LANGUAGE:
I Am The Light Of The World[i]
(John 8:12)
In John’s Gospel John records seven moments when Jesus reveals part of His identity with the phrase I Am. The fact that He does this seven times indicates to me that we need to get a grip on what He meant when He said "I Am". [ii] It can be easy in the struggles of everyday life to lose sight of the majesty and holiness of God, but meditating on God’s Name, and all that it represents, can help put our time on earth into perspective.
His Name supersedes all names, and reminds us that God is in control, that He is the self-sufficient and all-encompassing One. This self-sufficient all-encompassing God exists only of Himself. He depends on nothing and no one for His existence.[iii] This fact has enormous consequences for how we understand the world around us. What is absolutely stunning to me is that this self-sufficient all-encompassing God puts a high priority on our knowing Him personally.
Jeremiah 9, vs23–24 (NASB95) 23Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24but let him who boasts boast of this . . . now don’t miss what He says next . . . that he understands and knows Me . . . Then there is Hosea 6, v6 (GW) Thus says the Lord, . . . I want you to know me . . .[iv]
Knowing God should be our flat-out-life-pursuit. J. I. Packer lays it out for us this way: We are cruel to ourselves if we try to live in this world without knowing about the God whose world it is and who runs it. The world becomes a strange, mad, painful place, and life in it a disappointing and unpleasant business for ‘all’ those who do not know about God. Disregarding the study of God you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This ‘is the’ way you waste your life and lose your soul.[v]
This is in keeping with what Jesus said in John 8, v24(NASB95) . . . unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.[vi] And so Peter instructs us in 2 Peter 3:18 (NASB95) that we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Let’s ask God to open our hearts to this life pursuit: Heavenly Father, we pray that as we study Your Word, that you will help us to listen in a way that is true to you and to all that you’ve revealed of Yourself. Help us to understand Your Word and to obey it. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.
As we begin our study this morning, let’s begin by opening our Bibles to John 6, v35 for a quick review. I want us to be clear on what Jesus meant when He said I Am the Bread of Life.
The main point is this: Jesus did not come into the world mainly to give bread, but to be bread. V35, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not hunger.”[vii] In this statement Jesus is making claim to the revelation given to Moses in Exodus 3:14, where God self-discloses Himself to Moses as the self-sufficient, all-encompassing One. There is nothing outside of Him.
Last time we highlighted Jesus statement—I Am The Bread of Life. By equating Himself with bread, Jesus is saying that He is absolutely essential for life.[viii] Remember, He had just fed thousands with 5 barley loaves and two fish. In claiming to be the Bread of Life, Jesus sought to move the crowd from thinking tummy hungries to deep spiritual hunger. He was contrasting what He could do for them spiritual to what He did for them physically. He did not come into the world to assist us in meeting desires we already had before we were born again. He came into the world to change our ingrained desires so that He is the main desire. That is the reason he came. He came to quench our spiritual hunger, and satisfy the deep longings of our hearts.[ix] Psalm 81, vs10–11 (NASB95) God said to Israel 10“I, the LORD, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. 11“But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel did not obey Me.[x]
Our back yard is alive with quitters of various kinds, from birds to raccoons, and in-between are squirrels. I have this cylinder feeder which is designed to shut down when the squirrels climb on it. It does its job to the point the squirrels have, by-in-large, learned that when they get on it, they cannot access the seeds for the birds. The weight of a squirrel shuts the feeder down. But a little problem has crept in, perhaps due to the age of the feeder. The spring mechanism gets jammed and doesn’t release the wire cage, so that it remains shut when the squirrels jump off.
That got me to thinking. Do you have any squirrels in your life? Little squirrel distractions, like sports, gossip, worries, crises, cell phones, iPad, Tablets, watches, and the list goes on. Distractions that jam your devotional time so that you don’t have time to eat at God’s table. In Psalm 119:131 (NASB95) David was hungry. And this is what he said: I opened my mouth wide and panted, For I longed for Your commandments. Which leads me to ask, Have you lost your appetite for the things of God because of little squirrels?
When my birds can’t feed at the feeder because it’s jammed, they find another table to feed at. Whose table are you feeding at? God’s table or the world’s table? The food is different, and satisfaction is lacking.
Jesus said I Am the Bread of Life, Faith is coming to His table and eating what He has to offer in His Word, and Life is being satisfied. Just as David testified in Psalm 23, vs5–6 (NASB95) 5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. 6Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Now, turn with me to John chap 8, v12(GW). Here we come to Jesus’ second I Am statement. Speaking to the Pharisees, He said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of Life.”
Interestingly, the overall context of this declaration, I am the light of the world, takes us back to the previous chapter. This I Am statement is rooted in the Feast of Tabernacles, [xi] a reminder of their ancestors being led out of Egypt and slavery by the pillar of fire.
The Feast of Tabernacles begins and ends with a special Sabbath day of rest. During the feast all Israelites were “to dwell in tent like structures” to remind them of God delivering them out of the “land of Egypt” and slavery, and look forward to the coming of their Messiah, who would deliver them from the bondage of sin. In their wilderness wonderings they followed the pillar of fire, the Light that led them from slavery through the perilous wilderness to the promised land.[xii]
By application, Jesus is making the claim that He is God, the Pillar of Fire that led the way through the wilderness, and that He has now come to light the way for them out of the darkness of sin.[xiii]
Also interestingly, there is an immediate context. Jesus makes this I Am statement following the Scribes and Pharisees bringing a woman caught in adultery, and placing her shame front center. Their intent was to put Jesus between a ‘rock-and-a-hard-place.’ Would He uphold the Law of Moses which required that this woman be stoned, or would He be soft on sin?[xiv]
Jesus kneels and begins writing in the dust. The accusers leave, starting with the oldest to the youngest. He turns to the woman and asks, “Woman, where are the accusers? Does no one condemn you?” She responded, 11“No one, Master.” Jesus then says to her “Neither do I. Go on your way and don’t sin anymore.”[xv]
It is in this context darkness and Light clash, and Jesus says to the watching Pharisees, “I am the light of the world. All who follow me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life. It’s a slam dunk moment. They had brought a woman trapped in the grip of sin front center, and displayed her shame for all to see. Jesus takes a knee and begins to write in the dust. We’re not told what He wrote, that’s left to our imaginations, but whatever it was, it radically impacted the accusers.[xvi] Whatever was written in the dust, and the accusers, fading out of the commendation circle, highlights what being exposed to the light means, and what living in darkness means. Those who came to shame the woman and Jesus, where overwhelmed by their own shamefulness as they were exposed to The Light of the World. Being exposed by the Light of the World brings shame and personal despair.
In John 12:46 Jesus said, “I have come as Light into the world so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. On the flipside, whoever does not believe in Jesus remains in darkness, and the wrath of God abides on him/her.[xvii]
In this verse Jesus makes three powerful statements:
Remember, Jesus’ I Am statements take us back to Exodus 3 where God self-discloses Himself as the great I Am, the All-Sufficient Self-existent One. The Pharisees, v3(GW), immediately picked up on what Jesus was saying. “You testify on your own behalf, so Your testimony isn’t true.” [xviii]
Following v12, Jesus explains that the reason He is the Light of the world is because He comes from the Father, speaks for the Father, is going back to the Father, and is one with the Father[xix]. In v24 He points out the importance of accepting Him as the Light of the world. If you don’t believe that I am the one, you’ll die in your sins.” John 1:4 (GW) Because He is connected to the Father, He ‘is’ the source of life for humanity. So having a personal relationship with Jesus is a serious issue. So I have to ask, Do you know Him, the All-Sufficient Self-existent One?
That brings us to the second part of Jesus’ statement: Whoever follows Me will not walk in the darkness. This is a life changing statement if you see Him for who He is--the great I Am, The All-Sufficient Self-existent One. Whoever follows Me will not walk in the darkness is not a tag-along calling. To not walk in darkness means to so immerse oneself into His light that you become one with Him.
We don’t have to go far to find darkness and the evidences of it. You can take pretty much any newsprint, news shows, TV shows, movies, etc., and be caught up in a whirlwind of darkness. They are filled with stories of rape, chaos, prejudice, disappointments, abortions, fear, disasters, runaway children, broken-down marriages, and the list goes on.
The Bible tells us that this darkness is rooted in all of our hearts. Matthew 15, v19 (NASB95) “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.[xx] Proverbs 4:19 (NASB95) The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble. And you know what is really creepy? Jesus said in John 3, v19 people love ‘their’ darkness rather than the light, for their deeds are evil. [xxi] And it’s not as if we don’t know better. We know perfectly well when we are walking in darkness. And what is spine-chilling is that people living in darkness really don’t care who knows. And worse, they hand out prizes to those who do the worst things best![xxii]
Look again to what Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. All who follow me will not walk in the darkness. Now sink your teeth in this . . . such people will have the Light of life. When we immerse ourselves into His Light darkness is driven out, and we have the Light of life in us. [xxiii] By application, the shameful woman, exposed to the Light of the World, was moved from a life of darkness into the Light of Life.[xxiv]
John 1:5 (NASB95) The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness could not extinguish it. Jesus was/is professing to not only be the inexhaustible source of spiritual nourishment, but the genuine light by which truth and falsehood can be distinguished, and giving a life of fulfillment. If we believe in the light, we become children of the light. Ephesians 5, vs8-9, not only were we IN darkness, but we WERE darkness. But now that we believe in Jesus, are now living in the Life of God.[xxv]
The Light of life is the sharing of God’s eternal life, freed from the eternal grip of death. 1 John 1:5 (NASB95) This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. This Light of life is captured in Jesus prayer in John 17:3 (NASB95) “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.[xxvi] So I have to ask, Do you know Him, the All-Sufficient Self-existent One, The Light of the World?
Let’s stop here and try to digest what we have just learned. What is our take away? I want to leave you with two take-a-ways.
What does that mean?
John 1:4 fleshes this out for us: In Him (thought would be Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men. Jesus is life, and the life He gives is light. Like the adulterous woman, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, Ephesians 2 tells us that we are all dead and blind to the life of God until Jesus imparts His life to us, giving us the light of life, which is God’s life, which is eternal life with Him. So Romans 13, v14, Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Psalm 43:3 (NASB95) David prays, send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your dwelling places. For David light and truth go together. In Psalm 67:1 (NASB95) God be gracious to us and bless us, And cause ‘Your’ face to shine upon us. That is, reveal Yourself so I can see You and have Your direction.[xxvii]
To be in His light darkness is driven out like the accusers faded out after being exposed to The Light of the World, leaving the adulteress alone, who then was transferred to a new realm . . . the light of life. The light of Jesus is the brightness of God shining on the retina of our souls.[xxviii] We can have the light of life when we follow Peter’s admonition in Acts 3, v19(GW) change the way you think and act, and turn ⸤to God⸥ to have your sins removed. 1 John 1:7(GW) if we live in God’s light, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from every sin. To live in the light is to have our sins removed and be cleansed by the blood of Jesus
In Romans 13, when we live in the light, we are given the armor of light. Because we have been transferred from Satan’s realm to God’s realm, we have switched sides. We are no longer enemies of God, but now enemies of Satan. God’s armor of light gives us divine protection in our battle against Satan’s supernatural powers of darkness, as well as against the natural darkness of our sin, which as believers, we still are prone.[xxix]
God’s armor of light is described for us in Ephesians 6:12-17. It is composed of the belt of “truth, the breastplate of righteousness,” feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith which extinguishes all the flaming missiles of the evil one,” and “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”.
Having an intimate relationship with Jesus is a serious issue. So I must ask, do you know Him who is
the Light of the world,
the Light of righteousness,
the Light of Heaven?
No light can outshine Him.
No darkness can hinder Him.
Satan abhors Him.
He stands alone in Himself.
He’s the bright and morning star.
He supplies strength for the weak.
He’s the gateway to glory and the pathway to peace.
He is our salvation.
Do you know Him who is the way, the truth, and the life?[xxx]
The Psalmist wrote: Those who know Him will put their trust in Him, For He will not forsaken those who seek Him[xxxi] and . . . the people who know their God will display strength and take action (v Daniel 11:32b (NASB95)).
Let’s close in prayer: Lord, We want to thank you that you are the Bread of Life, the Light of the World. You provide us with physical strength and spiritual power and light our path by the Word of life and give us hope. We ask that You now meet our every need, and help us to feast on Your Word for strength and spiritual sustenance to face each day. We ask this In the name of our Lord and Savior, the ever-present self-existent One, Amen.
[i] I try to thoroughly cite all sources in my written sermon notes. But due to the extemporaneous nature of oral communication, delivery may occasionally contain material not fully cited or original with me. In such situations, the church nor I assert ownership to such material. The footnotes contain most of the resources that were used to prepare this sermon. Some additional resources:
[ii] Exodus 3:14 (NASB95) 14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”. https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/why-does-god-call-himself-i-am-that-i-am.html. https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/71516/how-should-the-hebrew-ehyeh-asher-ehyeh-in-exodus-314-be-translated-in-englis. The first time God says I AM (“I AM WHO I AM”), the Hebrew says, “Ehyeh asher Ehyeh”, which translates as “I will be what I will be.”
[iii] Cf., https://wholemagazine.org/the-attributes-of-god-self-sufficient/ He is solely and completely self-sufficient, not dependent on anything else. Everything created receives its all from Him. God has no lack, He has no need, and He has no deficiency. God being self-sufficient, or self-existent, is an attribute of His aseity. The definition of aseity is “the property by which a being exists in and of itself, from itself, or exists as so-and-such of and from itself.”
[iv] Micah 6:8 (NASB95) 8He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?
[v] J.I.Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove, IL; InterVarsity Press, 1973), p.19
[vi] John 3:36 (NASB95) 36“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
[vii] John 6:35, and again in v48, and again in v51.
[viii] https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/how-long-a-person-can-survive-without-water-a6873341.html Unlike food, the maximum time an individual can go without water seems to be a week. That estimate would certainly be shorter in difficult conditions, like broiling heat. A human can go for more than three weeks without food (Mahatma Gandhi survived 21 days of starvation), but water is a different story.At least 60 per cent of the adult body is made of it, and every living cell in the body needs it to keep functioning. Water acts as a lubricant for our joints, regulates our body temperature through sweating and respiration, and helps to flush waste.
[ix] John Piper, Jesus Came Not to Give Bread but to Be Bread (John 6:1-29), https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/jesus-came-not-to-give-bread-but-to-be-bread See also Psalm 63:1 (NASB95) 1O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. ; Psalm 84:2 (NASB95) 2My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. ; Psalm 143:6 (NASB95) 6I stretch out my hands to You; My soul longs for You, as a parched land. Selah. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 (NASB95) For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,
[x] Psalm 42:1–2 (NASB95) 1As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. 2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God . See https://www.biola.edu/blogs/good-book-blog/2022/what-does-as-the-deer-pants-for-the-water-mean-psalm-42-1
[xi] George R. Beasley-Murray, John, vol. 36, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1999), 127. The setting is Jesus in the Feast of Tabernacles. As 7:37–38 had immediate reference to the water-drawing ceremony of the festival, and showed Jesus as fulfilling all that it signified of Israel’s experience of and hope for the salvation of God, so 8:12 has immediate reference to the joyous celebration each night in the light of the lamps, with all that it connoted of Israel’s experience of the shining of God upon them for their deliverance and hope of future salvation. The Feast of Tabernacles takes place on the 15th of the Hebrew month Tishri. This was the seventh month on the Hebrew calendar and usually occurs in late September to mid-October. The feast begins five days after the Day of Atonement and at the time the fall harvest had just been completed. It was a time of joyous celebration as the Israelites celebrated God’s continued provision for them in the current harvest and remembered His provision and protection during the 40 years in the wilderness. The Feast of Tabernacles, like all the feasts, was instituted by God as a way of reminding Israelites in every generation of their deliverance by God from Egypt. Of course, the feasts are also significant in that they foreshadow the work and actions of the coming Messiah. Much of Jesus’ public ministry took place in conjunction with the Holy Feasts set forth by God. Part of God’s deliverance for the Israelites was His provision and protection of them for the 40 years they wandered in the wilderness, cut off from the Promised Land.
[xii] Ibid., John, vol. 36, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1999), 128. cf. Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges entry, loc. cit.; Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (JFB) commentary entry, loc. cit.).In the evening of the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, either large candelabras or multiple lamps hanging from large golden lampstands were lit in the Temple. Their light could be seen all over Jerusalem. But on the last night of the Feast, they were not lit. That is when, it’s thought by some scholars, Jesus declared “I am the light of the world.” Why? Because the people missed seeing the light emanating from the Temple
[xiii] https://www.bibleref.com/John/8/John-8-12.html. In the text's original Greek, Christ says "Egō eimi to phos tou kosmou," which explicitly claims He is the single, solitary source of "light." it is a claim to equality with God. Even further, the Greek of this passage indicates Jesus' claim to be "the" light, not merely "a" light.
[xiv] Leviticus 20:10 (NASB95) 10‘If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. https://www.preceptaustin.org/john-8-commentary#8:6 The Jewish leaders had already disregarded the Law by arresting the woman without the man. The Law required that both parties to adultery be stoned (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22). The leaders were using the woman as a trap so they could trick Jesus. If Jesus said the woman should not be stoned, they would accuse him of violating Moses’ Law. If He urged them to execute her, they would report Him to the Romans, who did not permit the Jews to carry out their own executions (John 18:31).
[xv] John 8:10–11 (MSG)
[xvi] George R. Beasley-Murray, John, vol. 36, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1999), 146. Jeremiah 17:13 (NASB95) 13O LORD, the hope of Israel, All who forsake You will be put to shame. Those who turn away on earth will be written down, Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the LORD. Thereby he set an unanswerable conundrum for exegetes of all time. What did he write? We cannot tell, but that does not prevent the exegetes from guessing! As Jesus was seated, he could write only a limited number of letters in a row without moving, sixteen Hebrews characters in fact. The first sentence that Jesus wrote, and that suits that length, could have been Exod 23:1b: “You shall not support a wicked man (as a malicious witness)”: the second, Exod 23:7, “From a false matter keep far,” a text quoted in the comparable story of Susanna (“The Story of the Woman …”18–20).
[xvii] Cf., John 3:36 (NASB95) “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Hebrews 3:18 (NASB95) And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?
[xviii] https://www.preceptaustin.org/john-8-commentary#8:6. Bob Deffinbaugh in his introduction to Jn 8:12-30 says "In this passage, we are in the middle of a great debate between Jesus and His adversaries. Ten times they interrupt Him in this chapter alone. Also, the Jews do not have a clue about what our Lord is saying, and so they misinterpret virtually everything He says. By the end of the chapter, the Jews attempt to stone Jesus. We do not come away from this text with a warm, fuzzy feeling. Instead, it troubles us."
[xix] John 5:26 (NASB95) 26“For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself;
[xx] Galatians 5:19–21 (NASB95) 19Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19–21 (NASB95) 19Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 (NASB95) 9Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
[xxi] John 3:19–21 (NASB95) 19“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20“For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21“But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” 2 Corinthians 11:14–15 (NASB95) 14No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.
[xxii] Romans 1:29–32 (NASB95) 29being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them. Cf., https://moenguy.com/8-characteristics-of-someone-with-an-evil-heart-and-why-its-important-to-look-for-these-signs/ 8 Characteristics or Signs that You May Have an Evil Heart-- 1. You are deceitful 2. You are jealous of others 3. You have a bad temper 4. You have an unforgiving spirit 5. You desire revenge 6. You are greedy and selfish 7. Your tongue is full of lies and gossip 8. Your heart is full of darkness. What are the Negative Effects of Having An Evil Heart? Having a dark heart can be costly. It will manifest itself in many ways, but the most prominent is that it will lead to financial ruin. This is because the individual will always be trying to take advantage of other people and steal from them.
[xxiii] 1 John 1:5 (NASB95) 5This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 1 Timothy 6:16 (NASB95) 16who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. ; James 1:17 (NASB95) 17Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
[xxiv] Colossians 1:13–14 (NASB95) 13For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
[xxv] Ephesians 5:8–9 (NASB95) 8for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9(for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),
[xxvi] 1 John 1:7 (ESV) If we ‘live’ in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another . . . and I don’t want you to miss this . . . the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. Psalm 56:13 (NASB95) For You have delivered my soul from death, Indeed my feet from stumbling, So that I may walk before God In the light of the life Job 33:30 (NASB95) 30To bring back his soul from the pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of life.
[xxvii] John 3:20-21, 20Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen clearly that what he has done has been accomplished in God.”
[xxviii] John Piper, I Am The Light of the World, (John 8:12-30), https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/i-am-the-light-of-the-world
[xxix] John F. MacArthur Jr., Romans, vol. 2, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991), 265. Romans 13:13-14 13Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Ephesians 6:12–13 (NASB95) 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
[xxx] Cf., “That’s My King! Do You Know Him?” https://rpmministries.org/2009/12/thats-my-king-do-you-know-him/