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1. The essence and work of the word before incarnation (John 1:1-5)
JOHN 1:5
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.
Everything with God is full of light and pure. It is open and beautiful. In his sphere of influence nothing is dark. Everything is clear, upright, truthful and holy. Impurity can find no place in his vicinity. The Holy Spirit is pure and the light of the Lord does not shine harshly but gently. It comforts and heals.
The rays of Christ's light are not confined to the heavens. They pierce into the darkness and effect redemption. It is a wonderful grace that Christ today shines in the midst of all darknesses. He does not forsake the lost, but liberates and enlightens them.
We have to acknowledge the existence of the world of darkness as opposed to the world of light. We do not know in detail how darkness came about. The evangelist John did not reveal to us this secret. He wanted us to get to know light and not let us look deeply into darkness. All men and creatures fell into darkness and the whole world has been put under the sway of the wicked one.
Maybe you ask: If Christ created the universe in harmony with God and as something good, how then could darkness find its way into it? God created mankind in his image, so how is it that we fall short of his glory today?
John does not mention Satan by name, that Satan which disobeyed his Lord and tried to extinguish his light. He always was against Christ. Therefore, he lost the light that was bestowed on him. Satan became proud and sought for greatness without God. He wanted to rise above him in order to overcome him. It is then that he became the prince of darkness.
Dear brother, what is the aim of your life? Do you seek greatness, fame and self-gratification without God? If this is so, then you belong to those who are in darkness like the Evil One. For he did not remain alone, but drew millions of people to his darkness. Look at the faces of the people that pass by you in the streets. Do you read light or darkness in their eyes? Do their hearts reflect the joy of God or the sadness of Satan?
The Evil One hates God because his holy light judges him. He does not want light to uncover his ferocity. He therefore hides and covers himself and tries to overcome Christ and those who follow his light. This treacherous one cannot bear the light of the Lord, but hates it. He purposely covers his face and thus is not able to perceive the light. What is frightening is that millions of people do not see Christ's sun as it shines in the night of their sins. We know what the sun is. It does not need to be explained. It is itself present, shining, clear, radiating. Every small child knows that it is the source of life.
But multitudes of people do not perceive the glory of Christ and his power, because they do not want to comprehend it. Deceiving ideologies cover their eyes as with a thick blanket, so they reject the true message about the divinity of Christ. In reality, they do not want to discover their own sins. They do not want to approach the light and prefer to remain in darkness. They do not deny themselves and do not confess their own sins. They become arrogant and proud. They remain blind to the grace of Christ's light. Darkness competes against light, but light overcomes it by love. So who are you? Light from the Lord or darkness from the Evil One?
PRAYER: O Lord, you are the light of the world. We follow you in faith and in your love. We do not walk in darkness, but have received the light of life. We thank you because you did not leave us alone, afraid of the darkness of God's anger, but that you have called us to your clear light. Enlighten millions of people around us who did not see you in spite of the fact that you shine around them. Have mercy on us and give us light, o Enlightener!
QUESTION:
- What is the difference between light and darkness in the spiritual sense of the word?
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
upon them a light has shined.
(Isaiah 9:2)