Walk in the Light  I

Go To Meeting

Eduardo Elizondo—January 28, 2023

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We're going to study this topic, and I know there are a lot of things in the Bible, but we cannot possibly talk about everything that relates to walking in the Light.

We don't know how far we're going to go, there's a lot of Scriptures and things in the Word of God about the Light and about walking in the Light in particular. We're going to start by going to 1-John 1, and we're going to study about the Light and Who is the Light. Then we're going to talk about what we have been called to and walking in the Light!

This is a fascinating topic: the Light, and I think you're going to find it amazing at some of the things that are in the Word of God. It's just outstanding what God has in there. It's amazing to really know and understand in-depth and take a little bit deeper dive into this topic of light and walking in the Light! But we first have to understand the Light as outlined in the Scriptures.

I know there's a lot here, we're not going to stop in all of these things, but it's the introduction and background on what we're going to talk about.

1-John 1:1: "That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our own eyes…"

Remember that this is the Apostle John and he's writing about Jesus Christ. He's talking about the Word of God, the Son of God, and basically he's talking about Him Who was from the beginning, and then John is testifying that he walked with Christ—not only John but all the disciples—and they served Him.

"…that which we observed for ourselves and our own hands handled, concerning the Word of Life" (v 1). This is obviously talking about Jesus Christ Who is the Word:

• what the disciples did
• what they saw Him do
• what they heard Him say
• they touched Him
• they walked with Him
• they were with Him
• they were His friends

It's amazing what they were able to see, especially John had a special understanding. It says that he was the disciple whom Jesus loved. There's a special reason for that, because he had that deeper understanding.

Verse 2: "(And the life was manifested, and we have seen, and are bearing witness, and are reporting to you the Eternal Life, which was with the Father, and was manifested to us)."

This is amazing because this is very clearly saying that Jesus Christ was with the Father, and He is Eternal Life. Jesus Christ Himself said, 'I am the Life; I am the Resurrection.' He was with the Father.

In John 17 He also prayed to the Father and told Him that that was Eternal Life and that we would know Him and Jesus Christ Whom He had sent.

Verse 3: "That which we have seen and have heard we are reporting to you in order that you also may have fellowship with us…" What John is saying here is:

We saw Him, we touched Him, we walked with Him, we heard Him, we saw Him do all these miracles. We know He is the Son of God, and nobody could do the things that He did. We know where He came from; He was with the Father before He came and was manifested to us.

What we have seen and what we have heard, and the purpose of all of these things that we're writing is so that you may also may have fellowship with us, all the disciples, apostles and believers.

Then John specifies how that fellowship is to take place:

"…for the fellowship—indeed, our fellowship—is with the Father and with His own Son Jesus Christ" (v 3).

It first explains Who the One is that they walked with, that taught them. It was the Lamb of God!

It's important to set the stage here, because what he's saying is that

We walked with Him, heard Him and saw Him do all of these miracles. We saw Him be with the Father and be guided by the Father and be our example.

The reason that we are writing all these things to you is so that you may believe! That you may have fellowship with us!

The fellowship is not just with one another. The reason that we have fellowship is because we know the Father and Jesus Christ. That's what it is! That is true fellowship when we're studying and digging into His Word. When we're studying together, coming together, it is the same Word, the same Lord and the same Spirit that guides us all!

So, we are not to seek unity for unity sake, or just to be with the brethren, but we are to seek God the Father and His own Son Jesus Christ! In that unity, that's really the true fellowship that we can have with one another, so that we can truly walk together. The counterfeit of that is:

Let's just be united. Let's not talk about these things; let's just all agree and be nice to one another.

That's a fake unity; that's not the real unity that God wants. God wants the fellowship with Him! With God the Father and with Jesus Christ. That's exactly what He wants, and that's what John was writing here, that our fellowship is with the Father and His own Son Jesus Christ!

Obviously, with one another, because we're all fellowshipping with Them! So, we're going to come to the same point when we're all fellowshipping together.

Verse 4: "These things we are also writing to you, so that your joy may be completely full."

When we stop and understand and analyze it, it is that unity in the Father and Christ that binds us together stronger than any other one. When we study the things that we're going to study, and see the things that we're going to reflect on, it's going to be amazing! It's a joy that is complete and full. We're going to get that.

Verse 5: "And this is the message that we have heard from Him and are declaring to you…"

John has already set the stage of everything that God the Father and Jesus Christ are. Why we're together and the purpose of it: to have that joy!

Verse 5: "And this is the message that we have heard from Him and are declaring to you that God is Light, and there is no darkness at all in Him."

This is what I want to focus on, and stop and think about that God is Light! There is no darkness, not any darkness, in Him. When it says that God is Light, obviously it is both God the Father and Jesus Christ. But John was specifically talking about Jesus Christ, because that's what he is talking about, the One Who was from the beginning concerning the Word of Life! And that God is Light and there is no darkness in Him!

We're going to study what it means, what John just said, that God is Light!

• Is it only that His appearance is bright as the sun?
• Is that all that it means?

or

• Is there more than meets the eye here?
• How is God Light?
• How does that affect us?
• How does that impact and involve us?

We're going to see even more than that, broader than that!

The first 18 verses of John 1 are amazing! There is so much there. We're not going to cover them all and everything here in-depth. There are many, many messages and series that have been and can be given about this topic. It is amazing some of the things that it states here. It's almost like it goes together with 1-John 1, because it talks a lot about the same things, talking about Jesus Christ and the Word and the Word of Life.

We're going to read a little bit about what John meant when he said that God is Light!

John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and the Word was God."

Obviously, it's talking about Jesus Christ! It's talking about God Almighty, the Eternal God of the Old Testament Who came as Jesus Christ. He was the Word, the Beginning and everything was made through Him.

Verse 2: "He was in the beginning with God." Establishing in the very beginning, in the beginning of as far as we can go back He was always in the beginning with God!

There are other Scriptures that prove that He was not a created being. He has always existed, both He and God the Father have always existed. That are both eternal!

Verse 3: "All things came into being through Him, and not even one thing that was created came into being without Him."

Everything came from the will of the Father, through Jesus Christ! Nothing that was done came into being without Him; without the Word, the One Who became Jesus Christ!

Verse 4 says something amazing: "In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men"—meaning He has life!

That's really what it means; He says that He is the Life! That is Himself, life was within Himself. Nobody gave Him life! He has always existed. Not as Jesus Christ, but as the Eternal God in the Old Testament. Both Him and the Father—the Most High—have always existed. That is intrinsic life, nobody gave it to Him, but always existed.

"…the Life was the Light of men." That's what we read in 1-John 1, that He is Light. How was He "…the Light of men"?

We're going to read some Scriptures that add a little bit more to this. He declares Who He is and what He is. This testimony just solidifies that God is Light and Jesus Christ to say that in Him was the Light of men! He declared it Himself.

John 8:12: "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me shall never walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life.'" It's interesting because in:

• John 1:4 it says, "…the Life was the Light of men."
• John 8:12 it says that there's "…the Light of Life."

He is the Light of the world and the one who follows Him "…shall never walk in darkness…" Why? Because He is a Light shinning bright, and this also implies that we're following Him, so He is guiding us and we're following Him because He is the Light, so that He can clarify the way ahead.

That's what it is, what He means! We shall never walk in darkness if we're following Him, but if we're not following Him we might walk in darkness. That's not what He wants. That's why it says: "…but shall have the Light of Life."

John 9 is where He also declares Who He is. This is a little different but connects with everything we're talking about concerning the Light.

John 9:5: "As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the world."

When we think about it, we know that God is Light. It includes this. It's just emphasizing the aspect that not only when He's in the world, He's always Light. But when He is in the world, because He came in the flesh, He says, "…I am the Light of the world." He was bringing Light to the world! That's what He means.

He is Light and He says, "As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the world."

That doesn't mean that He's not Light once He departed and went back to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. That's not what it means. He gives clarity:

Verse 4: "I must work the works of Him Who sent Me while it is still day. When the night comes, no one is able to work."

He was talking about while He's in this world, He has to do the work of God the Father "…while it is still day…."—while He still had physical life, to shine the Light of God to everybody! That's what He came to proclaim: the Kingdom of God, and to do all the works the Father gave Him to do.

"…When the night comes, no one is able to work." So, when we have Light, that's when we're to work and do His works, and He says:

Verse 5: "As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the world." So, He clarifies that He is the Light of the world!

Matt. 17 is not just in the figurative since, this is in the literal sense. This is the account of the Transfiguration. Let's read it so that we know that this is not just poetic, this is not just an allegory. No! This is real! This is a prime example of God is Light.

Probably, I surmise, that this is the reason why John in his Epistle of 1-John said that God is Light. He had seen this, not only in the physical sense—obviously, he knew; John heard Him say—that's why it's almost like testify, like we read.

We heard Him say these things, we saw Him do these miracles. We see all these things. We were with Him, we handled Him.

We just read the words, and John wrote them, that He was the Light. But then, John also was here:

Matthew 17:1: "And after six days, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and his brother John… [there he is] …and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves…. [only these three] …And He was transfigured before them; and His face shined as the sun, and His garments became white as the Light" (vs 1-2). It encompasses everything! He's:

• the Light of men
• the Light of the world
• literally Light

John saw that Light during that transfiguration and he never forgot it!

That's gave meaning to not only what he was saying in 1-John that Jesus Christ was God, came in the flesh and was with the Father and all of these other things that we just read, but it's that He literally is Light! We read that, and saw that!

• What's the purpose? That we may have fellowship!
• What's another purpose? So that our joy may be complete full!

When we understand that God is Light in all His strength, in all His power, it's amazing! It's absolutely glorious and joyous for us to know the God we serve. That the God we serve is full of Light. It's amazing the power of Light! The power of that bright, white Light. It cleanses, it does so many things. It is amazing to know and understand that that's what God is. There's no darkness in Him at all, as we read.

There is no darkness! He is full of Light, full of righteousness! Another Scripture that talks about this—Rev. 21—which also proves that God is Light, literally Light! We know that God is spirit, but He's also Light, because these Scriptures unequivocally tell us that God is Light. What we read is that God is Light. We are reading the testimony of John who saw Him in the transfiguration in that glory, in that Light and His face shining.

Rev. 21 also confirms what we just read, because this is part of the nature of God, and what He is. He is Light in addition to being everything else that He is. When we study what light does, and the importance of it, it's unbelievable.

Revelation 21:22: "And I saw no temple in it… [New Jerusalem] …for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it."

Which is amazing to think that there's no temple, because God the Father and Jesus Christ—it describes Them—are the Temple of it.

Verse 23: "And the city has no need of the sun, or of the moon, that they should shine in it; because the glory of God enlightens it, and the Light of it is the Lamb."

So, Jesus Christ Himself is the Light of New Jerusalem. Let that sink in, because that is the God we serve. He is our Lord and Master, our High Priest. We always come to the Father, the Light, the Light that enlightens everything. This is what John saw, the vision that he saw. He said that there was no need of the sun, not that there wasn't any sun. There's no need of the sun or moon. In Genesis it says that God created the big light to rule in the day, and the smaller light to rule in the night.

But there's no need of it in New Jerusalem, because the Light of it is the Lamb. I just speculate, but I would say that the reason there's no needs for the sun or moon is because this Light is so bright that those are completely irrelevant. The light of the sun and moon are nothing compared to the Light of the Lamb. That's what it is; that's why there is no need for them, because this is the glory of God!

This is the glory of God that enlightens it, and the Light is the Lamb. So, Jesus Christ is Light and God the Father is Light—both are Light! That is amazing! That is something to really think about.

In John 1 there is a lot of mention of the Light, and it's important that we read and study these things. There's so much in here to meditate on and think about, and to take to heart when we pray, as we read and study and cry out to God. Who are we really crying out to? To the Light! To the pure Light! There's no darkness in Him at all!

John 1:4: "In Him was life, and the Life was the Light of men. And the Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness does not comprehend it" (vs 4-5).

He says that 'as long as I am in the World, I am the Light of the world.' "…but the darkness does not comprehend it"—the Light! They're mutually exclusive. If there is Light, there cannot be darkness. But the darkness does not comprehend the Light.

• if we have a veil and do not have understanding
• if we're not drawing close to God
• if we do not acknowledge God

We're going to have a veil and we're not going to comprehend the Light. We're going to see some of these things that the Apostle Paul talked about, how these things are craziness, madness to some that:

• there's a resurrection from the dead
• that there is a God
• that there's a purpose
• that there's a wonderful plan

All of these things the darkness does not comprehend!

When you try to talk to somebody and in your mind it's crystal clear. God has revealed them to you and given you His Spirit when you were baptized, when you had hands laid upon you. You understand it and see it so clearly, because you're coming to the Light and God is enlightening you. He's letting you see in that Light; you're not in darkness.

But when you explain that to somebody it doesn't compute. It really doesn't, they cannot comprehend it! That's what it means that the darkness does not comprehend it.

Verse 6: "There was a man sent by God, whose name was John…. [the Baptist] …He came for a witness, that he might testify concerning the Light…" (vs 6-7).

In this most important section of Scripture showing Who Jesus Christ was, what He did and Who He, John continues to come back to Light. "…that he might testify concerning the Light…"—Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God!

"…so that through Him all might believe" (v 7). Through the Light, the Messiah and Savior, all might believe. Everybody who is to believe is going to have to believe unto salvation and eternal life; has to believe in Jesus Christ. That's why every knee shall bow at His Name.

But it says that John the Baptist was testifying concerning the Light, so that through him (John) all might believe. Then he (the Apostle John) clarifies in:

Verse 8: "He was not the Light…"—speaking of John the Baptist! He was not the Light. Here's the Apostle John and John the Baptist showing Jesus Christ is the Light. John the Baptist was testifying about the One Who was to come: Jesus Christ. He came to announce the Messiah. John was saying that he was not the Light, so don't confuse him. John the Baptist himself acknowledged that by saying that 'the One Who comes is greater than me.'

"…but came that he might testify concerning the Light" (v 8). Witnesses are very important to God! John the Baptist was one of His witnesses. He came to testify, and that's what a witness does.

How many times has the Apostle John already said that Jesus Christ is the Light?

• v 4—He is the Light of men
• v 5—the Light shines in the darkness
• v 7—testifying concerning the Light
• v 8—testifying concerning the Light

Then v 9, which is amazing when we really think about what this means:

Verse 9: "The True Light was that which enlightens everyone who comes into the world."

We know that the Bible is true, and yes, the darkness does not comprehend in a spiritual sense, the understanding sense.

How is it that True Light enlightens everyone? It's almost like when we see all, we need to circle—or emphasize—everyone; "…everyone who comes into the world"! How is this?

There's something amazing that happens at the moment of conception. In 2016 there was a the first sign that the scientists captured that flash of light that sparks at the moment of conception. In fact, there's an article in Science Alert (from 2016) that says:

Scientists Just Captured the flash of Light That Sparks When a sperm Meets an Egg by Bec Crew April 27, 2016
{https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-just-captured-the-actual-flash-of-light-that-sparks-when-sperm-meets-an-egg}

That's what happens! I'm just going to quote a few sections from this article, and what that flash light that sparks at the moment of conception :

For the first time ever, scientists have captured images of the flash of light that sparks at the very moment that a human sperm makes contact with an egg.

It's unbelievable! It's unreal! The article goes on to explain what it is that causes that spark. We know that there's electricity there. We know that there's light there and it shines.

Using a new fluorescent sensor that's able to track the movements of zinc in live cells, the team caught a glimpse of an egg's zinc-storage capabilities, and found some 8,000 zinc compartments, each one containing around 1 million zinc atoms…

Just stop and meditate on the greatness of God at the physical level! Just in the creation: 8,000 zinc compartments in the egg! It's amazing! And each one of those contains around one million atoms of zinc! The level of detail, of power and how God created it and how He had to make that happen…!!!

"…just ripe for exploding. The tiny 'fireworks' that result were found to last for about 2 hours after fertilization.

Let that sink in! One million zinc atoms in each one of 8,000 zinc compartments in the egg! When it's fertilized there's this explosion, these fireworks. They see that! (picture shown in article).

You can see that light and the egg and how it flashes light. It says that you can see those for two hours after fertilization, the moment of conception. It's something amazing!

That's how the True Light enlightens everyone who comes into the world! This electricity is what happens at the moment of conception for everybody that is conceived and is a potential son/daughter of God forever! That is the true potential of all human beings!

• we know and understand that not everybody is called at this time
• we know and understand that many are called and few are chosen

But as far as the Light enlightening everyone who comes into the world, it's amazing that not until 2016 scientists have not been able to see that. That is a true thing; that is a light and it comes from God, because God created that. He created and ordained all of that in His Law! God Light, and that is absolutely amazing!

The apostles understood the magnificence of God and how great our God is in all the things that He created. It's just something to meditate and think about. How is it that God is Light? He enlightens everyone who comes into the world, everyone! Not just the called out ones, He gives Light to everybody!

Acts 17—this is in Greece where Paul was. He's explaining about the Unknown God to the philosophers and the 'great thinkers' that 'I'm preaching to you.' When Paul explains that then he gets into some of these things, and how it affects everybody who comes into the world.

Acts 17:26: "And He… [this unknown God] …made of one blood all the nations of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth, having determined beforehand their appointed times and the boundaries of their dwelling.'"

Everything had been planned what was going to happen with the creation and the land and everything that He was going to give to them! When He made them all of one blood, He knew what He was doing. He had a plan! Then the purpose:

• Why did He create them?
• Why did He make them all of one blood?

Verse 27: "In order that they might seek the Lord…"

• that's the purpose
• that's the purpose of our existence

"…if perhaps they might feel after Him and might find Him; though truly, He is not far from each one of us" (v 27).

It's something incredible when we're honest with ourselves and we think through how we came to be! How was it that one day we were here in this body, and had this personality, this mind and ability to think?

These philosophers knew that there was a 'higher power.' They had so many gods that they were confused, but Paul was trying to teach them Who it is that gives Light that enlightens everyone who comes into the world.

Verse 28: "For in Him we live and move and have our being… [and Paul tries to relate to them]: …as some of the poets among you also have said, 'For we are His offspring'"—literally!

That's what we are, literally. "…in Him we live and move and have our being…" is so profound, because that applies to everyone in the world! We are His offspring, literally are His offspring!

Luke 3—the genealogy of Jesus—goes backward from Joseph and then back all the way to the very beginning:

Luke 3:38: "The son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God"—because God created Adam and he was the son of God!

That's why it says in Acts 17:28: "…the poets among you also have said, 'For we are His offspring.'" and "…in Him we live and move and have our being."

That's what Paul is saying and explaining; He enlightens everyone who comes into this world in these flashes of lights, the hidden part, that Light. That's why He says that He is Life! He was the Light of men, and that's why, because it's not only in the spiritual sense, but literally in the physical sense, as well.

We know that the spiritual is greater than the physical, but it's amazing to just ponder what God has done in the physical sense. Just to think about the God we serve and how He made it, and how we live, move and have our being in Him, because we have His Laws written within us!

Fred has explained this very clearly on Church at Home {churchathome.org} who is under Law and explains that there is a law of the heart, a law of our bodies—blood pressure and sugar levels, and all kinds things—that if we stay within those laws we're going to be healthy. If we're not in those laws then we can't function, we're going to have disease or we might die, because those are all spiritual laws that God has designed.

That's why we live and move and have our being in Him, because we—our bodies—are actually obeying the laws that God created for us to function.

In fact, I was listening a scientist a top doctor that has done a lot of research and it's amazing what this doctor was saying. She was talking about how… And more and more doctors are realizing this after being indoctrinated about evolution and all these other things.

She was saying, 'Think about it, because we did not make ourselves! Obviously we have a Source, and we better be connected to that Source.' That's what she said, because it's true. We know it, we know that we were made by God. We know that there's a purpose and that He is that Source. We know that He is a Greater Power. Many doctors will say, 'higher power. We know there's a universe and a God.' We know Who that is!

That's what we are studying here, that God is Light and how He enlightens everyone who comes into the world.

This doctor also said, 'We're not just flesh. We're electromagnetic. We have a heart that works with magnetism.'

It's that spark at the moment of conception! That's one of the first thing that develops in the womb of the mother is the tiny heart. That's some of the first things that we've proven being formed in the womb of a mother, that you can hear the heart beat.

It's fascinating, because this is the Light of God! This doctor is saying that 'we're not just flesh, we're electromagnetic; we have a heart and it's connected to our brain and there are electrical impulses.'

This is all science, fact! But it's amazing to see all that science and all those things through what God says, through His Word. His Word is the Truth. All this other stuff is just men finding some things about who we are and studying the body. It's amazing, because that's how enlightens, and gives Light to everyone who comes into the world.

Prov. 29 is one more Scripture that talks about Light and Jesus Christ Himself being the Light and how He enlightens everyone who comes into the world, and how He is the Light of the world.

Proverbs 29:13: "The poor and the deceitful man meet together; the LORD gives Light to the eyes of both."

Who is the One Who gives Light? God Himself! Without Him we do not have life, we do not have light within ourselves. The Light that we have—even physical Light—came from God. Everyone that in the world, everybody!

It's just amazing to see and read this in the Scriptures, because this is not talking about the converted one. It says, "The poor and the deceitful man…" It's talking about everybody. It's making a contrast that these two—the poor and the deceitful—putting them at opposite ends of the spectrum meet together. Why? Because God give Light to the eyes of both! This is where we move a little bit, but that's really what it's talking about, giving the Light to the eyes, enlightening the eyes.

That's the main part of our body that absorbs the Light, the eyes! God gives the Light to the eyes of both. This just proves what we've been talking about, of Who is the Light and what He does.

To study these verses in detail is absolutely fascinating to see how the scientists more and more are realizing that there is a spiritual component to our existence. It is! Obviously, we know that! And we know even more than that, because we know that there is a spirit in man, and it's different than the spirit of the beast (book of Ecclesiastes); the spirit of man goes back to God, Who gave it. The spirit of the beast goes down to the earth from where it came.

There's more than meets the eye; there's so much more. We know that there's a spiritual component, and our joy can be full in these things. It can be full, and that's what God wants, that that joy may be full in knowing Who our Creator is:

• that He is Light
• that He loves us
• that He gave His life for us

That's what He came for!

We're making a transition now. We've talked about the physical, but now we're going to talk about the spiritual aspect of things. Because John transitions:

He's talking about Who God is, that God is Light—and it applies to both physical and spiritual—but after v 9, which is talking about everyone who comes into the world, then John explains the spiritual aspect of that:

John 1:10: "He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, but the world did not know Him."

It's making that transition. He's talking about the physical, enlightening everyone who comes into the world, and the world was made by Him and it came into being through Him. God the Father and Jesus Christ made everything that there is, but everything the Father made was through Jesus Christ, the Word.

But the world did not know Him. When we read the Old Testament that's exactly what happened. The world at large did not know Him. Very few people actually got to know Him, even the people of Israel still wanted a mediator, still wanted Moses to talk with God. They didn't really want to come close to God and to know Him. It's amazing that the world did not know Him; that's the Truth!

Verse 11: "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him."

We know that can be referring the Jews—the tribe of Judah—because He was from the tribe of Judah. How about this other way that it also applies. He enlightens everyone who comes into the world. He made of one blood all human beings, so we are all His in that sense, in the physical creation sense. And in that sense He also came to His own, to the world, in the flesh. But "…His own did not receive Him."

The world at large did not receive Him, not only just the Jews. They did not receive Him and they still don't receive Him, the majority of the world.

That's what happens! This has a dual application; there are a couple of ways of looking at this Scripture (v 11). Not only His tribe, who He was from, His linage, the tribe of Judah. But His own is also everyone, because He enlightens everyone who comes into the world. But "…His own did not receive Him," and that is still happening!

We know that some of that was by design. He actually glorified God the Father for that, for 'hiding the things from the powerful and the mighty and revealing them to babes.'

Verse 12: "But as many as received Him… [of His own] …to them He gave authority to become the children of God, even to those who believe in His name."

Here is where it starts to make the transition of receiving the Light and then believing in Him, believing in His name. It starts to open up what the purpose of why we're here all together: to become the children of God! To become the children of God now in the begotten sense and to become the children of God later at the resurrection in the born sense!

That's what it is. He gave the authority to become the children of God, to be given power, authority, permission to become these things.

Then John explains, after reading the physical part to the Athenians, how Christ made everyone from one blood, but then John clarifies. Now he's talking about our ultimate destiny and what God really desired and meant and planned from the very beginning.

Verse 13: "Who were not begotten by bloodlines…"

Paul said, 'Men are all of one blood.' But then it says, that those who believe in Christ's name, those who become the children of God are not begotten by bloodlines.

"…nor by the will of the flesh…" (v 13).

Not because you made yourself understand, or made yourselves become the children of God. NO! It's not the will of the flesh, it's really nothing of our doing, nothing we have not received.

"…nor by the will of man… [not by carnal means, not by our own desires] …but by the will of God" (v 13).

Only God can open someone's eyes and enlighten them with the Truth. Just like God enlightens everyone in the physical sense at conception, He can enlighten those whom He will. That's why it's subject to His will. It's not by "…the will of the flesh, nor by the will of man…"

There's nothing we can do to have that veil removed, to be able to see. It all comes from God. "…but by the will of God" (v 13)—those who are called according to His purpose!

• His purpose is superior!
• His purpose is the reason!
• He reigns supreme!
• He is the Light!

That's why sometimes we cannot understand how there are some people in the world that behave better than many of us in the Church. We don't understand why they are not called. It's like 'this person is better than I am in basically everything'! But it's not the will of the flesh, it's not the will of man! It has to be the will of God!

We know we are the weak and the base (1-Cor.1:26). But to understand how the Light enlightens those whom He will, by His will, to do this.

John 12 talks about belief. This is a matter of God opening the eyes of someone by His will, and then the responsibility of the person to respond. Then to act upon that into belief!

John 12:34: "The people answered Him, 'We have heard out of the Law that the Christ lives forever, and why do You say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?'"

They heard that the Messiah has come and He was going to live forever, reign forever.

So, why are you talking about this being lifted up. Who is the Son of man? Who are You that you're saying all of these things? That You must die!

Verse 35: "Then Jesus said to them, 'Yet, a little while the Light is with you…. [He was in the flesh and was here] …Walk while you have the Light, so that the darkness will not overtake you. For the one who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.'"

This is instruction to walk while you have the Light. 1-John talks about walking in the Light and what that means. This is the beginning of that: …Walk while you have the Light…" What He was saying is:

I am the Light of the world. I'm here in the world, and while I'm in the world I am the Light of the world, so walk, follow Me while you have the Light. I'm going to enlighten you! I'm going to show you these things if you follow Me, if you believe in Me.

Verse 36: "While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become the children of Light…."

Don't just rely on the Old Testament Scriptures. That is important, but we're down to the Light of Jesus Christ, we have the Light revealing and unlocking all the meaning that was written in the O.T. that you cannot understand.

Without the New Testament you cannot understand the Old Testament. Without this Light you cannot understand everything that was spoken. You cannot comprehend how that Christ lives forever, but also understand that He must die! You cannot understand; you have to believe in the Light, and walk in the Light! Follow Him so that you will be enlightened!

"…Jesus spoke these things and then departed from them and was in hiding" (v 36).

Basically He was testifying about Who He was, and He says that the Light is with you, "…Walk while you have the Light, so that the darkness will not overtake you…." (v 35),

The moment that we depart from God, the moment we depart from the Light, then darkness starts to overtake us! It does to all of us, as well. Not just because we've been called and received the Holy Spirit—which a phenomenal thing, a marvelous thing—that doesn't guarantee or mean that we will not go astray a little bit for periods of time in some things. But God is merciful and brings us back because He's the Good Shepherd and brings us back to Him Who is the Light! So that we have that understanding.

How many times do you go through a trial and you do not understand why until it has happened, and then you look back and say, 'Now I know why that happened! Now I learned the lesson that You were trying to teach me!'

We see our hard-heartedness and stiff-neckedness that we have, but not until we've gone and God pulls us out of that trial. Not before, and not during many times. It's not until after that we see that. That's because God is the Good Shepherd and we made a covenant with Him, and we said that we pledged our lives at baptism. 'I pledge my life and I'm going to follow You wherever You go.'

The realization is that we're not always following Him perfectly, because we're still human and still err, and we're still learning and have things that have to be perfected in us. All of us have that! We make mistakes and we do sin.

It is amazing when it says, "…For the one who walks in darkness does not know where he is going"—meaning:

• IF you willingly turn away from the Light
• IF you willingly don't want to listen to what the Word of God says
• IF you don't hear the words of Jesus Christ and the things that He said

You're going to be in darkness! And eventually—maybe not immediately—that darkness will overtake you. That's what it says that the one who walks in darkness—once you are so far from the Light—you do not know where you are going! We can see that clearly in the world:

• What is the meaning of Life? Nobody knows!
• Why are we here? Nobody knows!

Here are these doctors who see all these amazing wonders of God and they can understand things up to a level and say that 'we are created beings, we did not make ourselves' Everybody has to be honest with themselves and say, 'I did not choose to come, to be born.'

Then when you analyze it and get into this wonderful thing, it's incredible! But that's what we've been called to.

It's amazing how the Word of God connects, and all of what the Light is. That's what Jesus was saying and instructing people to do, then He departed from them. It's almost like a test to see who was going to follow Him. We know that His disciples followed Him, and they were with Him since they were called to come follow Him.

But this is what we've been called to; 1-Pet. 2:9 is talking about us, talking about our purpose and why we were called.

1-Peter 2:9: "But you are a chosen stock, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation, a people for a possession of God…"—which is what He intended with physical Israel!

That's what He wanted them to be, a nation of kings and priests, so that they would proclaim the goodness of God and be a Light into all the world! Deuteronomy talks about all the statutes and judgments and a God is near to them. That's what they were to be. Now He's focused on the called out ones in Spirit and in Truth. That's what it's talking about, "…a royal priesthood, a Holy nation, a people for a possession of God…"

In Deut. 32 it says that He was going to move Israel to jealousy to people who were not a people. That's all of us! We were not a people by blood, not by bloodline but it is by the will of God!

This is the will of God that we become "…a Holy nation, a people for a possession of God that you might proclaim His excellent virtues…" (v 9)—so that we might understand everything that He's doing in the physical sense and in the spiritual sense!

"…Who called you out of darkness… [we were all in darkness] …into His marvelous Light" (v 9).

It's amazing that He called into His marvelous Light and we know that this is a spiritual thing! That this is a spiritual operation! And v 10 is where He's fulfilling what we were talking about (Deut. 32) and the song that He gave to Moses as a witness for Israel:

Verse 10: "Who once were not a people, but now are the people of God…"

This is not replacement theology. This is not what I'm talking about. It's not replacing physical Israel in that sense. We're not taking their place; that's no what it means. This is a different operation, to do it in a spiritual sense, to be in the Millennium as kings and priests. This is a different thing. They were to be a light in the flesh. In the world we are to be a light now, but our purpose as kings and priests—we're not kings and priests, yet—in the Millennium.

That's what it is. It's not replacement theology, let's be clear about that. It says, we were "…not a people…" and He will move them to jealousy to bring them back. Yes, He will bring physical Israel back, as well, at the end. That's what the Bible says, and it's very clear about that.

"…but now are the people of God…" (v 10)—all of us who have been called according to His purpose! Not by the will of man!

"…who had not received mercy, but now have received mercy" (v 10).

How can we receive mercy? By the sacrifice of Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Who is the Light! Who came to be our Example and to die for us and be that Perfect Sacrifice! To become our High Priest!

It's amazing that we are that royal priesthood, but after Him, and after we have been qualified in His Kingdom. This is what we've been called to; we've been called to the Light and we are to walk in the Light!

We haven't gotten to what that means and what the significance is of walking in the Light now for us. But a least this is setting the stage of everything that God is in terms of Light, physically, and now spiritually, as well!

Colossians 1:12: "Giving thanks to the Father, Who has made us qualified for the share of the inheritance of the saints in the Light."

That's what we are to be doing, giving thanks to the Father. He has made us qualified for that share of the inheritance of the saints, all of us who have been called according to His will, according to His purpose. Not by anything that we've done, and not to glory ourselves.

In fact, in 1-Cor.1 it says that He has basically called the weak and base things to bring to nothing the things that are. Not so that the nothing can exalt themselves. That's not the purpose! That's maybe what is taught in the Churches of God, but that's not the purpose. It's not to exalt ourselves. The opposite: that no flesh shall glory in His presence! He has made us qualified for the share of the inheritance of the saints in the Light!

How does that connect with Revelation? We are the inheritance of the saints in the Light, Jesus Christ Himself, the Lamb Who is the Light of New Jerusalem and God the Father.

It says God Almighty and the Lamb are the Light, so both of Them. There's no temple there, They're both the Temple. They are both the Light. That's our inheritance: to be with Them forever!

It's an amazing thing when we think about Who the Light is. That's the inheritance of the saints in the Light.

Verse 13: "Who has personally rescued us from the power of darkness…"

He has! We're in darkness, did not know any better. We were in darkness and He rescued us, pulled us out:

"…and has transferred us unto the Kingdom of the Son of His love" (v 13).

Talking about Light and the Son of His love, that are one and the same! God is Light! That's the brilliance of His glory. That's why no man can look upon God in all His glory and live. That Light is so powerful that we would die. There's so much energy and so much light that we would not be able to stand in His presence. He's all powerful!

It's amazing that this is what He has done for us! He:

"…has personally rescued us from the power of darkness and has transferred us unto the Kingdom of the Son of His love" (v 13)—so that we would walk in the Light!

Scriptural References:

• 1 John 1:1-5
• John 1:1-4
• John 8:12
• John 9:5, 4, 5
• Matthew 17:1-2
• Revelation 21:22-23
• John 1:4-9
• Acts 17:26-27
• Luke 3:38
• Acts 17:28
• Proverbs 29:13
• John 1:12-13
• John 12:34-36, 35
• 1 Peter 2:9-10
• Colossians 1:12-13

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• John 17
• 1 Corinthians 1:26
• Deuteronomy 32

Also referenced: Article: Science Alert (2016)
Scientists Just Captured the flash of Light That Sparks When a sperm Meets an Egg by Bec Crew April 27, 2016
{https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-just-captured-the-actual-flash-of-light-that-sparks-when-sperm-meets-an-egg}

EE:bo
Transcribed: 3/5/23

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