
in darkness no longer, but are brought into the light forevermore.
And thus the scriptures show us that those who have been saved are out of darkness and
in light.
And we see a lot of symbolism of that in the New Testament.
For example, Paul says that Jesus sent him to do the following.
It says in Acts chapter 26 verse 17 to 18, delivering thee from the people and from the
Gentiles unto whom now I send thee to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness
to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins
and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
So when we return from darkness to light, that is when we receive forgiveness of sins.
Of course the scriptures teach that whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of
sins in Acts 10 43 and by Paul's own writing in Romans 4 that we are justified and forgiven
of our iniquities when we believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly.
Now that's exactly what Jesus taught in John 12.
He said to walk in the light while you have the light and he defined this as believing
in the light that we may be the children of light.
Of course the scriptures tell us also that faith makes us the sons of God, the children
of God.
It says in John 1 12, as many as received him to them gave you power to become the sons
of God even to them that believe in his name.
And then it says in Galatians 3 through 26, ye are all children of God by faith in Christ
Jesus.
So once we have faith in Christ Jesus, that is when our sins are forgiven, we become the
children of God and likewise Jesus said that when we believe on the light we become the
children of light because God is light according to 1 John 1 5 and thus we've been turned from
darkness to light.
Now here's another description of this in Colossians chapter 1 verse 12 to 13 it says
giving thanks unto the father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance
of the saints in light who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated
us into the kingdom of his dear son.
So we're delivered from darkness, the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom
of his dear son Jesus Christ.
So again it's another transfer from darkness to light.
Now in 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 9 it says but ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood
and holy nation, a peculiar people that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath
called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
So again the Bible establishes that we are not in darkness as born again believers.
We've been called out of the darkness, we've been brought into the marvelous light when
we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and become the children of light.
Now what this entails in the Bible is that we are now the light of the world.
Jesus said as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
However we become the sons of God and the Bible says that God has predestinated us to
be conformed to the image of his son in Romans 8 and therefore now that Jesus Christ is not
physically upon this earth he has given us the task of being the ambassadors of Christ
to now bring people out of darkness and into light.
As Paul said in Acts 26, Christ called him to turn people from darkness to light.
That's our job with preaching the gospel.
Jesus said go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Now I'll get into a few verses about that particularly in a little bit but first I want
to look at Ephesians 5 which contains an interesting passage about this subject.
It says in Ephesians 5 verse 8 to 13, But ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye
light in the Lord.
Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness
of truth, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord, and have no fellowship with the
unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light, for whatsoever doth
make manifest is light.
So let's break down these verses.
Firstly in verse 8 it establishes the same doctrine and principle that we've been looking
at throughout this entire video that we were in darkness but now we are light in the Lord.
Now notice that it doesn't just say that we are in light but it says that we are the light
of the Lord and therefore recommended to walk as the children of light.
Part of walking as the children of light since we are the children of light is to not fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness as it says in this chapter.
Now it says in 2 Corinthians chapter 6, What communion hath light with darkness?
And that's a good question because darkness is a lack of light.
Again, when you shine as light, the light overcomes the darkness.
You can't have light and darkness in the same place.
If I'm sitting in a dark room, if I, you know, hold my curtains and it would probably not
be completely dark anyway because there's still a little bit of light shining through
the window.
But if I'm sitting in a completely dark room in the middle of the night, the darkness will
go away if I turn the light off.
I have a light up on my fan, right?
You can't have them together.
So since we're not in darkness any longer but we're in the light, we should not have
fellowship with the darkness of this world, with the wicked works that this world does,
the things that are done in secret, the things that are shameful to speak about in the open,
these things which are sinful and unrighteous, which 2 Corinthians 6 tells us not to be unequally
yoked with.
Instead of becoming friends with the wicked people of this world and partaking their evil
deeds, we're commanded to reprove them because as it says in Ephesians 5, 13, All things
that are reproved are made manifest by the light.
Remember the Bible says that we are now light in the Lord, we've been called into light,
transferred into light, turned from darkness to light, and that now we are the light, we
are commanded to reprove the darkness so that they can be brought into the light.
That's preaching the gospel, trying to get people saved.
That brings us back to John 3, 20, which I read earlier.
It says, For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest
his deeds should be reproved.
People refuse to come to the light because if they do, their deeds would be reproved.
This is Ephesians 5 tells us that when the light is manifest, the unfruitful works of
darkness are reproved.
And we know that this is the goal of preaching the gospel because Jesus said that he would
send the comforter into the world to reprove the world of sin because they believe not
on me, he said in John 16.
It's our job to preach the gospel now as believers since Christ has commanded, Go ye into all
the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
However, when we do share the gospel with them, the light shines to them and the Holy
Ghost works in them to reprove them of their sin, the light being shown unto the world.
They can come to salvation because the light has been revealed unto them and they need
to make that choice to walk in the light or to turn from it to abide, to not to no longer
abide in the darkness by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.
So at one point, Jesus said, as long as I'm in the world, I am the light of the world.
But he said also in Matthew 5, 14 to 16, ye are the light of the world, a city that is
set on a hill cannot be hid, neither do men light a candle and put it under a butchel,
but on a candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify our Father
which is in heaven.
So we as believers are called also the light of the world.
Jesus said I am the light of the world, but he also said ye are the light of the world.
We've been called out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Remember Ephesians 5 says that now are you light in the Lord.
So it's not just that we're in the light, but we are the light, we are the children
of the light because of our faith in Christ.
Therefore we are to manifest the light of the gospel, the light that God has given us
in our life to let us shine before men.
Says in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 3 to 6, but if our gospel be hid, it be hid to
them that are lost in whom the God of this world has blinded the minds of them which
believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God should
shine unto them.
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for
Jesus' sake.
For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
I should turn off my sound on my computer.
I don't know if you heard that, but it keeps the notification, you know the Windows 10
notification sound.
I don't know if my microphone picked that up or anything, but anyway, yeah.
So 2 Corinthians chapter 4, remember what Jesus said about hiding our light in Matthew
5.
We're not to put it under a bushel.
We're not to hide it.
We're supposed to share it, to let it shine into the world.
The light of the glorious gospel is not shown to the ordinary people of this world on their
own.
People are in darkness.
People don't know where they're supposed to go.
People are wandering around.
They don't know how to get into that narrow way.
I was thinking about this illustration earlier about how Jesus compared salvation to going
through a narrow way.
He said that narrow is a way to life and few there be that find it, but broad is a way
to destruction.
I mean, it's like walking along a wide highway and there's just like a little tiny thing
that people could just fit through that leads to life, but then the highway itself goes
towards destruction and hell.
Most people, if it's like foggy, if it's in darkness, like you're pitch black in the middle
of the night, it's a new moon, there's a bunch of fog, they don't know where they're going.
They're just going to walk and keep walking.
They're not going to find that little space that leads to life.
They're going to go off into hell.
We need to shine that light under them so that they know where they're going and they
take the right way, the path of life and not the path to hell.
So the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God.
The Ethiopian eunuch, he said, how can I understand these things except some man should guide
me.
That's why we're commanded to go and shine the truth of God's word to people that they
might hear the gospel and be saved for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of
God.
Now that's the most important part of a Christian service to God, sharing the glorious gospel
of Jesus Christ with them that are lost, that they might be saved.
Since we are saved, we have the spirit of God inside of us and we are now light in the
Lord.
We're the ones with the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
As it says, we have been tasked with revealing the light of the gospel that exposes the sin
of the world, to be the light that may reprove the wickedness of this world, that people
will understand that they are sinners in need of a savior and might come to Christ by faith.
Jesus came to this world to bear witness of the truth and that is what he did indeed.
But now he lives in our hearts.
He's not physically in this world and he will return.
But right now he lives in our hearts as the Bible says, and we are the lights of the world.
We should follow in the footsteps of Christ and do the same as he did, be a light of this
world in the darkness, taking the word of God, which is a lamp, as the Bible says, and
use it to make manifest all things.
So that is what the Bible says about light.
It's actually a great illustration and that's just scratching the surface of the verses
which talk about this thing.
There's another verse in 1 Timothy or 2 Timothy, I don't remember which, that says something
about the light of the gospel as well.
There's a lot of scriptures.
In fact, the word light is used, well actually, I'm looking up right now, but not light, light.
The word light is used 308 times in the whole Bible.
Obviously if I were to read all those verses, this thing would be hours long.
So there's a lot of things in the Bible about light.
There's a lot of symbolism of light and darkness, et cetera, but the fact is that we need to
share the gospel.
We need to be the lights of the world as Jesus Christ has called us to be.
We're no longer in darkness, but the world is.
The whole world lieth in wickedness.
So thank you everybody for watching and God bless you and goodbye.