God’s Light

When through His light God reveals something of our self-life from which we should abstain, people say, “Ugh, that is so ugly to look at; it’s a temptation from Satan.” Since the old life is completely taken away, they are saying that God’s light is a temptation from Satan. So they close their eyes, spiritually speaking, not to look at what is “ugly.” Thus a lot is spoken about that we should not look at ourselves. What, even when the Spirit is shedding light on our lives!? Paul said to Timothy: “Take heed to yourself.” 1 Tim. 4:16. They say: “We must only look at Jesus.” What does it mean to look at Jesus? To know Him according to the flesh? Those who know Christ after the Spirit, they look at whatever God’s light is shining on. They also want to see the evil that the Spirit reveals and judges, so that they can get rid of it, according to the promise. They don’t decide for themselves what they want to look at. But it is the Spirit that guides them to the whole truth about everything that is beneficial for them to know. For the revelation of the Spirit is given for what is profitable. And it is also very beneficial to be able to see Satan’s snares so that we are not caught by them. To look at Christ is to look at His being and His ways, and to follow His light and to agree with His judgment on any matter. Truth is to see things correctly. The Spirit leads us to distinguish between good and evil. But to be competent to distinguish two things from each other, one must see them both. But when a person does not want to see the evil, but closes his eyes in opposition to God’s Spirit, how can he learn to separate? But when we agree with the truth in hating unrighteousness and loving justice, rejecting the evil and choosing the good, we will be anointed with the oil of gladness, and then we will eat cream and honey, as it says about Jesus. Heb. 1:9. Isa. 7:15 (Norw.). But those who are now saying that the body of sin is taken away and that God’s light is temptation from Satan, they have no opportunity to reject the evil and choose the good, and, of course, there is no question of being anointed with the oil of gladness or eating cream and honey. And that’s why you see them making strenuous efforts to work up gladness. They delight over the position they have adopted, but they exclude themselves from the joy of God that He gives to those who reject the evil and choose the good. We should not only look at Jesus, but look at what Jesus sees.