“For God, who said “let light shine out of darkness. . .”
2 Corinthians 4:6 (a)
First words! If you were to turn back to the opening of the Bible – back to the very first page of the Holy Scriptures, you encounter the creation story. And, within that story (which was for many the very first story ever learned as a child) you encounter the very first statement of God recorded in the Bible: “God said, ‘let there be light’.” Following the statement, one finds the results of God’s Word: “there was light.” Then, one discovers the quality of what was made: “the light was good.” Often in the Old Testament, “good” represents the goodness and completeness of God’s nature – His standard. Therefore, at the very beginning of the story of God, He made light, the most foundational part of creation, and He called the light good by His own perfect and holy standard.
In a letter of spiritual encouragement to a struggling group of Christians, the loving pastor Paul offered this simple truth from the beginning of Biblical history: “For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness.” When reading this we are tempted to thumb back through our Bibles to that opening story to realize something often missed in our childhood readings of the creation story: as soon as God created light, darkness became noticeable. Light truly shone out of darkness, for the dark void over all things became subjected to the light of God. And the principle of light over darkness is present today, and for all eternity.
Spiritually, supported by the facts of the creation story, God’s illumining light of truth and spiritual life becomes fully revealed in Jesus. The Bible tells us that Jesus has always been with God (John 1:1, 14). And, when Jesus came to mankind, He was seen as the “light” of life. When Jesus came as “the light of the world” (John 8:12), the spiritual darkness of the world immediately became subjected to Him: “in Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:4-5).
Now, on to the second half of 2 Corinthians 4:6.
“God . . . is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”
The God of light – of all light, creation, goodness and life, has given to you and to me the opportunity to have the spiritual life of God shinning in our hearts. Our spiritual life comes from the illumining light of God – the knowledge of God and His glory revealed completely in the face of Christ. This indicates that His light becomes truly evident only in the full experience with Jesus as Savior and Lord.
If by faith you have received the forgiveness of God in Christ and now follow Jesus, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God resides in your heart. You are not the light, but the light is in you through Jesus. This is why Jesus himself referred to His followers as the light of the world. This is why the Bible stated of John the Baptist, “he was not the light, but came to testify about the light” (John 1:8). The light of God is in us through our faith in Jesus. This light represents the personal and life changing truth of God revealed through His Holy Spirit to us that is only possible in Jesus. And, dear follower of Christ, you have God’s light in you.
When Paul taught this to the Corinthian church, he did so with an intentional contrast in place. Previous to the key verse before us, Paul taught that “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they may not see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). What was the purpose of such contrast? The context of this truth is defined in the concept of ministry. Paul referenced his own personal ministry of the gospel and encouraged the Corinthian Christians to realize that they themselves have such a ministry. And today, so do you. We have a ministry – a responsibility, with the Gospel. Why? The light of the Gospel is in us. And there are people at this very moment blinded by the enemy to that glorious light. So today, we are called to shine.
As you begin your day, realize that as a follower of Jesus you have the light of the world residing in you. Hear the loving words of your Savior say, “you are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14) because of Him.
So today, lay aside all of those old traits and attitudes that tend to distract from the truth of the Gospel and allow Jesus to shine through you. This world is infused with darkness, confusion, uncertainty, and anxiousness. Today, you be the difference. You be the contrast. The glorious light of Christ is in you. And in me. Let’s live it out.
Blessings.
