O Lord my God, enlighten my eyes... (Psa 13:3).

Looking down from a high hill upon a town, you see it bathed in light, but from many light sources, not one. Or at a boat harbor you will see many lights shining from the boats and jetties and their reflections twinkling in the rippled water, combining with many lights along the shore

Some folk think that spiritual light is like that. There are many lights, each a little different, but each genuine and each making its contribution to the enlightenment of the world. You can have your favourite light but you acknowledge the other lights as well. Is that the way of true spiritual light? Are there many sources of spiritual light, or only one?

1. The Source of All Spiritual Light

God alone gives light. Paul prayed for his dear friends that "the Father of glory may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, the eyes of your heart being enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling..." (Eph 1:16-19). Paul did not think that he and his friends had light within themselves and of themselves. Rather, their spiritual light came from the Father of glory.

John makes the same point when he says that the Word "was the true light that enlightens every man coming into the world" (Jhn 1:4-5,9). Man is not born with inherent light, but must be enlightened from a source outside himself.

Other created beings likewise have no light within themselves. Jesus mentioned the angels of little children. He said, "their angels continually behold the face of My Father who is in heaven" (Mtt 18:10). These angels beheld not their own light, but the glory of God. When angels turned away from God, they found themselves in darkness (Jude 1:6, 2Pe 2:4).

God is light and there is no darkness in him (1Jhn 1:5). He is "the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (Jas 1:17-18). No one is a light of themselves, but everyone's light comes from God, and without variation. God "alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light" (1Tm 6:16). There is no other true light. If we have true light, it comes from God alone.

2. The Revelation of That Light

We have seen that there is but one unvariable spiritual light, and this is the light of God. Now we look at how this light is transmitted into our hearts. It comes by revelation. Paul says that men do not have spiritual wisdom in their own right, but only such as is revealed by God's Spirit (1Co 2:7-16). God does not reveal different light to different persons, but the same light, the same truth, to all.

Jesus said,"I am the light of the world; he who follows me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life" (Jhn 8:12). We can follow Jesus only by believing and obeying his word. "I have come as light into the world, that everyone who believes in me may not be in darkness. And if anyone hears my sayings, and does not keep them... the word I spoke will judge him in the last day" (Jhn 12:46-50).

Jesus was "the first to proclaim light" to all mankind (Acts 26:23). We, as followers of Jesus, can be enlightened, and in turn be lights to others. (Mtt 5:14-16, Php 2:15).

This is possible, however, only if we follow not our own light which is darkness, but the light which Christ proclaimed.

Zacharias prophesied that "The Sunrise from on high shall visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace" (Lke 1:77-79). Later, old Simeon held Jesus in his arms and said to God, "My eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel" (Lke 2:30-32).

The gospel of Jesus Christ alone has "brought life and immortality to light" (2Tm 1:10). Paul spoke of this gospel as the only source of light and revelation. "The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves... For God who said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness' is the one who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2Co 4:4-6).

When Jesus commissioned Paul to preach the gospel, he said, "I am sending you to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in me" (Acts 26:18). There is no other way but this.

3. Our Loyalty to That Light

Jesus said, "Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light... the truth" (Jhn 3:19-21). We cannot be like that. We must love the light rather than the darkness, and love requires loyalty and commitment else it is not love.

As children of light, we must walk in the light and shun the darkness. "If we say that we have fellowship with Him (the divine) and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another..." (1Jn 1:6-7). John goes on to give an example (1Jn 2:8-11) namely that to abide in the light we must love our brothers.

"He who walks in darkness does not know where he goes" , said Jesus, and he encourages us to "believe in the light, in order that you may become sons of light" (Jhn 12:35-36). He also warns, "Watch out that the light in you may not be darkness" (Lke 11:35). Paul exhorts us, "You were formerly in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light" (Eph 5:8).

Without question, if we are sons of light, we must be ready to defend the inheritance of light against the powers of darkness (Eph 6:12-18 1Th 5:4-5 Rom13:12).

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