Not In Darkness

Then Jesus spoke to them again, 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 

What is it to walk in darkness? Having made the boldest of claims, that He is the light of the world, Christ utters what appears to be an extravagant promise. He declares ‘he who follows me shall not walk in darkness.’ What is the darkness of which He speaks? A useful passage to consider lies in the next chapter of John when Christ heals the man who was born blind. This healing provoked a confrontation with the Pharisees when the healed man worshipped Christ.  ‘Then Jesus said, For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind. Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, Are we blind also? Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, We see. Therefore your sin remains.’ The discussion revolves around spiritual darkness or blindness. The Pharisees considered themselves to be the enlightened ones because of their study of and adherence to the law of Moses with all their additions. Christ’s remark indicates they were walking in the darkness of self-righteousness. They were incensed by His statement. From the exchange we understand that His previous promise about not walking in darkness was specifically referring to spiritual darkness. Because He is the light of the world he delivers His people from walking in spiritual darkness. This is the most critical of liberations. Christ frees us from our darkness.  

Our Gracious Master and our God, 
we rejoice that You remove our darkness. 
We praise You that as we follow You, 
we begin to see more clearly. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning