“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). At the beginning of time, darkness enveloped the earth. Then, God spoke. He said, “Let there be light,” and thus was the dawning of creation (Genesis 1). Man was soon after formed in the image of God, but almost immediately, he fell into isolation and spiritual darkness (Genesis 3).
The rest of the Old Testament was spent in anticipation of a new light (Isaiah 9:1-7). Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4 that this light has now shined upon man. This light has illuminated the way back into the presence of the Father and signals the dawning of a new creation, a re-creation. This light is the Gospel!
To truly know the Gospel is to behold the glory of Christ, the perfect image of God. When we encounter the Lord’s glory, we “are being transformed into the same image” (2 Corinthians 3:18), “are renewed day by day” (4:16) and are being made into “a new creation” (5:17).
When did you last get to experience a sunrise? Early this morning, I saw the sunrise at a nearby state park, and it was magnificent. As dawn broke, sunlight encircled creation and reflected off the lake there. Nature sprang to life!
The Word of God is the light of life (John 1:1-5). As we step into the Gospel light and allow it to shine upon us, the image of God encases our being and reflects from our hearts. Light gives life, but only to those who choose to bask in it (John 8:12).
