“Commissioned To Give Light”

II Corinthians 4:1-6

1) Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

2) But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

3) But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them

5) For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

6) For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

T

he command given to us (those who have emerged from darkness) by God is to illuminate the way for others. Man cannot know spiritual things, for he is born (by virtue of original sin) without the capacity. Therefore, once the revelation of what is spiritual is received, he becomes responsible to lead others to that same truth.

The revelation is precisely that because it cannot be received through instruction. As opposed to being the result of Man's “acquisition,” it is the “...demonstration of the (truth of) the divine will of God.” It was never God's intention (nor has it ever been possible) for Man to be able to be “instructed” as to how to be spiritual.

Frequently, Man gets his “feelings hurt” by hearing the Word of God and then, trying to “do” it. When he finds himself unable to do this, and then, finds himself subsequently failing, he finds himself disillusioned and becomes embroiled in other problems.

Contrary to what children are taught as babes, continually “trying” (through one's own strength) to “do” as God instructs will always lead to failure. Why? Because salvation is not by works or anything that we can do.

One of the greatest examples that we have is in the nation of Israel. As a people, they possessed the Law for 4000 years. Despite all of their efforts, good intentions and mandates, they remained unable to keep it. One might be tempted to “feel sorry” for them, for after all, the Law was never meant to be kept. However, the “way” that they went was simply “the way of all flesh”—that

is, the “way” of attempting to “figure things out.” We were to learn from their failure that the way to success is total dependence upon God and despite the fact that the lesson has yet to be learned, we owe to the children of Israel a debt of gratitude.

Now, in that God is a God of instruction, we must understand certain things about His “management style.” Namely, that all that He does, He does with a purpose and that He never “wastes time.” Therefore, we need to “wake up” to the fact. that if we were able to “handle” the “spiritual hurdles” that the life in Christ requires of us, the Lord would never test us. You see, through the testing, it is we who are to learn—about ourselves! After all, if every hair on our head is numbered (by the Lord), it is unlikely, rather, impossible that there is nothing of us that He does not know! So, then, all that comes to us is necessary to be taught us—or the Lord's time would be spent on something else concerning us.

The fact that the Lord is instructing us, today, about our being “commissioned to give light” is telling, in itself. Just think of all that we believe to be our “job” in salvation. Do we not sometimes feel that it is our job to make sure that (other) people “do right?” Do we not believe it to be our job to “make” people “respect” us? After all, we are “saved” and this is our “due.” Now, it is not as important that we always respect the “saved,” but it is important that they respect us, right?

What we sometimes seem to forget, with respect to both God and Man is that we show what we are and of what we are “worthy” when we are tested. And with God, what matters is not what one believes himself to be, but rather, what one is proven to be when tested by Him. Once we have the “results” (whether good or bad), we must be willing to acknowledge them and accept help.

We are incredibly blessed through one irrefutable fact: the Lord has taken all “guesswork” out of salvation. Though everyday life presents many perplexing, seemingly “unsolvable” issues, we have the assurance that if we will but follow His instructions “things” will “work” that same way, always.

The acceptance of the above truth will revolutionize lives. This is the “light” that needs to be shed upon the lives of Men. We “sit on” the greatest “resource” ever gone undiscovered by Man—and His name is Jesus. There is nothing for which He does not have an answer - for He is the Originator of the question! Therefore, since His deity is about shedding light upon the fact that He is Truth, what better way to “hammer it home” than to allow us access to situations in which the only solution is to do things His way? Then, He “gets (all) the glory” and we are “delivered!”

Not only are we delivered, but we are “made strong” in the process. Through dependence upon the strength of God we are empowered to “handle” anything the devil sends our way—and once we accept this and see ourselves in the “Light” through which we are viewed by the Lord, our “commission” has “hope” of being fulfilled.