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Scripture uses the division between light and darkness, which literally, physically happened in the Creation, to bring out what may be the most important division in the world today. This is brought out clearly in the first chapter of John. “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:5) Here we have the contrast between light and darkness. The light, which is life in Jesus according to verse 4, is separate from the darkness, but the darkness does not recognize the light. Thus, the Lord Jesus “lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” (John 1:9) He shines in the sinful darkness of this world, yet many in the world do not recognize His light: “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (John 1:10-11) Some in the world, however, will recognize their own sinful, dark state, and come to the light. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)

Although the light has a distinct difference from the darkness, it’s very easy for us to miss this difference, so it’s very important that we take great care to distinguish between the two. In his First Epistle, John describes a man who claims to be in the light, perhaps even thinks that he is in the light, and yet is actually in darkness: “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.” (I John 2:9) Jesus warns, “Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.” (Luke 11:35) God is the one who understands the difference and can make it clear to us: “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” (Ephesians 5:14) “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (II Corinthians 4:6)

Paul, in Ephesians, brings out another point about light: “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:8-10) Not only do we come to the light, we become light! We can be “partakers of the divine nature” (II Peter 1:4), and leave behind the darkness that we once were part of. Paul, directly after the passage quoted at the beginning of this paragraph, warns us not to blur the distinction between light and darkness (I’ve included the passage quoted earlier, which hopefully will help by providing the context):

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:8-16)

Jesus said, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” (Matthew 5:14-15) When we partake in Jesus’ light, we become light; we become the ones who show the world its evil, its need for light. “But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.” We are the ones that contrast with the world, as Christ did. By our shining light, we show the world its folly.