From Darkness to Light
When a person reaches the years of accountability, they enter into a spiritual darkness. When one is in the dark, they are unable to see. To be in darkness is also to be blinded. We know that the eyes operate in light, so then one who is in darkness is unable to use their sense of sight. On the other hand, those who dwell in the light can see.
In the scriptures, we learn that there are two who are at the head of these two spiritual conditions. The heavenly Father is at the head of spiritual light while satan is at the head of spiritual darkness. When a person dwells in either of these two spiritual environments, they are in fellowship with these heads. When a person dwells in the light, they are in fellowship with God. When a person dwells in darkness, they are in fellowship with the devil.
In the scriptures, we find verses that point this fact out to us. One verse is found in the Acts of the Apostles: (Acts 26:18) To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me. In this verse we note that a person is either with the devil in darkness or with God in the light.
To note the meaning of a phrase: when one has their eyes opened, according to this verse, they have turned to God and light. The word “turned” is an intransitive verb. It properly means “be thus turned”. With this in mind, when one’s eyes are opened, they are opened in the light. This means that a person who is in the darkness has their eyes closed. This is another point indicating that a person in darkness is blind.
This verse goes on to teach that one in darkness is under the power of satan. Power means: permission, liberty, and right to do anything. In this sense, we learn that those in darkness find themselves in a relationship with the devil so that he has permission and liberty over them. To be turned from the power of satan to God indicates that a person departs from the devil to a relationship where God has permission and liberty over them. It is true that God has the ultimate power over every creature; however, God also allows people to yield themselves either to the devil or to Him. God has granted to mankind the gift of a free will.
A question is presented in Romans, chapter 6, verse 16 that helps us to understand that a person is allowed to yield themselves how so ever they desire. (Rom 6:16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Here is it stated that a person becomes the servant of who ever they yield themselves too. They are bound unto them to such a degree that they are free from the other. The verses following this one brings to our attention that at one time these who are being addressed were free from righteousness because of being the servants of sin: (Rom 6:20) For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. They were separated from righteousness yielding them selves unto sin. In this condition, they were in the power of satan. They were allowing him to have liberty with them. They were giving him permission over their lives. In this condition, they were in darkness and blind.
God is light and the head of light. God has no darkness in Him at all, (1 John 1:5) This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. When people walk in darkness they are not in fellowship with God, (1 John 1:6) If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. When people dwell in darkness, it is because they love the deeds of darkness more than the works of light. Note a verse that teaches this truth: (John 3:19 -20) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. {20} For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. We learned from Acts 26:18 that the devil is associated with the darkness while God is associated with the light. Considering this along with these verses from John chapter three, we learn that those in darkness love the ways of the devil more than the ways of God. Those in darkness love darkness more than light. In this, their eyes are closed. They are blinded.
From James 4:14, we learn that the world is in opposition to God: (James 4:4) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. We have seen that a person in darkness loves darkness more than light. We find a similar statement to be true regarding those who love the world. It is as impossible for one to love the world and to love God at the same time as it is for one to love the darkness and the light at the same time. A verse that brings to our attention that people can’t love the world and God at the same time is given here: (1 John 2:15) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
As God is light, we find the world as darkness. God is in opposition to the world as light is against darkness. A verse that further points this out is: (Eph 6:12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. The darkness is of this world indicates how that the world and the darkness are together. This is found as the relationship between the devil and the darkness in Acts 28:16. Moreover, to clarify this further, the devil is known as the god of this world: (2 Cor 4:4) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
One who loves the dark, loves the world. They are yielded to and under the power of satan. They are serving him. They are giving him permission and liberty in their lives by loving those things (the world and darkness) that are his.
So then, as the verse from Acts 26 stated, let us turn from darkness to the light. God is waiting there. He offers forgiveness and fellowship. If we would yield to Him, He would indeed greet us in the light with peace. Let us be careful to rightly divide the word of truth.