Darkness is Passing
Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.
1 John 2:8
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law (Romans 8:8). John infers that a heart filled with God’s love will desire to fulfill the commandments.
Therefore, the foundation of the Christian life is a heart filled with God’s love. Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:38-39). God is love and when our hearts are filled with Gods love we do the things Jesus did because it is our new nature and our desire.
Our hearts will continue to be filled with God’s love and we will be continually molded to the mind of Christ. As our hearts are filled with love the darkness in us diminishes and the true light shines. The darkness within us is our worldly, sinful nature and the light is our Christ-like nature driven by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires (Romans 8:5). Our hearts are reflected by our thoughts, which means we can know our hearts are changing when our thoughts and desires change.
Living in the light is living with love, peace, and joy, knowing Heaven
is our home. Now, Satan is the ruler of darkness and he deceives people into thinking Heaven is their eternal home regardless of what they choose to believe. Some Christians and non-Christians alike are guilty of justifying their own belief systems which are based on Satan’s lies instead of God’s Word.
Today, let the light take away any darkness in your life, because you are a light in this dark world. The brighter our lights are in this world the more darkness is taken away. We have the power of God through the Holy Spirit who gives us power over Satan and his demons.
Prayer: Lord, take away any darkness in my heart and replace it with light. Let the light of Christ shine through me with a heart of love and a mind of wisdom. Give me wisdom and the words to minister to others, so they will accept Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.