And God Said: Let There Be Light –
Part Two
(Light: The Spiritual Link to
Salvation and God)
In Part One
of this post we discussed “light” as used in the Bible from a “spiritual”
perspective. We noted that our Lord Christ Jesus is “The Light”, who came in
His First Advent to lead the Nation of Israel (as the “children of light”), to bring
God’s Plan for salvation to the Gentile world. We also noted that Israel’s
rejection of the Lord as their Messiah caused them to lose their potential role
as the nation of priests who collectively would serve as God’s evangelists.
I used the
term “collectively” above because mankind’s history over the centuries had revealed
how “relatively easy” it seemed that when groups of men were asked to make decisions,
sin / evil / “darkness” would more likely prevail over obeying God / good /
“light”. For example, remember the “vote” of the spies who fearfully determined
that contrary to God’s instructions, Israel could not enter the Promised Land.
(Exodus 23: 20-33; Numbers Chapters 13 and 14) Another more critical example was
Israel’s rejection of Pontius Pilate’s offer to spare the Lord from His
Crucifixion by offering the people of Israel Barrabas instead. (Mark 15: 1-15)
Many other examples also existed, demonstrating that the concept of “strength
in numbers” can easily be outweighed by the concept that “the majority is usually
wrong”. 😊
Perhaps that
is why God’s Plan shifted from the reliance on an entire Nation to bring
“light”. He could have better success
with the energy, commitment and dedication of one strong-willed individual who
was thoroughly trained in the Mosaic Law, and understood the gravity of working
on furthering God’s agenda…Saul of Tarsus.
The major problem with Saul in man’s eyes was that he was actually
committed to an agenda contrary to what God was pursuing, as he viewed our Lord
Jesus as his major opponent. Fortunately
for us today, God sees beyond what man’s eyes could see. His conversion of Saul while Saul was on the
Road to Damasus to wreak havoc on Jesus’ followers remains one of the
cornerstones of Bible scripture. (Acts 9: 1-31)
At this
point I’d like to re-state one of the principles of Bible study, We are to “rightly
divide the word of truth”. (2 Timothy 2: 15) This new phase of God’s plan for man’s
salvation begins nearly one-third of the way through the Book of Acts…often
called the “Book of Transition”. The earlier chapters of Acts were dedicated to
the Lord’s Ascension, and the pursuant efforts of His disciples to spread His “light”
to the rest of the Nation of Israel. Having been filled with the Holy Spirit at
Pentecost, they had new energy in God’s light. If they could convince Israel to “repent and
be baptized”, the Ascended Lord could return and still lead the Nation. However,
given one last chance, delivered by the Spirit-filled disciple Stephen, Israel
again rejected the offer to serve as God’s Nation of Priests. (Acts Chapters Two
through Seven)
A major point
in “rightly dividing the word” is in our recognition of the enhanced (even
primary) role of the Holy Spirit in being and bringing the “light”. In the paragraphs
and scriptures noted above, consider how the Spirit impacted individual followers of
our Lord Jesus. That is the key to the
message of “light” that Saul of Tarsus (who became the Apostle Paul) carried to
the Gentiles who believed his Gospel of Grace. (1 Corinthians 15: 1-4; Romans
10: 9-13) God was reinforcing “individual
/ personal choice” as the key to man’s eternal salvation. Belief in what Christ
Jesus (THE LIGHT) accomplished on behalf of all mankind became the cornerstone
for salvation.
Before I
continue to discuss the Apostle Paul’s impact in bringing Gentiles “the light”,
I think it is very important to address the opposition he received. In the Book of Acts, Chapter 26, Paul himself
described to the Roman authority King Agrippa the many issues and trials he
faced while delivering the Lord’s message to the Gentiles. But my focus today
is the hostility he faced from fellow members of the Nation of Israel who had followed
the Lord Jesus’ message during His earthly ministry. These opponents (whom the scripture
identifies as “Judaizers”) were convinced that their message of “light” had
to come to the Gentiles through the Nation of Israel (The Gospel of the
Kingdom). That was the foundation for all that they had known from the
beginning. Paul’s assertion that he had received his new message of “light”
from the Ascended Lord (the Gospel of Grace) not only fell on “deaf ears”, but
convinced his opponents that his efforts must be stopped.
The Books of
Galatians (Chapter Two) and Acts (Chapter 15) tell how “by revelation”, Paul
and Barnabas went to Jerusalem for a face-to-face meeting with the Lord’s
disciples. After “there had been much disputing” as to which message of light
was consistent with the Lord’s will, this meeting (known as the “Jerusalem
Council”) resulted in a landmark agreement. [Many Christians are not familiar with this
agreement.] Peter, James, John and the other Jerusalem-based disciples and
their followers would continue to target their ministry (Gospel of the Kingdom)
to members of the Nation of Israel.
Paul, Barnabas and their colleagues would be free to take their ministry
(Gospel of Grace) to the Gentile world.
We, as
Gentile believers in the Gospel of Grace, under the influence of the Holy Spirit,
have become “children of light”. Note the following scriptural verses that Paul wrote to our
earlier counterparts:
1. 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-10
But of
the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know
perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say,
Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a
woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not
in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children
of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not
sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep
in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of
the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an
helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not
appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that,
whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
2. Ephesians 5: 5-14
5 For this
ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an
idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you
with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the
children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore
partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes
darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the
Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is
acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to
speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13 But all things that are
reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is
light.
14 Wherefore
he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall
give thee light.
3. Philippians 2: 13-16
13 For it
is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without
murmurings and disputings:
15 That ye may be blameless
and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and
perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
16 Holding forth the word of
life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain,
neither laboured in vain.
The Book of
Acts, written by Luke, provided some additional insight into Paul’s efforts to
bring light to the Gentiles:
4. Acts 13: 42-49
42 And when
the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words
might be preached to them the next sabbath.
43 Now when the congregation
was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and
Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
44 And the next sabbath day
came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
45 But when the Jews saw the
multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which
were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas
waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have
been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves
unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
47 For so hath the Lord
commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou
shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
48 And when the Gentiles
heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as
were ordained to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord
was published throughout all the region.
As Christians, and believers in the Gospel of Grace, we have become “the
children of God; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ…” (Romans 8: 14-18) We have received the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
(Romans Chapter 12) We are “ambassadors
for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5: 14-21) and are now His “messengers of light” to
the rest of the world.
Dr. W. A. (Bill) Robinson
No comments:
Post a Comment