Light and Darkness

“If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: ⁷But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”    1 John 1:6, 7.
 
In the dictionary, the definitions of darkness are given as the absolute or comparative absence of light, secrecy, concealment and blindness.
The definition of light:  The energy that helps us to see things all around us. Something that makes vision possible.

What does the word of God teach us about light and darkness? What revelation does the Bible give us concerning light and darkness and more specifically, the message that Jesus gave?
Recorded for us in Genesis is an introduction to Light and Darkness.  Here the word of God portrayed the distinct contrast between the two and forever separated them by Day and Night.

“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. ³ And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. ⁴ And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. ⁵ And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.” Genesis 1:2-5.

Darkness: Absence of light. Night.
Light: Goodness. Dispels darkness. Day.

To continue, we look at John 3:17-21.  “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.¹⁸ 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.¹⁹ 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.²¹ But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

Darkness: Evil. Secrecy. Unbelief.
Light: Revelation of Jesus Christ. Truth. Love.

Isaiah 60:1,2: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. ² For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.”

The words of Jesus declare the same in John, Matthew and in Luke:
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12.
“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of sorrows.”  Matthew 24:7, 8. 
“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; ²⁶ Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” Luke 21:25, 26.

Darkness: Ignorance of God. Hatred. Violence. Natural disasters. Confusion. Fear. Sorrow. Wars.
Light: Sinlessness. Life. Work of God.  

A distinct picture should be forming in our minds about light and darkness, but it continues to be made clear as we let the word of God speak, as we examine the message that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ gave us by his life.
“ 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. ⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”  1 John 1:5-7.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”  James 1:17.

“Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: ¹³ Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: ¹⁴ In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”  Colossians 1:12-14.

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; ¹⁵ And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”  Hebrews 2:14, 15.

“To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”  Luke 1:79.

“He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. ¹¹ But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.”  1 John 2:10, 11.

Darkness: Death. Hatred. Lies. Bondage. Works of the Devil. Blindness. Sin.
Light: Love. Fellowship. Consistency. Righteousness. Forgiveness. Peace.

In summary:

Since God is light and in Him is no darkness at all, (1 John 1:5), then in God and Jesus Christ is no sin, no evil, no hatred and no death.  They are the source of love, righteousness, peace, goodness and life.

How do we know which of the two, light or darkness, has greater influence in our lives? 
John explained clearly in 1 John 2:8-11, “Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. ⁹ He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. ¹⁰ He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. ¹¹ But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.”

Matthew 6:22, 23 said, “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. ²³ But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”

Closing gem from Ellen White in Our High Calling (OHC), “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If there were no light, there would be no shade. But while the shade comes by the sun, it is not created by it. It is some obstruction that causes the shadow. So darkness emanates not from God, but is the result of an intruding object between the soul and God…. Disregard of the light that God has given brings the sure result. It creates a shadow, a darkness that is more dark because of the light which has been sent…. If a man withdraws himself from light and evidence, and yields to Satan’s seducing arts, he himself draws the curtain of unbelief about him, so that light cannot be distinguished from darkness. More light and evidence would only be misunderstood by him. The greater the evidence, the greater will be the indifference. This will lead the deceived soul to call darkness light and truth error.^{38Manuscript 56, 1898.} OHC 26.2
Satan is constantly working to lead men to deny the light. It is but a step from the straightforward path to a diverging one, in which Satan leads the way, and where light is all darkness, and darkness light…. It is a dangerous thing to open the heart to unbelief, for it drives the Spirit of God away from the heart, and Satan’s suggestions come in…. We must … avoid the first admission of doubt and unbelief.^{39Letter 104, 1894.} OHC 26.3

Let us purpose in our hearts to walk in the light that has been sent and still shines, while there is grace.