Jesus Is The Light

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 2 Cor 11:13-14 KJV

Beware of false apostles and deceitful workers who claim to teach and preach the truth. For many who appear to be children of God are disciples of the evil one. The world is full of false gods. It is full of false teachers. They appear to know the truth; but, they have distorted it in such a way that the center of our worship is no longer God the creator of heaven and earth. As St. James warns reminds us: 

"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." James 2:19

Yes, the devils believe because they know the truth. But, believing and following are not always the same thing to everyone. Prayfully, all who know the truth would follow in the way that Jesus would lead them and teach others to do the same. But, it does not always work that way. The love of self way too often overcomes the love of God and false preachers and teachers would preach in such a way that the truth is distorted in order to cover up the fact that they prefer to live in the darkness, in bondage to sin, rather than in the light of Christ. They are afraid of the true light because it calls us to a place that is beyond ourselves; a place that we are timid about entering. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in the "Cost of Discipleship": “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” 

We are called, as followers of Jesus, to set aside or to die to our own selfish purposes and to follow in the way that the light of Christ would lead us.

And... Jesus, himself, is the light. According to the Gospel of St. John:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." (John 3:16-20)

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. (Isaiah 60:1)

God's Peace - Pr. J.