II Corinthians 4:1-6

Let us turn over with II Corinthians 4, verse 1. In the moral realm, the development of these faculties depends entirely on the renewal of the spirit. Light is frequently used for spiritual illumination, especially the illumination that is effected in the mind by the indwelling of God's Spirit.

Verse 6 tells us that the same God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness at the creation is the One who illuminates our hearts and minds to truth. The apostle John recorded that Jesus said, He who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen that they have been done in God.

Throughout the Bible, light is the symbol of knowledge, purity, and truth. In contrast, darkness is a symbol of ignorance, error, sin, and misery. The idea here is that God removes ignorance and floods our minds with light and truth. So David asked God to send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me.

The truth is generally used as a symbol for what brings joy and prosperity, and is strongly associated with spiritual joy that results from the positive influences of the Spirit of peace.

We know that God is light and is gloriously associated with light.

In all of the Bible's references to light, light is not self-generated. It usually appears unexpectedly outside the earth and human realm, transforming that realm with divine radiance.

As a symbol, light represents both the transcendence and immanence of God; it is from above, but it permeates everyday life. So light is often used as a symbol of holiness and purity, and it represents an attribute of holiness and thus a personal quality of God.

Paul's description of the light of God's gospel to the faithful in Corinth best captures the various meanings of light.

So this is the link between physical creation and the new creation, between the Old Testament and the New Testament, between physical reality and spiritual reality.