Jesus is indeed the true light of the world, but He is not the only light.  The Scriptures say that there is another light in the world and I’m not talking about us as the carriers of the light (Mt 5:14).  I’m talking about the competing light and that light is satan himself.  Paul says Satan is one who “masquerades as an angel of light.”  Satan is a light, albeit a false one, but an actual light that is bent on deception.

Imagine you are in a dark room and the One who knows the way out tells you that if you want to escape you must focus on the lantern light alone. It burns bright with fire and gives light to the whole room.

At first it is easy to do as the light burning with fire burns in all directions while the other light, ‘the angel of light’, is as a mere one-directional flashlight.  Unfortunately though the wick of the lantern light is burning down and no one is trimming the wick or refilling the oil.  The wick grows smaller and smaller to the point that it almost burns out.  It is bloody, scary dark.   At this point it is only natural to find your way out of the dark room using the brightest light available.   With the lantern dim you and everyone with you automatically default to the light of the flashlight.  You can’t help it.

This is where we are.

The light of His Word has dimmed so faintly from neglect that the light of cultural beliefs is what many, including Christians use as a guide.  It’s a default response as light is a necessity.  Yet the ‘flashlight’ of cultural beliefs actually leads us to a cliff that we cannot see.  It is a death trap by the one who masquerades. And when we look around our world and even in our own lives, we see the fruit of trying to escape by using a false light.

It’s only the light with fire that illuminates all.  We are to follow that light.

There are two lights, the Scriptures say.  And it’s the one with true fire we must keep burning.  Brightly.

Everything depends on it.

“”Is not my word like a fire?” declares the Lord…?” (Jer 23:29)