Light and darkness

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:18-19).

Speaking physically, the above statement would be backwards. Most people like the light; darkness, especially true darkness, makes people very uncomfortable. But Jesus, speaking about deeds that reflect someone’s spiritual condition, said that men love darkness rather than the light. This is borne out in the fact that if someone commits a crime, they will do so in the dark; it gives them a place to hide.

Jesus came as the light of men (John 1:4; 8:12). He came to illuminate the only way to salvation (John 14:6). However, the gospels record one episode after another where the people rejected Him (cf. John 6:66; 12:42). Fundamentally, people don’t want to be told they’re in sin; if they’re in the darkness, they don’t want to come to the light. Listen to the admonition of the Lord: “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him” (Luke 12:2-5). Come out of the darkness of sin, and into the glorious light of Christ. You can do this through repentance (Acts 3:19), confession of Christ (Romans 10:10), and burial with Christ in baptism (Colossians 2:12).

Kyle Campbell