SPIRITUAL LIGHT: THE SOURCE IS NOT SELF
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Spiritual Light
a) Looking down from a hill upon a town at dusk, you see it bathed in light, but from many light sources, not one. Or at a boat harbor you will see many lights shining from the boats and jetties and their reflections twinkling in the rippled water, combining with many lights along the shore.
b) Some folk think that spiritual light is like that. There are many lights, each a little different, but each genuine and each making its contribution to the enlightenment of the world. You can have your favorite light but you acknowledge the other lights as well. Is that the way of true spiritual light? Are there many sources of spiritual light, or only one?
c) God alone gives light. Paul prayed for his dear friends that "the Father of glory may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, the eyes of your heart being enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling..." (Ephesians 1:16-19).
2. The Source Is Not Self
a) Paul did not think that he and his friends had light within themselves and of themselves. Rather, their spiritual light came from the “Father of glory”.
b) John makes the same point when he says that the Word "was the true light that enlightens every man coming into the world" (John 1:4-5, 9). Man is not born with inherent light, but must be enlightened from a source outside himself.
The End ...
1. Spiritual Lighta) Looking down from a hill upon a town at dusk, you see it bathed in light, but from many light sources, not one. Or at a boat harbor you will see many lights shining from the boats and jetties and their reflections twinkling in the rippled water, combining with many lights along the shore.
b) Some folk think that spiritual light is like that. There are many lights, each a little different, but each genuine and each making its contribution to the enlightenment of the world. You can have your favorite light but you acknowledge the other lights as well. Is that the way of true spiritual light? Are there many sources of spiritual light, or only one?
c) God alone gives light. Paul prayed for his dear friends that "the Father of glory may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, the eyes of your heart being enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling..." (Ephesians 1:16-19).
2. The Source Is Not Self
a) Paul did not think that he and his friends had light within themselves and of themselves. Rather, their spiritual light came from the “Father of glory”.
b) John makes the same point when he says that the Word "was the true light that enlightens every man coming into the world" (John 1:4-5, 9). Man is not born with inherent light, but must be enlightened from a source outside himself.
Comments
Post a Comment