WHAT IS “DARKNESS”?

“If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but that person is still living in darkness. Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.”
1 John 2:9-11 NLT

Darkness is only the absence of light. Darkness cannot stand by itself. It disappears as soon as light appears. Sunrise dispels darkness. Even the tiny light of a candle makes a pool of light in a dark room.

Spiritual darkness is also the absence of light in another realm. In the first chapter of this letter, John stated that “God is light, and there is no darkness in Him.” Darkness, here, is figurative as well as literal. As much as He is the source of all physical light in the universe, God is also the source of all truth and wisdom, the light that enlightens us about Himself, us, and how to live in this world.

Conversely, sin has taken God’s light from us and plunged us into the darkness of spiritual death. We are separated from God and live in the realm of darkness, the realm ruled by the prince of darkness, the devil.

“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”
2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT

How does God communicate His “light” to us who are in spiritual “darkness” because of our sin?

He sent His “light” into the world to show and declare God’s truth to us.

“God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.”
John 1:6-9 NLT

However, we no longer have physical access to Jesus, since He is at the right hand of the Father in heaven. How can we know and receive the light that will take away our darkness?

The psalmist wrote,

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”
Psalms 119:105 NLT

God has provided a way for us to access this light so that we can find the way to the Father. He has inspired and preserved a written record of that Light for us to read, believe, and experience.

The light of God’s Word leads us to Jesus, the true light that enlightens everyone who comes into the world.

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
John 8:12 NLT

Simply put, when we believe and receive the message about Jesus,

“So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”
Romans 10:17 NLT

“For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts…
2 Corinthians 4:6-7 NLT

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”
Romans 10:9-10 NLT

The teachings of Jesus, the true Light, encompasses life in all its facets. When we follow Him, we walk in the light is His word as He walked in obedience to the Father’s word. Then we have fellowship with Him and with His people.

But…. to claim allegiance to Jesus and, at the same time, to hate a fellow believer is a contradiction. Our claim and behaviour make us liars. We can only be one with God and one another if we walk in God’s word.

“So, we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”
1 John 1:6-7 NLT