Walking In The Light: By Faith

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven

against all ungodliness and unrighteousness

of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

because what may be known of God is manifest

in them, for God has shown it to them.

Romans 1:18–19

            Faith having its beginning in faith is a requirement for man towards God because God is infinite and there is no possibility in the finite to know the infinite. Therefore God who is infinite reveals to the finite Himself. This revelation to man, the finite, is a righteous revelation because God Himself is righteous and we ought to, by faith, receive this revelation for it is manifest in man. Man is without excuse due this very fact, we made in the image of God that is we have the attributes necessary to know God, and when we refuse that knowledge, we become ungodly and unrighteous. How does one become ungodly and unrighteous? Those suppress the truth. This is where we must put on our “thinking cap.” We so often apply suppression of the truth of God to those who are pagan, and idolaters, etc., and we forget this very thing: It is anyone who suppresses the truth are the ungodly and unrighteous, both pagans and those claiming Christianity. Suppress the truth of God and God will reveal and execute His wrath; from heaven. That is not to say that God in heaven to execute His wrath will not use governments ordained of God and we are without excuse for God is manifest in us. This manifestation of Him, the truth, shown to man removes that God is unjust in His execution of His wrath. Paul continues to reveal to us why this is so: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and God head, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:20–21). There it is: you cannot claim ignorance! You cannot claim that you cannot know God! No, you can’t know God fully for there are things that God has not revealed: “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29). This darkness that comes by refusal to acknowledge God is like a person entering into a cave, at first there is light, and then as the person continues into the cave the light becomes dimmer and dimmer, until there is no light and you cannot even see your hand right in front of your face. The way to leave the darkness is to return to the light: “Then Jesus spoke to them saying: ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life’” (John 8:12). When all is dark and you cannot know the way back to the light, you need a guide one and who is the guide? It is the Holy Spirit Who will lead you to the light. To continue in darkness is foolishness, even though in the darkness the problems that afflict you seem afar off, and the deepness of the cave is refreshingly cool and enjoyable: you are still in the dark and in time you will suffer from that darkness, if not you at the moment, you children in the future. Darkness is darkness and light is light. Darkness leads to foolish thoughts: i.e., evolution, paganism, and other forms of life that bring the wrath of God upon the one in darkness. The one in light can see their way, and find the truth and live in an unspeakable joy for in the light are all things revealed. The ones in darkness may tout with all emotion and sincerity about the good things in the darkness, and yet: “Professing to be wise, they become foolish” (Romans 1:22). How did they become so foolish in this darkness? “and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man–and birds and four–footed animals and creeping things” (Romans 1:23). Wait a minute! You say: “I don’t make birds, and four–footed animals and creeping as idols!” Maybe you don’t: but, think of this; idolatry may be confined in your mind as to such as birds and four–footed animals, even creeping things, but this is not what is idolatry in of itself. Idolatry is anything that is not of God that has your veneration. It may be a car, a house, clothes, or a celebrity, etc., for it is what we venerate, that is worship in some way that is not worship to God who has manifested to us from creation that it is Him that we are to venerate and worship. Otherwise our veneration and worship is foolishness and ungodly and unrighteous. Therefore, those who participate in such things can only look for God’s wrath from heaven.

            From the fall of Adam and the corruption by sin, this inherited sin now in the world that plagues man, their soul cannot and does not desire the things of God even when God came to earth to pay this debt of sin and corruption of the soul: “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and man loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been don in God” (John 3:19–21). We who have converted to the truth, light have the Word of God in our hearts and the word of God in our Bibles and upon any examination of the Bible we find that it is confirmed true and when we investigate this world we find God manifested in truth: “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2Peter 1:19).

            The world is darkness and we live in that darkness, but we have the light that shines in this dark place. Rejoice over that fact. We are no abandoned children, orphans without a father, for we have the Father, His Only Begotten Son, and the Holy Spirit, and by these three Persons of the Godhead we await the day when the Morning Star not only rises in our hearts, but comes to take us home.

When the wicked are multiplied,

            Transgression increases;

But the righteous will see their fall.

                                    Proverbs 29:16

Walk in the Light: You will be blessed

Richard L. Crumb