Jesus is the true light. Darkness is sin and guilt, light is pardon and peace. In the light of Jesus I see the horrid nature of sin and abhor it; the terrible consequences of guilt and seek to be delivered from it. When Jesus enlightens my mind, I perceive that God has forgiven me all trespasses, and delivered me from all condemnation. I feel that I am at peace with God, and that God is at peace with me. Doubt vanishes, slavish fears depart, confidence springs up, and I have joy and peace in believing.
Truly this light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is to see God reconciled to us in Jesus, and loving us with an everlasting love. Now, if I look up to heaven, I see it is my Father's house; if I look at death, I see it is my Father's servant, sent to fetch his child home; if I look at the grave, I see it is a quiet resting-place for the poor, diseased worn-out body, where it will repose until the resurrection morning; if I look forward into eternity, I see it is the lifetime of my happiness, and that which perfects and perpetuates my soul's joys.
Jesus is the true light. Darkness is impurity, light is holiness and love. Human nature is impure, it is rotten at the heart's core. While in the dark, it is not discovered, consequently it is not deplored. But when light, celestial light, shines, we see our defilement, loathe our pollution, and seek freedom from our filthiness. And the light that discovers the disease, reveals the remedy. The light that shows me that I am a sinner, leads me to the Savior; for Jesus, like nature's sun, is only seen in his own light. Blessed, for ever blessed, be the day, when this light shone into my soul, revealed to me my filthiness, and led me to the open fountain, and became a means of my cleansing. Now I love purity; I enjoy purity; I long for perfect purity; and, blessed be God, I shall enjoy perfect purity too.
In the land where this luminary shines in all his splendour, all is pure. There are no spots on this sun, and there are no spots on those on whom this sun in perfection shines; for as the light of nature's sun chases away night's darkness, and introduces perfect day, so will the sun of righteousness; and in a little time all on whom he now shines will be "without fault before the throne of God." (Revelation 14:5)
Jesus is the true light. Darkness is enmity and cruelty; light is love and sympathy. Man, by nature, is enmity against God, and cruel to his fellow man. While in our natural condition we are led captive by the devil, (who is the personification of enmity,) at his will, and are influenced by the prince of the power of the air, the most cruel of all God's creatures, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience. But when Jesus shone upon us, our enmity was subdued, and we loved God because he first loved us; the cruelty of our natural disposition was destroyed, and we felt a love to all mankind. Just in proportion as this light shines upon us with strength and clearness do we love and delight in God; and just in the same proportion do we sympathize with and strive to benefit our fellow men. The light that enlightens the Gentiles, always disperses ignorance, guilt, misery, and cruelty; and produces knowledge, peace, purity, and love. Light of life, shine with clearness and power into every reader's heart!
Reader, has Jesus shone upon you at all? Have you discovered your true state and condition, as revealed in God's most holy word? and have you fled for refuge to the cross of the Son of God? Do you hate and abhor sin, because it is filthy and abominable? and do you desire and pant for holiness, because it is pure and beautiful? You were in the dark once if you are not now. Can you look back and see that you were once in darkness? Can you contrast the past with the present, and so conclude that you are now in the Lord? Can you say with John, in reference to your own state and experience, The darkness is past, and the true light now shines? (1 John 2:8)
Is this world to you a dark place, and do you look upon heaven as the land of light? If so, you daily seek grace to make "you fit to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light." (Colossians 1:12) Blessed, for ever blessed be the Lord, that we ever enjoyed this light, and that we have the prospect of a period before us when the sun shall be no more our light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto us; but the Lord shall be our everlasting light, and our God our glory. (Revelation 21:23) Our sun shall no more go down, neither shall our moon withdraw itself; for the Lord shall be our everlasting light, and the days of our mourning shall be ended.
[James Smith]
Luke 2:32 ... A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
Isaiah 60:1-2 ... Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
John 12:46 ... I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
1 John 1:5 ... This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.❤
