John 8:12 and Matthew 5:14-16 Be the Light

^{Prayer for Today}

Father, I worship you and give YOUR Name the praise. For you alone are worthy of all the praise. I invite you to step in this place and take control. I submit to Your will, Your Word and Way. Holy Spirit direct my steps and guide me on my way. What is it that I can do for You, the Body of Christ and the Kingdom today.

Father teach us to know our worth. We are the Light as YOU are the Light and  because you called us to be the Light. Help us not grow dim or hide our light but allow it to shine for all. Teach us that we follow Your example as the Light of the world. You have appointed to every one of us who are called by Your Name.

Today's Key to Walking in the Spirit 

Questions: Are you the Light of the world? Have you thought about what it means to be the light of the world?

As you grow spiritually you will note numerous changes in your physical world. There will be former attitudes and attributes that shift or change. The places you used to go, and people you used know are rapidly changing or evolving. People may begin to see the changes and say you look radiant, happy or they may avoid you because they cannot understand or pinpoint the changes in your life. Nonetheless, the shifts and changes are evident to you and them because you are the light of the world. When you show up there is going to be illumination and there is nothing that can be done about for you are the light. The key to being the light is simply to be. Jesus called us the light--rightly so. When God said, let there be light, there was light. 

Thought for Today 

I started this "be" the salt and the light topic because we all need to have a clear comprehension of how powerful we are in the earth and world. As we are called to be the salt of the earth (you can read the previous blog post "Matthew 5:13, Mark 9:49-50, Luke 9:25-34 "Being Salt"); Jesus also told us we are the light of the world. We know that Jesus said of himself "I am the light of the world." Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." The Bible reports Jesus was faced with opportunity to judge and condemn a woman caught in the sin of adultery just prior to him telling those present "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." The same Pharisees who brought the accusation against the adulteress challenged Jesus' witness and declared it invalid. Look at what Jesus replied to them:

John 8:14-18 (NIV)

Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.  You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.  But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”

Essentially, Jesus said 'look I know who I am even if you don't and I don't need you to validate my testimonies or witness of my being who I am.' The light is the light. The properties and source of light need no validation because it light. There is no mistaking light for something else. Right?


What is this light defined as and what has it come to mean to us naturally? According to Dictionary.com 'light' is

1. something that makes things visible or affords illumination: All colors depend on light.
2. Physics, (A) also called luminous energy, radiant energy, electromagnetic radiation to which the organs of  sight react, ranging in wavelength from about 400 to 700 nmand propagated at a speed of 186,282 mi/sec (299,972 km/sec), considered variously as a wave, corpuscular or quantum phenomenon. (B) a similar form of radiant energy that does not affect the retina, as ultraviolet or infrared rays.
3. the sensation produced by stimulation of the organs of sight.
4. an illuminating agent or source, as the sun, a lamp, or a beacon.
5. the radiance or illumination from a particular source: the light of a candle.

Let's examine the natural properties of visible light. The properties of visible light are:


Reflection- bending back; an image, representation, counterpart. The reflection of light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation occurs when the waves encounter a surface or other boundary that does not absorb the energy of the radiation and bounces the waves away from the surface.


Refraction- is responsible for image formation by lenses and the eye. It is the bending of a wave when it enters a medium where it's speed is different. The refraction of light when it passes from a fast medium to a slow medium bends the light ray toward the normal to the boundary between the two media.


Refractive indices the simplest way to define the refractive index is to say it is a dimensionless number that describes how light propagates through an optical medium (substance).


Dispersion- the refractive index of substances or materials varies with the wavelength and frequency of light; this is called dispersion. Dispersion causes prisms to divide white light into spectral colors and provides the explanation of how rainbows are formed.

We can see from examining light's natural properties that light does not simply illuminate it moves, bends, divides, propagates and forms. Bearing these natural properties in mind what then is Jesus really saying when he says, "You are the light of the world..." (Matthew 5:14 NIV) and declares "I am the Light of the world..." (John 8:12 NIV). What must we know about the spiritual properties of this light and how it is to light the world?

And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. Gen 1:3 (NIV)

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3: 19-21 NIV)

The Amplified Bible says even clearer:

The [basis of the] judgment (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil. For every wrongdoer hates (loathes, detests) the Light, and will not come out into the Light but shrinks from it, lest his works (his deeds, his activities, his conduct) be exposed and reproved. But he who practices truth [who does what is right] comes out into the Light; so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are--wrought with God [divinely prompted, done with God's help, in dependence upon Him]. (John 3:19-21 Amp Bible)

So when we revisit John chapter 8 and re-read the events John 3 becomes the testimony for people who love darkness and hate the light as the accusers shrink from having their sins exposed. We also see  a few properties of spiritual light being revealed. This spiritual light is exposing, revealing, and reproving, but it also repels, disperses and causes some hide or reject it. When the Light that Jesus speaks of comes on the scene things happen. The first thing that is noticeable is the interaction between the Light and that which being illuminated; responds with attraction or repulsion; either love or hate. Exposure and reproving will occur, the subject will either come into the light and become fully exposed and reproved or he/she will shrink and retreat from being exposed or revealed. Another key element to note when the Light shows up is the presence of God Almighty himself. As the light of the world shows up and you are the light understand what happens. You must know there is nothing you can do to hid the light that radiates from you, for you are created in God's likeness and image. You are the light of the world.