Light: Expanded
Casting a new light on the theme of Light
Today, I want to cast some more light on the theme of Light in Scripture. One could spend many hours studying a single word in the Bible and never tire of it. I believe that we are to return again and again and drink from the never-ending, always-satisfying fountain of the Word of God. So here we are again, returning to the Word of God to take another look at the theme of Light. If you have not read my previous post on Light you can read it here. Themes and words in Scripture are like a sculpture, you can study them from one angle and then move just a little and suddenly the sculpture will show you a whole new perspective. So too, with Light, can new vistas be seen as we venture once again to the vantage point of Scripture.
First, the contrast of night and day and light and dark are made several times in the Bible. In my previous essay, I touched on Ephesians 5.8 how we are "children of light." This fact is important to hold onto because we have now established a new identity, which is affirmed many times elsewhere in Ephesians. With this identity comes new allies and enemies. Now that we have become children this implies that we are part of a family. Indeed, the family of God, He, as James writes in his letter, is the Father of Lights. He has become our Father once he adopted us into his household. But with this new identity, it has now brought a new enemy. We have changed sides, Ephesians 2.1-10 clearly outlines the transition from being aligned with the Enemy to being aligned with God. This new enemy is an old one for God, but a new one for us, being newly saved and reborn into the family of God. But God is already ahead of us, preparing the way and not leaving us defenseless.
In Ephesians 6 Paul describes the armor of God which is the spiritual defenses that we are to put on and use in our war against darkness. Since we are of the light, and we are to walk in the light, we cannot associate with darkness, in reality, we are at war with it. He states in verse 12 of Chapter 6
"We do not wrestle against flesh and blood... but against the cosmic powers over this present darkness."
Here is where we begin to pick at the specific thread which will lead us to a broader understanding of Light in the Bible. This verse is like a step in a stairway that takes us to higher views for deeper insights into the majesty and complexity of the Bible. From Ephesians 6.12 we go to Romans 13.11-13 where Paul is writing about behaving properly in the daytime. Because we are of the day we are no longer a part of the darkness, so
"let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light."
The defenses that we have against darkness are given to us as the armor of light which is the character of Christ.
I come to this conclusion for several reasons. First, by observing what the armor of God is in Ephesians 6. The pieces are listed first in their form, i.e. helmet, and then by function, i.e. salvation. Putting on this helmet is to put on the truth of salvation and to think the thoughts of Christ. We see this as well in Ephesians 4.23 "and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds." We have this renewed mind because of Christ and his saving work. Second, comparing this to the armor of light in Romans 13 we can take a step back into Romans 12.9-21 and see the extensive list of the character of the believer. Which I believe is a precursor explanation of the armor of light that we read about in the following chapter. Third, we must read 2 Corinthians 5.17 which tells us that if we are in Christ, we are a new creation. No longer are we part of the old, evil, decaying order of things, but we are given a new identity, a gift of life, and are brought out of darkness into the marvelous light of the truth and glory of God.
I find this incredibly intriguing. This light is like a single beam that I can follow with my eye to where it leads me to a wondrous facet of truth which I can study and behold the glory of my God. Imagine a giant painting several stories tall, but it rests in a darkened room. You are given a flashlight with a focused beam to study the painting with. You would treasure that flashlight and studiously observe all that the flashlight beam would illuminate. Finding themes like this in the Bible is like this. One can use themes to discover truths in the bible, exploring the same piece of art over and over again but focusing on different areas of the painting.
Turning our attention from light, I want to explore the contrasting side, darkness. To begin, I turned to 1 Thessalonians 5, I turned here because it contains similar phrasing to the above passages that I have already discussed. To me, this further demonstrates the consistency of the Bible and enhances the tapestry that these passages weave together. In 1 Thessalonians 5. 5-9, Paul writes contrasting and reminding the believers at this church that they are no longer in the darkness but are children of light. Since they are in the day, they must be awake and sober. For those who are of the night sleep. Sleep is often used in the bible as a metaphor for death. Ephesians 5.13 carries this metaphor further then Paul writes,
“But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” We are no longer dead but raised to life in Christ, so we must be doing the works of Christ.”
Here even again we get another reference to the armor of God, in verse 8 we have the breastplate of righteousness and the helmet of salvation. It is fantastic that we see these references on the heels of the same terminology that we see in the other passages of Scripture. Paul is telling us something very clearly. We are no longer part of the darkness, but children of light. Since we are of the light, we must protect ourselves against our new enemy, the darkness, by putting on the armor of light, which again is the character of Christ.
There are several lists in and around the passages that describe what the darkness is. Ephesians 2 describe clearly our state before being transferred by God's saving grace into the family of Light. Romans 13 also list several attributes of darkness which Paul warns strongly against being a part of. Lastly, 1 Thessalonians 5 details night-time - darkness - behavior. These lists are important to read and take note of. One, because that is where we came from, 1 Corinthians 6.11 states,
"Such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified."
This is to teach us to know and name our sin and also to abhor it. We must not go back and walk in the ways of the flesh, but we are called to walk in the Spirit. We cannot go back or share in that sort of thing anymore. 2 Corinthians 6.14 says,
"What fellowship does light have with darkness?"
We are not to live in fear of the darkness, like a child crosses the room to turn the light off and then runs to his bed, diving under the covers. But rather we walk in the confidence of the light of Christ. We take hope in the fact that our life is hidden in Christ who is the light of the world. 1 John 1.15 declares,
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
We are hidden in this overcoming light of Christ. 1 John further expounds on this beautiful truth in several places, 1 John 2.13; 2.14; 4.4. We have overcome evil only because we are from God and we continue to abide in him.
There are so many more passages that touch on the theme of light, but I do not have the time, today at least, to explore them all. I hope that as I continue to write that I will eventually explore the whole theme of light in the Bible in the years to come. I believe the Bible is one large tapestry and every word is a single thread that weaves together into a final picture. I can only read one word at a time, one sentence at a time, thus seeing only a part of the whole. The threads that weave the truth of the Gospel are many and sometimes complex, interweaving and reaching across the breadth and depth of Scripture, forming a cohesive, monumental, picture that represents God himself. He has woven it and given it to us for our understanding, so that we may know him. Tapestries tell stories, and the Bible is no different. The story of humanity, sin, sacrifice, and redemption are just some of the many themes that are expressed in the Bible.
God has spoken, and he has given us his word so that we may know him. He has given us truth so that we can understand how to live in this fallen world. In this truth, there is marvelous and unshakeable hope that can carry us through the darkest of times. Today, learn about the armor of light, and put on the helmet of salvation. 2 Corinthians 3.18 promises,
"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."