" The LIGHT of Life "

John 8:12-20 "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. The Pharisees therefore said unto HIM, THOU bearest record of THYSELF; THY record is not true. JESUS answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of MYSELF, yet MY record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh: I judge no man. And yet if I judge, MY judgment is true: for I AM not alone, but I and the FATHER that sent ME.

It is also written in your Law, that the testimony of two men is true. I AM one that bear witness of MYSELF, and the FATHER that sent ME beareth witness of ME. Then said they unto HIM, Where is THY FATHER ? JESUS answered, Ye neither know ME, nor MY FATHER: if ye had known ME, ye should have known MY FATHER also. These words spake JESUS in the treasury, as HE taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on HIM; for HIS hour was not yet come."

     JESUS said, "I AM the LIGHT of the world" (v.12). Such a statement infuriated the Pharisees because they did not believe JESUS possessed the authority to make such a claim. But JESUS made it clear that GOD the FATHER "beareth witness" that HE was and is, indeed, the LIGHT of the world (v.18). Those who follow JESUS CHRIST will have the LIGHT of Life. This world, steeped in darkness, desperately needs that LIGHT. JESUS spoke to the heart of man's problem when HE said that men reject HIM as the LIGHT because their deeds are evil (John 3:19 pictured above). If they were to come to HIM, then HIS light would fully expose their wicked hearts and actions. Those who refuse the LIGHT actually hate that LIGHT (John 3:18-20), so we should not be surprised when we as Christians experience the disdain of those who deny CHRIST as the only true LIGHT of the world.

     The apostate ecumenical leaders of our day love to boast in their receptivity to the idea of finding "additional light" in other religions, yet they refuse to follow and obey JESUS CHRIST, WHO is the only true LIGHT of Life. Instead, they dialogue with Catholics, Orthodox, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and others and have the mistaken and dangerous belief that each of these groups has at least "some light" to contribute to the search for "more light." But all who refuse to exclusively follow the CHRIST of the Bible have "no light" in them (Isaiah 8:20). JESUS is the LIVING WORD and the LIGHT of Life. The Bible is GOD's written WORD, the WORD of Life. It was the Living WORD WHO gave us the written WORD, and the two are in perfect agreement. What a blessing it is to know that we have the LIGHT of Life and the WORD of Life to light our way (Psalm 119:105 pictured above). MHR

Your servant in CHRIST,

Julie

Copyright, FEATURE: A Daily Bible Study Guide.

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