A QUESTION OF LIGHT – Part 2

In this article we will further investigate the metaphor found in Matthew 5:14, where Christ proclaimed, “You are the light of the world.”

JESUS CHRIST IS THE SOURCE OF LIGHT

Luke recorded that Joseph and Mary brought the child Jesus to be circumcised at the temple in Jerusalem. There, a man named Simeon, who had been waiting for the coming of the Messiah, took Jesus in his arms saying: “For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel” (Lk 2:30-32). William Barclay, writing that the Christian’s source of light was from Christ, stated: “The light with which the nation or the man of God shone was a borrowed light. It must be so with the Christian . . . . The radiance which shines from the Christian comes from the presence of Christ within the Christian's heart.”[9]

In the Gospel of John, the apostle summarizes thematic references to the Light of Christ as existing from eternity past, its relationship to creation, and its manifested battle with the powers of darkness with the words: “In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5). It is possible that the darkness symbolizes the enemies of mankind: the devil, spiritual ignorance, sin, and death. Christ came to break the power of the devil (Gen 3:15, Acts 10:38), to testify to the truth (John 18:37), to save his people from their sins (Mat 1:21), and to destroy the sting of death (1 Cor 15:56-57).

It can be imagined that Jesus was teaching in Jerusalem during one of the Jewish feasts, when he looked up at the light shining from the temple mount and announced: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 12). This statement not only links himself as the fulfillment of the previously discussed priestly mission of Israel, but with the mission to defeat the enemies of mankind, which only the Son of God had the power to fulfill. In addition, Jesus’ statement provides an invitation and a promise to “whoever follows” him.

The clause “Whoever follows me” is an important distinction for those who would receive Jesus’ words just as the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount passage distinguishes the crowd and the disciples. It says, “Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them...” (Mt 5:1-2). The passage opens with Jesus cordially receiving the crowd, but teaching his disciples. This appears to be the dilemma of the preacher. He must speak to those who are committed followers and to those who are uncommitted spectators. It is to his disciples that Jesus said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them” (Mt 13:11).

THE ROLE OF CHRISTIANS

In verses 13-16, Jesus used the metaphors of salt and light to represent his disciples’ influence for good in the world. Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men” (Mt 5:13). Salt was used both to provide taste and as a preservative. So, people would cure their meats in salt to help keep it from spoiling. How might this be applied in the area of influencing the world?

Christians are called to resist corruption. What happens if Christians don’t stand up against corruption? You then become good for nothing, except to “be thrown out and trampled by men” (Mt 5:13). Peter gives a clue what this compromise might cost by saying: “If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning” (2 Pet 2:20).

Our key verse provides a similar meaning. When Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden” (Mt 5:14), he was calling Christians into action.

A movie about William Wilberforce’s struggle to abolish slavery in Britain has recently been released. The story is about a man who changes the world for good because of the teachings of the Bible and his faith in Christ. In his 1797 book, Real Christianity, Wilberforce challenges those who would claim to be lights with these words: “Some might say that one’s faith is a private matter and should not be spoken of so publicly. They might assert this in public, but what do they really think in their hearts?”[10] We might likewise ask a similar question. Are we living as the light of the world?

There are a number of reasons why Christians may not be living up to their calling as a light of the world. Maybe those who call themselves Christian may not be Christian at all. They have not become a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). Trying to live the Christian life without Christ living in them are unable to be lights of the world because they are unplugged from the source of power and light (John 1:4). Using another metaphor in relation our discussion, Christ says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). Plant a seed and water it in the Spring. If the seed has life in it and it is healthy, it will grow. In evaluating salvation, we must ask, “Are we growing? Are we bearing fruit?”

There is such a thing as a fruitless Christian. According to Richard De Hann’s booklet, The Way Back [11], the light of faith that once burned so brightly has flickered and grown dim. They have no interest in Christian fellowship or church attendance, no personal devotions or prayer time, no concern for others, and no spiritual sensitivity.

What can one do who realizes they are either fallen or fruitless? The cross is still available for them. We must turn from our sin and ask Jesus Christ into our heart, for scripture promises “that if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Seek out a fellowship of Christians where you can learn and practice spiritual disciplines of prayer, care, and share. As you imitate Jesus, your light will glow brighter and affect those around you. The result is that you will grow to reflect Christ’s image and then you will indeed be the light of the world.

--AL

9 William Barclay. The Gospel of Matthew. Vol. 1, The Daily Study Bible Series. (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1975), 122.
10 William Wilberforce. Real Christianity. Revised and updated by Bob Beltz. (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 2006).
11 Richard De Hann. The Way Back-The Marks of a Backslider. (Grand Rapids: RBC Ministries, 2002), 2.