Enlightenment

Enlightenment is the attainment of human or spiritual revelation. Divine light, overcoming spiritual darkness, came into the world in a unique way when Jesus was born. He is the only one ever to have walked the earth speaking absolute truth. Unfortunately most people do not recognise this true enlightenment: revelation that can transform human life.

By nature, man chooses to search for understanding mostly through his own ability and reason. During the seventeenth and eighteenth century in Europe, many people became increasingly disillusioned with the tyranny and corruption of much of the church. There was a search for new ways of interpreting the mysteries of life, many people rejecting biblical understanding as being false like its often corrupt advocates. It has been called by historians the Age of Enlightenment or the Age of Reason, a time of remarkable scientific progress, spiritual contention and political upheaval.

God has given man an extraordinary brain, capable of vast exploration and innovation. However if we believe that human virtue can be attained simply by human reason (the basis of humanism), we are in danger of inviting the powers of darkness to be our source of understanding. Equally there have been countless religions, from Buddhism to Freemasonry, that have promised enlightenment for the heart of man, but the Bible warns us of the danger of human-centred wisdom. ‘This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic’ (James 3:15).

Jesus has come down to us with an extraordinary claim that the world ignores at its peril. Millions of people have discovered this claim to be absolutely true and wonderfully healing. ‘Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12).

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for being the true Light in this dark world. Amen.