The first thing I do each morning when I walk into my living room is to open up all of the blinds and let in the light. It’s second nature. I am drawn to the light. It’s warm, inviting, and lovely. I want it to fill my home and brighten everything it touches. I want to sit on the window bench in my breakfast nook and soak up every drop of sunshine, while holding a warm cup of good coffee and counting my blessings.
It’s hard to imagine anything brighter than the sun. Every day, the sun warms the Earth and gives life to everything it touches. The plants, animals, waterways, and humans all need the sun in order to survive. Our Creation was designed in this way. Everything needs the light.
But there is one light that is even brighter and more life-giving than the sun!
“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you:
God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”
~ 1 John 1:5
Can you imagine how bright God’s light must be, if there is NO darkness in Him at all?? No shadows, no clouds, no haziness. His light is SO bright and He is SO holy that man cannot look upon Him and live. (from Exodus 33:20)
But how do we gain access to a God this holy? How do we approach Him? How do we get to know Him? How can we possibly spend eternity with Him? There are many things to learn about His ways, but the most important point to understand is this:
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.'”
~John 14:6
No one enters the gates of Heaven except through Yeshua (Jesus). But what does this mean? Many things in the Bible are a great mystery, and there are some things we will never understand on this side of Heaven. However, this passage is one that we can easily break down and translate because we must — it is the KEY to understanding salvation.
The WAY: Believing in Yeshua as the Son of God is the ONLY WAY to God. He is the perfect High Priest and the Lamb of God that is without flaw. By first studying the Old Testament (particularly Leviticus), we gain an understanding of what it takes to be seen as holy to God (and WOW, do we ever fall short of that endeavor).. And when we do fail to remain holy, we see that the way to atonement for sin is through blood sacrifice, as defined by God in unmistakable detail. God makes it abundantly clear to Moses and his people how they can make atonement for their sins; He tells them what types of sacrifices are acceptable and exactly how to present the offerings in order for them to be holy and pleasing to God. God is perfectly thorough in His instructions; He does not leave out any details or room for error. Therefore, by first understanding these Old Testament laws, we can see why Yeshua’s birth and death was absolutely necessary in order to restore our relationship with God, and save us from eternal death in sin. In this way, God essentially wrote the check HIMSELF for the payment that was needed to make atonement for OUR sins.
The TRUTH: God’s Word (the entire Bible) is the Truth. Yeshua is the Living Word of God. He is the Wisdom of God. Yeshua is the embodiment of God’s holy Word. His ways are perfect. He came to fulfill the law of God, not to abolish it. Yeshua is the true and perfect example for us in how we should live according to God’s laws. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” And from John 1:17, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” AMEN!
The LIFE: For this one, we can flip back to John 1:4 which says, “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.” Now we’ve come full circle back to the light. Yeshua as God’s Son is the life and light of men. Through Yeshua, we can now receive eternal life with God the Father in Heaven.
I encourage you to let in the light today, and every day. Open all the blinds and curtains. Grab a good cup of coffee, and dig deep into God’s Word. Spend time with Him every day. Study the Truth, so that when you encounter false teachings (and you certainly will), you will be able to discern them from the Truth.
If you’re like me and need some guidance on where to start and how to study the Bible, take a look at the free study plans that are offered on the free YouVersion Bible app, which is available in both app stores for your mobile device.
Friends, we are living in dark times. Many believe that we are the last generation before the return of Yeshua the Christ. Although no one can know exactly when He will return, by studying God’s Word, we will be armed with the Truth and we’ll know what signs to look for so we can be ready.
Blessings!
Emily