Nena Arias | October 16, 2023
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
(Matthew 5:14-16)
Have you ever wondered why the first thing that God created was light? According to the Genesis account, even before the sun, moon and stars were created there was light. This should indicate to us how important light is to sustain everything. Without light, there is no life. This is not only true in the natural physical world, but also in the invisible world where God fully dwells. In 1 John 1:5 it says, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
On the other hand, it is said of Satan that his realm is “the power of darkness” (Luke 22:53). In fact, Satan’s goal is to keep people in the darkness, because darkness means death and hell, while light means life and heaven. The contrast is that stark.
God’s goal is to keep people in the light. Jesus said, “I AM the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). He also tells his followers, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). Choosing to belong in the light is to choose God’s way. He has given us that privilege to be children of light and he is counting on us to shine his light in this darkened world.
Having said that, it should greatly concern us why this world grows increasingly darker and darker, as time progresses. It is clear to me that darkness is prevailing in the world because God’s people are not shining enough with God’s light. This is why is it so difficult to have order in the world.
What is our greatest problem? Is there a single main difficulty facing the world today that is causing all the unrest and turmoil? It is undeniable the list of problems that plague us is a long one. But the main one is that we are not understanding or accepting that there are only opposites to choose from. It’s either God’s way or Satan’s way. By that I mean that the opposite of bitter is sweet; it’s either hot or cold, something is either evil or good, true or false, there is either war or peace, sickness or good health, darkness, or light, etc. It sounds simple and logical enough doesn’t it? Yet people and nations find themselves following the same warn out steps of chaos. Why?
Let us consider morality. When it comes to defining what is the best form of morality for society we get into the predicament of wondering whose morality is the right one and how or who determines morality. When you consider some of the atrocious happening such as undercover videos that are exposing doctors and executives of Planned Parenthood, the largest killing industry of unborn children, discussing the sale of baby body parts just has to make your blood run cold or hot with rage. When you consider that babies are being beheaded and women and children are being raped, tortured, and killed for the purpose of ideology, control, and power—repugnance is the word that comes to mind, but what can we expect of a society that has morally derailed and embraced a culture of barbarism?
Is there any hope for humanity when someone’s version of morality has determined that baby’s in the mother’s womb have no value and can be killed by the most gruesome methods with the mother’s or both parents’ approval. In America alone close to sixty-six million babies have been slaughtered since 1980 that people started counting. Unbelievably, the majority of Americans have a profound crisis in understanding what is the right morality.
Here in America, morality is no longer the one brought by the forefathers, and this is rapidly plunging it into a greater abyss of cultural darkness and paganism. A little over a hundred years ago, at the beginning of the 20th century the nation was confronting moral decay; they would be shocked to know that their unwillingness to halt immorality gave way to a legacy that has produced an unrecognizable nation in the 21st century and for generations to come.
To what degree are we and our spiritual and political leaders aware of the decadent path we are on for this present and future generations?
The evil of our times is overpowering the culture of America. At this point we must be fully aware that the nation is going in the wrong direction. Let us open our eyes to America’s present reality. And it is all due to the tendencies of people to embrace evil. This is the underlying fact that human nature, without a regeneration of the heart through drawing close to God, is evil to the core. This has always been and always will be until the end of earthly time. All people in every generation have had to deal with this evil fallen nature and some have overcome with God’s help.
John 12:35 says, “Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.”
Matthew 5:14-16 says, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”