The Eye is the Lamp Part II

The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! (Matthew 6:22-23)

Yesterday we talked about the eye receiving light from Jesus.  As light brings good, so darkness creates evil. The verse above says But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.  A body influenced by a bad eye is reflective of a life distracted by worldly factors, resulting in an inner darkness or blindness to true spiritual realities.  This saying spells out in a practical manner the delimiting consequences of a life devoted to material pursuits.  When we trust Jesus Christ, our eyes are opened, the light shines in, and we become children of light.  The important thing is that we take advantage of the light and have a single outlook of faith. 

It is not just the absence of light, but the presence of darkness that corrupts our vision.  Darkness is not just the absence of light but has its own nature and influence. Note: the light that is in you IS darkness.  The eye is open and ready to receive.  But in this case, not light makes its entrance, but darkness, which, as in the case of the light, permeates the body and perspective of the individual. 

Darkness is more than the absence of truth; it is the presence of lies.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12  False perceptions don’t lead to hesitancy but a false boldness for what we think we see clearly. Separated from the light of God, many people blindly wander toward lives of defeat, despair and false hopes.  Darkness causes them not to be able to understand the way of prosperity and peace.  It is a great darkness.

Luke 11:35 tells us Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness.  There a personal responsibility for opening our eyes to the light of Christ and the gospel.  How tragic this is! Thousands of people may think they have it all together, but their eyes are clouded by materialism and their lives are inauthentic. How is your vision?

Each of us is controlled either by light or darkness. The frightening thing is that some people have so hardened themselves against the Lord that they cannot tell the difference! They think they are following the light when, in reality, they are following the darkness.

If we keep one eye on the things of God and the other eye on the world, the light will turn into darkness! There is no “twilight living” for the Christian, for God demands total submission and obedience. 

The light that comes into a man’s soul depends on the spiritual condition of the eye though which it has to pass because the eye is the window of the body.  Without that light we walk in darkness.  Sin clouds our vision of truth and brings rationalization and ignorance. This is a growing darkness and eventually shuts out the light leaving us at peace in the dark. Stumbling occurs and injury from no light.  This dangerous spiritual condition directs the focus of our lives away from Christ.  We have to be vigilant to make sure this does not happen to us.  Satan is sneaky.  He wants to steal us away from Christ and He knows how to do it.  He causes blind spots and cataracts on our eyes to blind us from the light of Christ and His truths.  He can distort our vision so that we hesitate when God is calling us to move in a certain direction.  We have to guard our eyes and take care of their condition so that the right light comes in.  Be careful.  Be on guard.  Go towards The Light like a moth to a flame.

Scripture to Claim:
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darknel,ss, but will have the Light of life." John 8:12