Have you ever met anyone who wanted to be blind? Have you ever known anyone who liked stumbling down a dark alley at night alone? How about anyone who chose to live all the time in a dark room with no light? What is it about darkness that makes us seem to hate it, yet some of us willingly choose to live in it?
What Darkness Hides
Darkness hides things. It hides our ugliness, our actions that we don't want others to see. When we do evil things, the Bible says that we hate the light and don't want to be exposed to it because the light will show others what we have been doing (John 3:20).
Somewhere deep inside, we know that God will expose us for what we truly are. The face we show to others isn't always our real self. This hidden nature of sin isn’t just abstract—it can show itself in dramatic, real-life contradictions, as seen in those who lead dual lives.
Living a Double Life
I have always been amazed at people who worked as concentration camp guards during the Holocaust. Many of these individuals could work all day literally killing people in the most gruesome of ways and yet go home to their families at night and be loving parents.
There is no doubt in my mind that they had completely separated their lives into two halves. A killer by day, rationalizing their evil, and loving parent and spouse at night. They refused to let the light shine on what they did. They were "just doing their job" as many said.
Another, more modern, and extreme example is the infamous BTK serial killer. When the killer was arrested in 2005, he had just become the president of the Wichita Christ Lutheran Church's congregational council. One of his victims had been actually taken to the church and the killer's torture instruments hidden in a church shed.
In contrast, his pastor demonstrated what it means to walk in the light by reading Psalm 51, a prayer of repentance, during the courtroom proceedings.
To avoid this complete separation between good and evil in your life, remember to serve the Lord with humility, pray, study the Word, confess your sin and above all repent. This is a real transformed life.
People get into trouble with sin when they stop doing these things. When people live separated lives, it is because they don't want to acknowledge the truth of who they really are, as St. Augustine observed.
Denial and Deception
St. Augustine comments in his Confessions that "I have met with many who want to deceive others, but none who want to be deceived." He explains that those who are in darkness and are deceived by Satan don't want to believe that they really are deceived. This is why they hate the truth, because it reproaches them.
The truth makes them feel very bad about themselves. It exposes the darkness that must be brought into the light (John 3:20). They deceive themselves with a lie by appearing to lead a ‘good’ life that hides their inner darkness.
The Lie of a ‘Good’ Life
We rationalize our evil, whether it is lying, fornication, adultery, addiction, or whatever, by separating our sin from the rest of our life. We fool ourselves by "having a form of godliness but denying its power" (2 Timothy 3:5). This simply means that we pretend to be godly, when in fact our lives are not changed.
It is easy to talk about God, all the while continuing in unrepentant sin. We actually want to remain in the dark. If light is shown on our actions, and we finally have to face the truth about who and what we have become, we secretly believe it will be too much. We fear it will break us, because the shame and disgrace will be too much to handle.
Breaking Free from Spiritual Darkness
So, why when we come to Christ, are we not totally broken? In that moment, when we realize what Christ did for us, we will be. But we don't stay broken. Christ delivers us from darkness. He doesn't shine a light so we can forever be shamed by the enormity of our sin, but to transform us.
John 8:12 says that by following Him, we will have the light of life. Out of darkness and into light, from death to life, from meaninglessness to purpose, our life is no longer our own. Our life belongs to the One who lovingly brought us out of the dark.
Called Out of Darkness
1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;"
We have been called out of darkness by our Savior to walk in the light. What joy those words should give us. So often we take our salvation for granted. We forget that now, instead of stumbling through a life of darkness, we have a sure path in front of us. A path which is bathed in light.
Stay Awake—Keep Walking in the Light
According to 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6, we are children of the light and we should not sleep, but keep awake and be sober. Sober, in this sense, includes not only staying away from mind-altering drugs or being drunk, but also avoiding any influence that keeps us from thinking wisely or soundly. We have a responsibility not to be overtaken by darkness.
John 12:35 says, "...Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you;...". In this verse, Jesus is trying to remind His disciples that He will not always be with them, physically. Spiritually, darkness can overtake us when we aren't "awake and sober-minded."
We must not sleep on the job. Living for Christ requires being a diligent worker. While those who follow the light must remain watchful, those who choose to ignore this call face a much graver consequence.
A Stark Warning for the Unsaved
If you aren't saved, realize that God's patience will run out one day. Jesus says unless you repent you will perish (Luke 13:3). So, darkness can overtake you when you choose to reject the salvation that Jesus offers.
When your life ends your time will be up. Then your darkness will be permanent; you will be lost forever. Yet, your heart is never really at peace when you live in darkness. Because of this unrest, some will seek and find the warmth of the light of Christ.
The Restlessness of Our Hearts
When someone is in a dark place it is normal for a person to want light. They become uneasy, restless, looking for a path that will lead them to safety. St. Augustine speaks of this, "For you made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you." This restlessness causes some to search for God. Others, however, go to their deaths never finding the peace, rest, and joy that can be found in Christ (Matthew 11:28-29).
Chasing Fleeting Joy
All of us look for happiness, for joy, but many never find it. We can be preoccupied with things that seem to bring happiness: love of another person, money, power, or sex. Yet we fail to realize that seeking happiness in these things alone will only bring misery. True happiness can only come from God and isn't dependent on our circumstances.
What Our Words Reveal
When we aren't happy we often use expressions like, there is a "dark cloud hanging over me", I'm "living in the dark", or "I feel lost in the darkness." On the other hand, when we talk about feeling joy and happiness we use expressions such as, "beaming with happiness", "glowing with excitement", or "radiating joy."
It’s as though, deep down, we instinctively recognize the spiritual difference between light and dark. Trusting in God's love and care for us helps us understand what real joy is. The way we express our feelings—whether in light or darkness—reveals the true state of our hearts.
Grieving What Truly Matters
We may cry over many things, couples who have lost the love they once had for each other, or the death of those we love, but how truly sad it is that we don't grieve the fact that some of us are dying each day without loving God? Each day wasted in darkness, each day searching for worldly pleasures or fulfillment, without seeking the truth in God.
As St. Augustine famously said, “Without you, what am I to myself but a guide to my own self-destruction?” A life without God leads to self-destruction. We have an urgent invitation to leave darkness behind.
An Open Invitation to Step Into the Light
When we break free from spiritual darkness and into the light, early or late in life, God is waiting for us with open arms. He calls to us to repent, to acknowledge Him as the One who loves us so much His beloved Son died for us.
For some of us like Augustine, we will say, “Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you!" But don't delay your decision, for we never know when late will, sadly, become too late. Become a child of the light while you can.
For more on who St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.) was, go here.
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