Throughout the Bible unregenerate man is contrasted with Christians as darkness vs. light. Darkness is also is associated with physical death (the grave) (Job 10:22). Darkness is characterized by ignorance: light is characterized by knowledge and understanding and, above all, by a knowldege of God; not merely a knowledge of certain things concerning or pertaining to God, or a knowledge about God; that is available to all. The Christian has a far greater privilege than mere knowledge of facts about God; the richness of the Christian life includes a personal relationship with God. We commune with Him in His presence, we sing His praise, and we are aware that He personally dwells among us to bless us (John 14:23). This personal relationship with God the Father, with God the Son, and with God the Holy Spirit may be said to be the greatest of all the blessings of the Christian life here on earth.
In Eph. 4:17-19 Paul describes unregenerate man as those who walk in the vanity of their mind, whose understanding is darkened, that they are ignorant, that their hearts are blind, and that their consciences are past feeling. See Psa. 82:5; Prov. 2:13; John 8:12; 12:35; 1 John 1:6. As indicated here, the problem is not just in the mind alone. It isn’t just a matter of the lack of intelligence. The problem includes the mind, heart, conscience, and spirit. The spirit being dead, their heart hardened, their conscience no longer capable of guiding them, they have been given over by God to their own uncleanness; to their own lusts and evil desires (Rom. 1:21-24). In this state they cannot understand spiritual truths contained in Scripture; to them it is foolishness (1 Cor. 1:18, 23, 25; 2:14). It does not matter how much money is spent trying to instill Christian principles in them in public schools, the churches, prison systems, social services, universities, or wherever, it is all in vain and will not be of any lasting benefit. The only answer to this awful and helpless situation is that the Holy Spirit apply the power of God in their lives through the preaching of the gospel message by the called ones of God and thereby implant in them the light of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the light of the world (John 8:12). Thus, since we are reborn as new creatures in Christ, Paul can say in Eph. 5:8 that we are light; not just that we are “in the light”, but that we are light! He then instructs us to walk in light as the children of light. Paul states in 2 Cor. 4:6 “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” It is God who gives light, it is God who gives the knowledge of Jesus Christ; without this light and knowledge no one could be regenerated; no one could be saved! It is the gospel of Christ that is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth (Rom. 1:16). The unsaved person is in such a state of darkness that nothing but the power of Almighty God through the working of the Holy Spirit can take it away. So states Paul in 1 Cor. 2:12: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”
We are Christians only because the Spirit of God has opened our blind eyes and has taken away the darkness and replaced it with His light. This is the only answer for the state of the world as it is today.
Coming soon -
1. For what purpose did God institute civil government?
2. What is the purpose of the Church? Is the Church fulfilling its purpose?
3. What is the real object of Christianity here on earth?
“Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Eph. 5:14).
