Dear Fellow Believers in Christ, (Our Father is the True Source of All Light and Illuminating Purity)
How is light in the natural tied to illuminating purity in the Spiritual? How is darkness in the natural tied to darkening impurity in the Spiritual? manifested in us? What characteristics does the treasure have? How does God use the natural and varied uses of light throughout His word to help us better understand his character? Let us look into the Word of God and let the Holy Spirit show us about Our Father and Christ -- the true source of all light and illuminating purity!LIGHT AND ILLUMINATING PURITY
"Every good gift and every complete gift ever is from above, ever coming down forth from the Father of all emitting, illuminating purity, with Whom there is not ever a deviation, or the slightest indication of inconsistency" (James 1:17, author's translation).
First, Our Father is the True Source of All Light and Illuminating Purity
James tells us that every good gift, and certainly every complete gift always comes from our Father. After all, the Father is the source of all light and purity. Light is the natural means or example that we can see or relate to in this natural world. Light is the type of His holiness and purity in the spiritual dimension and world. There are three main words used in the Word of God for light that will be discussed: (1) the word for light source is the Greek word phos the spiritual type for absolute purity; (2) the word for radiating or shining light is the Greek word photi the spiritual type for illuminating purity; and (3) the word for emitting light is the Greek word photon – the spiritual type for emitting, illuminating purity. Our Father is emitter of light – the Greek word photon and the true source all emitting, illuminating purity (Jas. 1:17).
Second, Everything from the Father is Consistent Light and Absolute Purity
John declares, "And this continually is the message which we have already completely heard from Him and we continually announce unto you, that God ever is absolute purity" – the Greek word phos, "and no darkening impurity" – the Greek word skotia "is ever in Him – none" (I Jn. 1:5, author's translation). Our Father God is the absolute source of light and purity. There is no darkness or darkening impurity in Him. This is why James could say our Father never has "a deviation, or the slightest indication of inconsistency" (Jas. 1:17). When the Father is viewed in truth and reality, He is full of absolute light and purity. Everything coming forth from the Father is consistent with His character and nature of being total light and absolute purity. Impurity is darkness. There is nothing impure or dark about our Father or anything that comes forth from Him.
Third, We Choose to Walk in Illuminating Purity or Darkening Impurity
John goes further, "If we should say that we continually have fellowship with Him, and we continually walk in darkening impurity, we continually lie, and are not continually doing the truth: But if we should continually walk in the illuminating purity [Gk: photi], as He ever is in the illuminating purity [Gk: photi], we continually have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son continually cleanses us from all sin" (I Jn. 1:7,8, author's transl.). As born again believers, we have walking choices to make. Walking in sin is impurity. Sin and impurity clouds our ability to see His light and purity. This darkness is called darkening impurity. For rebirthed sons, walking in sin and impurity is a lie. If we choose to walk in His light and illuminating purity, then we have fellowship with the Body of Christ. Also, we are cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus (I Jn. 1:8). Christ is our wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and redemption (I Cor. 1:30).
Fourth, Christ is Our Eternal Life and Our Absolute Light and Purity
John bears witness that, "In Him ever was life, and the life ever was the absolute purity [Gk: phos] of men. And the light ever shines in the darkening impurity [Gk: skotia], and the darkening impurity at intervals did not overtake it" (John 1:4,5, author's translation). When we are rebirthed, Christ becomes our life (I Jn. 5:12). We are baptized into Christ (I Cor. 12:13), and Christ is now in us. "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:20). As rebirthed sons, the light and purity of Christ dwells in us and illuminates and cleanses from the inside. Christ is ever shining and purifying us from within.
Fifth, The Transfiguration of Christ Released His Absolute Light and Purity
Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain by themselves (Matt. 17:1). Jesus was transfigured before them from an earthly form into a spiritual form. This supernatural form was described and seen by the three disciples, with the radiance of Jesus' countenance and garments. "As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered" (Luke 9:29). "His face shone like the sun" (Matt. 17:2). "His robe became white and glistening" (Luke 9:29). "His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them" (Mark 9:3). "His clothes became as white as absolute light and purity [Gk: phos]" (Matt. 17:2). The transfiguration of Christ released the absolute light and purity in such intensity that His face radiated like the sun. The absolute light and purity from His body came forth in such magnitude that his clothes glistened to become the purist white known to man. Moses and Elijah appeared and were seen by the disciples. Peter wanted to build three tabernacles for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. However, a bright cloud of the Holy Spirit overshadowed them. The Father spoke out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, Hear Him!" The three disciples fell on their faces and when they looked up they saw no one but Jesus only (Matt. 17:1-8; Mark 9:1-8; Luke 9:28-35). The law and the prophets point only to Jesus. Listen to the voice of our Father. See only Jesus in His absolute light and purity!
Sixth, The Life of Christ Living in Us is a Self-for-Others Life
When the Holy Spirit illumines and reveals the Word, Christ is always in the focus and center. For re-birthed sons, we now have Christ as our new life, nature, and Spirit (I Jn. 5:12; II Pet. 1:4; Rom. 8:9). "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:20). It is walking a lie for us to attempt to live independently on our own. Christ lives in me now as my life, my only life. I am not to be building tabernacles to Moses (the law) or to Elijah (the prophets). The law was simply a "tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Gal. 3:24). Christ living in us, is a self-for-others life. This is His Spirit and nature of illuminating purity. Living as a self-for-self is a lie and only provides us darkening impurity.
Seventh, We Can Only See the Father through the Absolute Purity of Christ
Our Father is an "invisible God" (Col. 1:15), dwelling in and through Christ "in unapproachable absolute purity [Gk: phos]" (I Tim. 6:15). We can only see Him through the absolute light and purity of Christ within us (Matt. 11:27; Eph. 5:14). Paul says, "But all things being ever reproved are ever made manifest by the emitting, illuminating purity [Gk: photos], for everything that ever makes manifest ever is absolute purity [Gk: phos]" (Eph. 5:13, author's translation).