Pathway of love - Love's pure light

1John 1:5 This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there's not a trace of darkness in him

John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it  (‘take it to itself ’- Phil 3:12) 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

WHAT IS THE DARKNESS?

It is the territory (shadowy ‘glass darkly’ self) in which the human spirit wraps itself. This causes our spirit to resist ‘taking to itself’ love’s pure light - the light-life of Holy Spirit (Psalm 104:2 ... He wraps Himself in light…). The human spirit wants to own its own territory (which belongs to God) and keep it separate from Him. 

(1 Corinthians 6:19) So we must take to ourselves our Oneness with Him and we must own that. (That is God’s idea of who we are!). Why does this darkness not take to itself the light of the life of Jesus?

It fears exposure…Light exposes darkness and brings it into crisis. 

THE CRISIS (Judgement)

John 3:19 "This is the crisis we're in: God-Light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure (To the shadowy self). (Evil = painful, harmful, sorrowful, troubled, conflicting and futile activities) But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work (lifestyle) can be seen for the God- work (lifestyle) it is. (We learn to love the light!)

THE ENLIGHTENMENT  1650 – 1800  The human spirit misuses its brilliance. (Luke 11:34 Matthew 6:22)

The Enlightenment came after the Renaissance which lasted for about 300 years and which included the reformation, the printing press, Shakespeare and The King James Bible. With the Enlightenment European politics, philosophy, science and communications challenged all traditional authority and the human spirit embraced the mindset of perfecting humanity through rational thought. The Enlightenment produced inventions, scientific discoveries, laws, wars and revolutions. The American and French and Industrial Revolutions marked the peak of its influence and the beginning of its decline. Atheism and deism were born. Hello darkness - Good-bye God!

ROMANTICISM 1770 – 1850 (disruptive and counter enlightenment)

This was the passionate belief in the freedom of the human spirit (not under God) and individual creativity, and one’s own unique, inner vision (Which of course is a journey with a loving God!), and the disregard of any "external" voice of Church, State, public opinion, family, and cultural traditions. Fierce nationalistic cultures arise and diverse Christian denominations. Meanwhile spiritual awakenings occurred.

MODERNISM 20th century

Titanic, WW1, WW2, Wars Wars Wars. People realize the reality of an uncertain world - So make it new make it big and make it work – Including Church. A Self-consciousness explosion - Extroverts rule with false confidence. Pop psychology, Pop art, pop everything. Unprecedented Global power games. Super powers project their solid and invincible posture. Meanwhile there are great moves of God.

POST MODERNISM  - Now - From confidence to confusion – defiance to delusion – solid to fluid. The bubbles all burst. Language is fluid, obscure, and often meaningless. Political correctness abounds, Confusion regarding gender, marriage, moral values. The Internet information explosion. Wars become undefined terrorism. The fallout is a calamity of fear and confusion. Church struggles to find itself.

THE AWAKENING

The painful exposure is happening out there, now, and we cannot keep pace with all the darkness that is being exposed. It is happening for a reason.

The suffering leads to the crisis of awakening love’s pure light, so that the human spirit can take God’s life back to itself. Amazing love - Amazing grace.