When Light Shines Into the Body

An honest character, an upright life, blameless conduct—full of virtues. Although these things are clearly evident, nevertheless they are hidden from those who are perishing.

Paul commended himself to every man’s conscience as someone who had renounced the hidden things of shame and who was not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully. 2 Cor. 4:2-3. Nevertheless, his gospel was veiled and hidden.

The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that covetousness, vanity, selfish ambition, drunkenness, adultery, envy, indulgence, etc., shut out the light of the gospel. All of these sins have their roots in the human spirit, and if they’re able to gain power, they drive a person into the deepest darkness and condemnation. Ungodly people present their bodies as instruments of sin until death and corruption break them down.

We, on the other hand, who by the grace of God have received the light of the gospel and the Holy Spirit, must not let sin reign in our mortal body so that we obey it in its lusts. In the power of God we must discipline our body and bring it into subjection.

The law could not bring the lusts of the flesh into subjection; that was impossible. That is why God had to send His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh on account of sin; He condemned sin in the flesh. In doing this, He opened a new and living way through the veil, that is, His flesh.

Previously, the light was outside of the body and judged sinful deeds, but now the light has shined into the body to judge the very root and source of sin. When light shines in the body, it causes judgment, but this must not be confused with condemnation. This continually provides us with opportunities to see our own wretchedness and to judge ourselves. That is why Peter writes in Chapter 4 of his first letter that the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God—with us. The greater the light, the greater the judgment. When this light shines into the heart, it judges the secret thoughts and intentions of the heart. If we agree with the judgment, the light which caused the judgment will become our own personal possession and our life.

We are tested in this way to see if we really love the light and the truth. As we acknowledge God’s light, we lose our desire to do anything against God. We overcome the lusts in our flesh, and the body of sin is gradually destroyed to make room for divine nature. What a blessed way—full of sufferings, cross, and judgment according to the flesh, but full of rejoicing and true joy in our inner man, in fellowship with God and His children in the light.

Once God has given us His Holy Spirit and power, His intention is for us to use the Spirit as a guide and as power to overcome on these inner ways. Then God’s judgment can work in us to give us understanding in areas where previously we were in total darkness. It is in the way of His judgments that we wait for Him.

Of course, there will be sufferings according to the flesh when God’s light penetrates into the flesh; but this is exactly where the way takes us: to put to death and destroy the body of sin, the source of all sin and evil. If we endure these sufferings with Him, we will be glorified together with Him. On this way, light and wisdom will become our personal possession, and through these—if we endure—we will reign with Him in eternity. Even now, light and wisdom reign. If someone is simply willing to allow themselves to be ruled by the light, then their understanding—which was previously darkened to such an extent—will become enlightened, so that they can work together with God in wisdom, resulting in the salvation of their soul and sanctification.

“‘While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.’ These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.” John 12:36. If we believe in the light when it shines into our hearts—even though it exposes a lot of things that have to be judged in us—we will become children of the light. Just think about it, to be children of the light—what glorious children! However, if we do not believe, Jesus will quickly hide Himself from us, and we will be in darkness once again.

Rays of light from God will drive out my darkness, and God’s Spirit will give life to my human spirit, because it is written that the last Adam has become a life-giving spirit. In this way, divine nature will be imparted to us; our sinful nature will be destroyed, and something new will grow up.

We can say that the baptism of the Spirit is a baptism of grace; but grace will not abide forever, because Christ was not raised to give us grace, but for our justification. Where death has entered in, grace is no longer needed, and the requirements of righteousness have been fulfilled, because it is in the power of the blood that God is able to raise us from the dead. Grace is the force that guides us into death, but at the moment of death, we, like Jesus, must cry out, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” God, as the one who guides us in grace, forsakes us and gives us over to death so that grace can be replaced by righteousness and the power of the resurrection.

There is a baptism that the baptism of the Holy Spirit guides us into. This baptism is written about in Mark 10:37-38. Two of the disciples desired to sit, one on His right hand and the other on His left in His glory. But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” If anyone has received the baptism of the Spirit but has not allowed themself to be guided by it into the baptism of sufferings and death, they will lose their share in the glory, in spite of the fact that they have been baptized in the Holy Spirit.