LIGHT AND DARKNESS PART 2

In part one of the LIGHT and DARKNESS article we got to see the source of darkness in the world, the first instance of sin and its consequences, God providing a solution for this corruption and His initial agenda for mankind. Today we will pick it up from Genesis chapter 3 where Adam and Eve eat of the forbidden fruit in disobedience to God’s commands and as a result they are sent away from the garden of Eden after receiving punishment for their actions. Just to note that Eden means delight or land of happiness. Man lost access to it and now has to toil and cultivate land so as to feed. God sending away man from the land of happiness where they were in constant communion with Him signifies that sin separates us from God.

Another consequence of disobedience is the death sentence passed to humanity. Even though physical death is experienced later, it does not occur immediately, this death signified spiritual death which is separation from God. When Adam and Eve heard the voice of God, they hid themselves from His presence. The fellowship they initially had was broken; they were spiritually dead. Also, note that in (Genesis 3:21) God made tunics of [animal] skins for Adam and Eve and clothed them. This signified death for the covering of man’s shame.

Jesus the light:

(John 8:12) Jesus said,” I am the light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” In this text we see both light and darkness mentioned, Christ being that light. Remember in (Genesis 1:3) when God commanded let there be light? I mentioned in the last article that Christ was this light (the spoken Word of God). Now this is a confirmation.

Jesus the solution for the fallen man: way out of the darkness

Knowing the fallen state of man and the darkness in the world, Jesus offered the solution to escaping the darkness and its consequences. He tells us that He is the way out. He is light, and the source of light. He brings a final and lasting bridge between man and God. The relationship that was once destroyed by man’s corruption is restored in Him. This He accomplishes by giving up His own life for our sins. To cover our shame. Remember (Genesis 3:21), the clothing for man’s shame? This is fulfilled in the blood of Jesus shed at the cross. (Ephesians 2:13) “but now at this very moment in Christ Jesus you who once were so very far away from God have been brought near by the blood of Christ”.

Jesus the solution for the fallen man: bringing life

In (Genesis 2:16-17) we saw God commanding man not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil lest they die. They disobeyed this command resulting to spiritual death befalling man, which is a separation from God like we saw earlier. God offers a remedy for death through His Son. In (1 John 5:12) we learn that he who has the Son of God has life but he who doesn’t also does not have life. Jesus Himself tells us that He is life in (John 14:6) and the Life was the Light of men (John 1:4). I view this as being resurrected; for apart from Christ then we are spiritually dead, in Christ we come to life.

Our confidence in the Light:

(John 1:5), “the light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it”. We are confident that the darkness cannot overpower the Light. We are assured of victory over sin in Jesus Christ. Jesus assures us that if we follow Him, then we will not walk in darkness (John 8:12). (Isaiah 9:2) is a prophesy that is fulfilled when Christ comes and shines His Light on us, we who once walked in spiritual darkness.

Who are we in Christ?

we were once darkness, but now we are Light in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8). For this reason, we should walk as children of Light. We have a responsibility of sharing this good news with the world. Let our words and actions communicate this everywhere we are found a time. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and recognize and honor and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Shalom.