HF087 – A Walk In the Light
To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date: Tue, June 24, 2003 1:58 pm
Subject: HF Bible Study HF087 - A Walk in the Light
Hebraics,
Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life.” (John 8:12)
In the Bible the term darkness speaks of Satan, sin, confusion, and disorder of every sort. Darkness also speaks of an out-of-covenant relationship with God. And so the terms ‘light’ and ‘darkness’ have to do with spiritual conditions.
If we are following Jesus, we are in the Light. If we are walking in sin, we are walking in the darkness. An example is where John said, “The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.” (1 John 2:9)
Let’s take a look at this issue. This is Bible Study HF087 – A Walk in the Light.
Many things that Jesus said are better understood when we can understand them as did those who heard Him. Jesus is speaking to Jewish people in thoughts and expressions that they were well acquainted with. When Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world,” those who heard him would automatically think of the original creation. But they would also have heard with teachings of the sages.
The term ‘light of the world’ reflects back to Genesis 1:3, where “God said, ’Let there be light’; and there was light.” We read that statement and say, ‘Ok.’ But the Hebrew people didn’t just say, ‘Ok.’ They were taught that this Light was a supernatural light that could allow men to see and know things on a level that far exceeded anything that can be known today.
However, they were also taught that when Adam sinned against the Lord, this Light was taken away from the world, and would only return with Messiah.
Many would see that as being Jewish myth, but is it? Everything to the earlier sages linked itself to Messiah. They said that the ‘Spirit of God moving over the surface of the deep’, was the Spirit of Messiah. Everything to them was about Messiah. There was a Messiah hunger in the hearts of God’s ancient people.
Actually we Christians could learn a few things from the sages of Israel. Was this simply myth? Paul didn’t think so. Listen carefully to how the apostle connects the Light of Genesis to Jesus. He said, “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.” (2 Cor. 4:6)
And so the Bible continues with it's theme of Light and darkness. David said, “For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light,” He was speaking of the Messiah being God’s Light. Then we have Psalm 97:11, which says, “Light is sown like seed for the righteous.” But all these things about Light, to the Hebrews, spoke of God and His Messiah. In Messiah would be redemption.
The prophets began enlarging on this theme of the Light of God. Isaiah said, “The people who walk in darkness will see a great Light; those who live in a dark land, the Light will shine on them.” This prophecy became a reality when Jesus began his ministry in the Galilee area. Jesus brought the Light of God to them. He Himself was that Light.
Paul said this is what happens when people come under the influence of the gospel, and thereby believe in Jesus Christ. He said, “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Cf. Isa 9:2; Matt 4:16; Col 1:13,14)
Let’s come back to the issue of ‘light’ and ‘darkness’ being spiritual conditions. We’ve talked about Jesus being the Light. But the Bible also says that darkness is a kingdom. When Paul related his call from the Lord, He said it included the commission to go to both the Jews and Gentiles, “To open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God.” (Acts 26:18)
So, darkness is a dominion. The ruler of this kingdom is Satan. And of course we know that Satan is a corrupt being whose very nature speaks of hatred and violence. But humans can be delivered from this working of darkness by appealing to Jesus Christ. Paul says that the gospel provides in itself a legal transfer.
And this is why it is so important that the gospel be presented in its true form, that is, without any additions or any subtractions. This is also why the apostle said that a preacher had to be approved to handle the gospel. It the gospel is distorted, it becomes false gospel.
Some many years ago I saw how awesome the simple gospel of Jesus Christ is. We were in a native village in Honduras. As we traveled over the mountain to get there, I had to ride a horse for a bit. During the ride I was asking the Lord what He wanted me to say to the people. He said, “Tell them that you come as an ambassador from the kingdom of heaven, and that you have a message for them from the King.”
The place was crowded. The moment I said what the Lord told
me, a holy hush fell over peoples. I then shared God’s
message about His Son. In concluding my message, it was then
that the Lord wanted me to see something. An old Indian begins
to make his way towards me. Others were coming, but I
couldn’t take my eyes off this old gentleman. He had heard
the message. He was responding to the invitation. That very
night another soul was transferred out of
the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the beloved Son.
(There is no greater miracle to be seen than this.)
There is only one way a person can become a child of light. There must be a legal transfer from Satan’s kingdom into the kingdom of God’s Beloved Son. God doesn’t even mistreat Satan. Everything must be done in righteousness. Is it not written, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12) This is where our ‘walk in the Light’ begins.
The one thing a person needs in order to be saved, is a direct appeal to the Son. It is written that "whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved." This may help us understand why Satan is in the business of creating religions. He will do anything to keep one human from appealing to the Son. So by creating religions, Satan tries to keep man occupied with fulfilling conditions. But Jesus said that the way be become a son (daughter) of light is to believe in the Light itself.
The Lord said, “While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.” (John 12:36) If you’ll notice the word Light is capitalized. Walking in the Light means that you are walking in fellowship with Jesus. Isaiah prophesied of this walk when he said, “Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.” (Isa 2:5)
But there is an issue that we must tend to when it comes to walking in the Light. John said that if we walk in the Light, then the blood of God's Son cleanses us from all sin. So a walk in the Light is a soul-cleansing walk. But what about sin? The apostle said, "If we say we have fellowship with Him, and yet walk in the darkness [sin], we lie and do not practice the truth." (1 John 1:5-10)
He went on to say that unless a believer confesses his sins, he will be found walking in a deception. Rather than being cleansed by the blood, we will be giving the enemy a legal place to work in our lives. And this is an area that no believer wants to find himself.
A deception of darkness means that the enemy is working darkness in our lives, and we are calling it Light. The only way to change this is that the believer must turn from his sins by confession, or he will once again have the enemy gaining an advantage over his life.
Now we need a place to round things out --- What is the one vital key to a walk in the Light? It is so simple that it is easy to miss, and this is exactly what Satan wants a believer to do; miss it. Listen to Paul's explanation; "But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the SIMPLICITY and PURITY OF DEVOTION to Christ." (2 Cor 11:3)
See the key terms --- Simplicity, and, purity of devotion to Christ. A pure devotion is devotion without encumbrances and distractions. It is a childlike heart where Jesus alone fills our heart.
The Greek word for simplicity' is 'haplotes'. This word speaks of both simplicity and mental honesty. It means to be free from distractions, pretence, or simply to have a single-hearted faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul's point is that shysters were taking in the Corinthians. But these shysters were the most dangerous of their kind. The apostle explains it this way, "For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully." (Verse 4)
See the point? It is possible for a believer to get caught up in spiritual activity that is not of the Lord. Unless this activity is confronted and turned from, or until there is a return to the simplicity and purity of our devotion to Christ, the deception will continue it’s work unhindered. The result will be a walk in darkness. And what is darkness? It is as I said at the beginning of this study.
In the Bible the term darkness speaks of Satan, sin, confusion, and disorder of every sort. Darkness also speaks of an out-of-covenant relationship with God. James said that a work of darkness can appear to be from God, but the results will show that it is from Satan and the flesh.
"But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exists, there is disorder and every evil thing." (James 3:14-16)
Just keep in mind that the greater Kingdom is God's kingdom of Light. That is the kingdom that believers are called to.
The study is open. Feel free to make observations or ask questions.
Blessings,
Buddy
Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.christianchallenge.org/
"See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." (Heb12:15)