13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.
14 For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you."
Vs. 13 - “But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.”
“all things become visible” - This is about more than exposing evil. If that was all it takes to get rid of evil, pornography, prostitution, sexual sins, any criminal act would go away when revealed. In our experience, is that so? No, it is not! We fight tooth and nail, scratch and claw at crime and evil. Yet it is still here, and sometimes seems to prevail. The hope and prayer is that as evil deeds are shown to be what they are - evil, there will be people won to Christ who compare the deeds of those doing evil to the deeds of those living the Christian life.
See: John 3:19-21 - “Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed. But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God
“everything that becomes visible is light” - Not that visible things emit light, or are light sources, but that everything that has light shone upon it becomes visible. We can see the evil of pornography as it is exposed. See the spiritual destruction of sexual deviations, or sexual crimes, of crime of any sort. See the coarsening of our morals and culture - all because of tolerating evil deeds.
These types of human behaviors should never be allowed in the church - especially in the church. We can speak out against pornography, prostitution, adultery, etc., but the natural world has no remedy - they do not have Jesus. Many times they do not want to hear that what they are doing is harmful to their soul.
Vs. 14 - “For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”
“Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead” - Quoted from: Isa 51:17, 52:1, 60:1, 26:14a, 19a. This not a reference to the rapture, or resurrection. Wake up from your spiritual darkness. Turn from spiritual death. See: “Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but prefer that the wicked change his behavior and ‘live. Turn back, turn back from your evil deeds! Why should you die, O house of Israel?' “ (Eze 33:11 )
Indeed, why should you die in your sin? Wake from your stupor. Turn from your confusion. Let the Light of God shine into your heart and soul. Be born again to new life, eternal life in Christ Jesus!
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