Otto Koning was a missionary in New Guinea. In his lectures/preaching he describes how the local people suffered under the evil powers of demons. According to these people controlled by demons you may steal, kill people, etc. Exactly the opposite of what we learn in God’s Word. For all practical purposes it’s not much different in our country: almost 20 000 people are murdered each year, every couple of minutes someone is raped, families are destroyed by the greed of drug lords, etc. During the lockdown, domestic violence increased. Women and children are murdered in the most heinous way. This is not the life which God had intended for us.
God loves the world: And God showed his love for us by sending his only Son into the world, so that we might have life through him. This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven. (1 John 4:9-10). If we say that we believe in God, his love must be visible in our actions. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:8). When God talks about love, it is about the other person who can either suffer or benefit from my actions. If I show love to someone, it should not be about being praised by God or being proud of what I did. God is more interested in the wellbeing of the other person who suffers from my bad actions than in listening to my praise. God, the God of love and peace, doesn’t want us, or any human being, to experience hell on earth, and therefore He provides us with guidelines how to live. What more does God really demand of us than to be good to ourselves and others and to honour Him? He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8). For these guidelines we must be grateful. God wants us to enjoy heaven on earth. In heaven there are no security gates or firearms, nor any ‘tik’, quarrelling or jealousy, murder or rape.
In the Bible “darkness” and “light” are often used in contrast. John describes the doing of wicked things as a life in darkness. The light (Jesus) has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed (John 3:19, 20). Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12). Jesus is not only a light, but the light that brings true life. In him was life, and the life was the light of men (John 1:4 – 5). To live in darkness is not a life.
Jesus said to his disciples and therefore also to us: “You are the light of the world… Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:14-16). Jesus declared what the objective of his coming was: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). That is the message that we must spread. That is the life which God intended for us.
Lord Jesus, let your light shine in us to such an extent that we may enjoy true life. Amen.
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