C.S. Lewis said, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." By the light that the sun sheds, we see. Hazy Shadows and dark, fearsome shapes that puzzled us in the darkness of the night, make perfect sense in the brilliance of the morning, because the revealing light of the sun shines upon them! Under the bright, enlightening rays of the sun, our vision is whole!
And this, I do believe is what we who are redeemed by his merciful grace can declare with humble gratitude, "Our vision is whole!" The light that came into the world has overcome our darkness and through his word, has revealed to us, his glorious purpose. As the Bible says,"With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ."
Despite the march of the times and the continuing progress of science, mankind still has no answers to the biggest existential questions which have been the pursuit of intellectuals, scientists and philosophers. Science has failed to answer the most important questions- The origin of life, it's meaning and the mystery of death. Why has science failed? The logical explanation would be that the answers to these questions lie outside the scientifically accepted ways of reason and knowledge i.e they lie in a realm that is not answerable to the common laws of science, a sphere of wisdom and power that is beyond the comprehension and the cognitive prowess of the human mind.
But amidst the futile searchings of the human intellect for possession of the answers, in the whirlwind of theories, philosophies and formulated possibilities, the simple reality is that the truth has revealed itself to us! This is what the Bible says,"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it."
The light shines in the darkness! Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jesus is 'The Bright Morning Star' that shines radiantly in the darkness! The Bible says,"Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
By the light of 'The Rising Sun' we see everything else! What does this mean? What is it that we see? It is beyond my capacity to give an answer that does justice to the magnificent nature of this divine revelation, nor is it possible to contain all that can be said into a few short paragraphs. So I will only attempt to provide the gist of the matter, within the constraints of my own understanding.
The Bible says, "but everything exposed by the light becomes visible". i.e it becomes 'clear', and no longer lost in a fog of doubt and perplexity. As I said in the beginning,"Hazy Shadows and dark, fearsome shapes that puzzled us in the darkness of the night, make perfect sense in the brilliance of the morning, because the revealing light of the sun shines upon them!" The most unfathomable of moral and philosophical dilemmas find reason and meaning only in the Christian worldview. Whether it be the meaning and purpose of life, the existence of pain and suffering or the question of morality, the Bible provides the most coherent and articulate answers. Viewed from the interpretations of Christianity, we have a rough sketch, the essence of the big picture or the master plan, i.e a design or purpose for eternity that gives meaning and account for the finite in the vantage or context of the infinite.
And it is this revelation of our eternal destiny that explains the nature and meaning of our temporal lives. But more so, it has given us an inexplicably wonderful hope, a hope that will never put us to shame! This is what the Bible says, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." By the light of Jesus, the Rising Sun, we see the unseen! For Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
The Bible says,"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ."
The 'knowledge of God's glory' is ours if we receive the light of Jesus Christ. For by this light, we will see everything else. This is why it is said:“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you".....
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