On the Lighter Side

John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men

             5  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

To get fuller meaning of these two verses we have to first look at the end and in particular the word “comprehend”, so we can get a glimpse into the power of darkness compared to the Light.  The Greek word that we see translated comprehend also could be: “apprehend, attain, come upon, find, obtain, perceive (over-)take”.   

1.       Darkness cannot understand the Light or God, (you could say he is a little dim compared to the Light… he is dark after all!) Also he cannot really conceive or perceive how God operates or why He does what He does or what God is doing in you other than creating light and thus dispelling the darkness.  You could say he is ignorant of the things pertaining to God or the Light.

2.       Darkness cannot overtake the Light.  There is Light in you, guard that Light, maintain that Light and you’ll be untouchable.

It’s up to you to keep an inroad of darkness out.  

 Let me give you an example of something that happened in a church body that gave an inroad to that body and pastors for sin and much darkness (some of you will understand more clearly than others because you were there).  Years ago a fairly well liked pastor was kicked out of serving a body by the boards.  Bitterness and /or offense came in (you could tell because even after 15 years the topic of the ouster seemed to always work into his special meeting messages that he preached, during the denominational gatherings).  He left with quite a few people (I am not saying what the boards or what he did was right).   Instead of being subject to one another he decided to make the pastor and pastoral control a priority, an ungodly reaction to an ungodly action.  (You’ll note that the NT verse actually says… “Be subject to one another except pastors, who are above it all”.)  Then came all the doctrine and twists of interpretation to support this and years later came the abuse, control and manipulation by the pastors he raised up (along with the hundreds to even thousands of hurt people).  A road (or inroad) for darkness, created by an offense, followed by a sin that has affected and infected others.  Maybe some can relate to this:  a glance, a thought, a look, a thought, a desire, a lust, a decision, an action, more thoughts and then the affair.  You may say it is not that simple, but if you were to look at it at the core it really is, sin always starts small and builds. “Keep or guard your heart with all diligence for out of it issues life (or are the issues of life) Prov 4:23.”   Look up blindness or darkness in the NT and you can see how darkness comes to limit a person to the Light.  **Please note it is only by the person’s consent (through sin action or thought) that Satan can bring darkness in.

I think I will close with this verse.

2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot(or darkness), and blameless