“Lovers of Light and Lovers of Darkness”

Friday, November 01, 2024

Lovers of Light and Lovers of Darkness

By Paul Earnhart

If you go into an old barn on a dark night and turn on a bright light, you will see two different reactions.  The rats will run, but the candle flies will soon be swarming around your light.

Jesus came into the world as the light of the world.  And there were two different reactions.  Some hated Him and began almost immediately to plot His extermination.  Others, however, were drawn to Him and became completely loyal to Him.

In John 3:19-21, He explains these two reactions.  “And this is the judgment that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.  For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest their deeds should be exposed.  But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

The true character and teaching of Jesus serve as a judgment on the deeds of evil people.  Once they truly understand Him, they react against Him; and, in so doing, they actually pass judgment on themselves.

In our generation, however, Satan has confused the issue.  He has made Jesus out to be a very broad-minded and tolerant individual who will accept most any kind of conduct.  Satan has also led many to think that believing in Jesus is simply accepting the fact that He lived and died for mankind; and if one believes that, one can live any way they want to live.  Those who are deceived by Satan in this manner do not truly know Jesus.

Jesus condemned sin in all forms, and He demands that we live as pure a life as we can live.  Nothing in the life or teaching of Jesus encourages sin.  And just as belief in a doctor means following the doctor’s instructions, so belief in the great physician means living as He directs.  He asked, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do the things that I say?” (Lk 6:46)

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