By Kevin Harris, pastor of the Illawarra Community Baptist Church in Wollongong, NSW
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
John 1:9
Yesterday we buried Greg’s body. Four years ago at the age of 91, he received one of our tracts and an invitation to learn more about salvation through Jesus Christ. Posting to us his details, he was so eager that when we did not reply quickly enough, he phoned to be sure it was on the way.
He was exposed to God’s Light, and he embraced it.
In the midst of the darkness of ignorance and sin, everyone receives a glimmer of God’s Light. This is true in every part of the globe. Every person ever born has had exposure to the truth of God. The inhabitants of primitive jungle tribes are no exception. However dimly it may shine, the Light is there.
Earlier verse 5 says, ‘And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.’ The word comprehended means ‘to take eagerly, to seize.’ Mankind fails to respond, to seize that faint glimmer of Light from God.
We can easily see that this is true. How many in our Western civilisation with its Bibles and churches and Christian witness are right now rejecting that Light?
This is because, in the words of John 3:19 ‘And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.’
Here is the truth: we don’t seek God (Psalm 14). We love our sin more than we love God.
The Spirit of God amplified that reality in Romans 1:18-21. After stating that every person receives a degree of knowledge about God, He makes it clear that we ‘hold the truth’ which refers to holding it down, suppressing it.
As one blessed to have received the Light of Jesus Christ into my life, it is my privilege to shine out that indwelling Light to everyone I know. This increases the opportunity they have to be saved.
Praise God, within a few months, Greg received the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour. Last week he entered the presence of the Lord.
Isn’t the Lord good to keep shining Light into our darkness?
Father, thank You for shining Your Light to Greg, to me, to every person on planet Earth. Open eyes to grasp what You are offering them, that they might be saved. I ask this in the Name of the Lord Jesus, Amen.
This article was written by Kevin Harris Dapto pastor of Illawarra Community Baptist Church.