God brings us out of the darkness

To the Editor:

When God created this world it was in darkness (Gen.1:2). Only darkness was present until God introduces His light upon it (Gen.1:3). This was light brought into creation before the creation of the sun, moon, or stars. It was light that made everything created very good (Gen.1:31). Man was in this light until he fell (Eccl. 7:29) and plunged his posterity into darkness.

To walk in darkness is to be without spiritual light. It is to be “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph.2:1), to walk “according to the course of this world, according to the prince of power of the air”, and “being children of disobedience” (Eph.2:2). Darkness is wickedness and having every imagination of our heart evil continually (Gen.6:5, 8:21). Walking in darkness is being carnally minded and at enmity against God, being not subject to the law of God, and not having the ability to do so (Rom.8:7).

Jesus came into this world to be the light of God to man (Jn.1:4). Being in darkness man could not comprehend the light (Jn.1:5) because he “loves darkness rather than light, because his deeds are evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light lest his deeds could be reproved” (Jn.3:19-20).

For man to be brought out of darkness takes the work of the Holy Spirit to change man’s heart to be willing to accept the truth of God’s word (Jn.3:5-8) and trust in Jesus, who came as a sacrifice for his sins (Heb.9:26).

Jim Batt

Mexico, Pa.