God's Love is God's Light

Devotion 4 - God’s Love is God’s Light

Rom.5:5 – “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Through this scripture, we know that we have the love of God in us through the abiding of the Holy Spirit.

2 Cor.4:6 – “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Here, the Bible speaks about the light that now shines in our hearts through Christ Jesus to give us understanding regarding the knowledge of the glory of God.

Are they the same spiritual force? Or are they complementary but separate spiritual forces? For each has its distinct work in our lives; the former in character development and the latter in giving understanding into the knowledge of God. If they are the same spiritual force, then character becomes directly linked with understanding and revelation.

To Grow in Love is to Grow in Light

1 Jn.1:5 – “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”

 

1 Jn.4:8 – “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

If we read through the epistle of 1 John thoughtfully, the apostle seems to interchange the expression of light and love as if they are the same spiritual force at work within us.

1 Jn.2:9-10 – “He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.”

Especially in this scripture, it seems that love and light are treated as if they are the same spiritual force; to be in the presence of one is to be in the presence of the other. He says plainly that he who loves his brother abides in the light and he who hates his brother walks in darkness. Thus, according to the scripture, light equals love.  Walking in the light means walking in Love.

Hence, unless we grow in love, we cannot grow in understanding and revelation regarding His Scripture and Ways. Since love and light are related, a rejection of God’s love would automatically be a rejection of God’s light. Hence, spiritual darkness is related to our walk.

As follows, our ability to partake of the divine nature of God is also measured in terms of light and love. When we walk in unforgiveness and bitterness, we are walking in darkness and thus limit ourselves from receiving revelation. And since love and light are one spiritual force, the greatest love would produce the greatest light.

To Grow in Light is to Grow in Love

 

Ps.119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

 

Since the Word of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, the same Word would be the establishment of the love of God in our lives. If growing in love empowers us to walk in the light, likewise, growing in the Word also empowers us to walk in love.

 

Jn.15:10 - “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”

 

Jesus makes it plain and clear that to abide in His Word would also cause us to abide in His love. To keep His commandments means to be obedient to the teaching of the Word, to live out the word in our lives, and to apply it practically in every aspect of our lives.

 

Jn.14:21-24 – “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me…If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word… He who does not love Me does not keep My words…”

 

Finally, Jesus again says that how we relate to the Word of God is an indication of how we love Him. Hence, if we truly desire to grow in the nature and character of God, we need to be diligent to grow in the Word. Not just the knowledge of the Word, but rather, abiding and living out the Word!