God Our Light

Thomas Charles, 1838

 

We are commanded "to let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in Heaven." But how can we who are darkness, let our light shine? Darkness may as well and as soon shine with the light of the sun, as we shine by any light in ourselves. But it must be our light, "let your light so shine before men."

Doubtless, therefore, as we have it not, we must receive it from God, and be made light in the Lord, before our light can shine. Can the moon shine when the sun does not shine upon it? No more can we, except the sun of Righteousness shines upon our souls. Why does not the earth shine at midnight? Is it not because the face of the earth is turned away from the sun? So also when our eyes are turned away from divine light, we can no longer shine.

It is a beautiful image to set forth evangelical obedience as distinguished from everything else. All besides is darkness, however fair its appearance, but what comes directly from Christ. And so long as we receive from him, so long our light shines, and no longer. All the good works of a believer are the effects of an enlightened understanding, and of his seeing the glory of the Lord in the face of Jesus Christ. He must first be made light in the Lord; and as divine light shines upon our minds, showing us the things of the Father and the Son, and revealing to us those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man to conceive. In proportion to the revelation we have of these things by the light of the Spirit—so will our light shine before men, and our good works will be seen.

Others may show the appearance of good works, but there will be no light in them, nor will our Father, who is in Heaven, be glorified by them. The light which seems to be in all others, is in reality darkness itself—and their aim and intention is generally not to glorify God, but themselves. But when we live in the light of God's countenance, and walk in the light, and in inward communion with God—then we are desirous that our light may shine, and that our Father, not ourselves, may be glorified.

God is light. God the Father is the original fountain and source of light. He is altogether light, and in him is no darkness at all. God the Son is also light—that light which shines in darkness; that true light, which enlightens every man that comes into the world. He, as a mediator, is to us as the sun in the firmament, giving us light. God is light, but this light cannot shine in darkness, but through the Redeemer, who is the Sun of Righteousness, the center in which all divine light meets, and where only our weak and dark sight can behold it.

If we do not turn our eyes to Christ the light of the world—we can see nothing but darkness, and we shall still continue to be darkness. God himself is darkness and terror to our souls, until we see him in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. When in Christ we see him, then we know him, and not until then.

Every true believer has this light in himself. He shines in his own light, not originally his own—but given to him continually from Christ. Others may have knowledge of divine things, when at the same time they have no light in them, but their foolish hearts are still darkened. But in a believer, who walks with God, universal light prevails, "the whole body is full of light, having no part dark".

The shining of our light, wholly depends upon this; for if the whole body is not full of light, it cannot radiate from us—but in proportion to the darkness within, so will the darkness be without. When we have a clear view of divine things, and daily walk in the light—then our light will shine and our Father will be glorified. There will be a life and savor in our conduct which nothing else can give. Others may be as regular, moral, and decent, may know and be able to converse about divine things, but if the whole inward man is not full of light, and we see not the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ—then all life and savor will be wholly lacking.

Whatever is a fruit of the Spirit, has a flavor and relish in it, which nothing else, however similar to it, can ever have. A little of this divine light in the heart, will shine brighter, and glorify God more—than all conceivable natural and acquired abilities. We may have a light, and this light may also shine; yet if it does not so shine that our Father may be glorified, it is not a true light, but a false light, which glorifies ourselves and leads to outward darkness, where no gleam of light comes through eternal ages.

O blessed Father, shine in your Son upon my soul—and then shall my light shine before men! I will not be ashamed of it; but it shall shine before those who hate it, and who hate me on account of it. There is a difficulty—the devil and our own deceitful hearts would persuade us to hide this light, because it makes us so singular in a world of darkness, and stirs up the enmity and hatred of those who love darkness rather than light. But the Lord gives us light that it might shine before men—all men, good and bad. O Lord! brighten it, and cause me to own it freely, boldly, and thankfully. Are we not arrayed in your livery, when we shine with light? And shall I be ashamed of what is your glory? Nay, Lord, sooner reduce me into nothing, or strike me ten thousand fathoms under the earth! O help me to shine to your glory; it is the very summit of my wishes, my highest glory and ambition! Cause my light to shine, though I be but a star, a very small star. But O how will you be glorified, when such a dark clod of earth shall shine forever, as the sun in the firmament! One poor believer thus shining, will reflect your glories more than all the visible luminaries in this visible creation. O what eternal monuments of grace to your glory, will each of them be! May nothing besides your glory attract my heart any more!