“God’s marvelous light.” Inasmuch as God is a marvelous God, we are sure that His light is marvelous. And we marvel that into that marvelous light we have been called, “out of darkness.”
God’s word creates light and warmth for growth
“Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.” (Genesis 1:3-4).
After God had done this, the earth was no longer without form and void. God’s word also provided warmth. We read further in (Genesis 1:12), “And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.”
God does the same for a person who lives in darkness and who is in need. David testified very clearly about this in (Psalm 40:1-3), “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.”
When Paul went to Damascus, he was in great darkness, but on the way a light shone around him from heaven. (Acts 9:3) After this he was a new Paul, and he said, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The old, miserable person, who is so full of criticism, accusation, discouragement, envy, demands, etc., is gone. “This was the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” (Psalms 118:23).
The world and the light
“Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.” (Jude 13). For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” (II Peter 2:4). “These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever.” (II Peter 2:17).“But he that, hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.”(I John 2:11). “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.”. “He that believeth on Him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” (John 3:17 to 20).
The results of God’s marvelous light
Many people in our midst can confirm that they have experienced such a new birth. The eyes of their hearts have been enlightened, and they can clearly see what the hope of His calling is, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints are, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe. This power makes it possible for us to overcome all sin and really experience that the hope of obtaining divine nature will not be put to shame. (Romans 5:5).
God’s light also gives warmth in our hearts, and thus we can manifest an abundance of the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22).
“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who 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).
Such a radiance of Christ’s virtues is extremely pleasing to God, to our marriage partner, to our children, and to the brotherhood. Let us truly walk in the light, so that the blood of Jesus can cleanse us from all sin that we discover in the light. (1 John 1:7). By walking in the light we resist sin until bloodshed, and when blood has been shed, death over sin takes place. There is no deeper cleansing than death.
“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin …” (1 Peter 4:1).
