The Light "Which Lighteth Every Man"

It is recorded in the first book of the Bible that God said: “Let there be light” (Gen.1:3)—and form there on through scripture, the great theme light is over and over emphasized:

“The Lord is my light” (Ps.27:1); “Let us walk in the light of the Lord” (Isa.2:5); “then shall thy light break forth” (Isa. 2:5); “Arise, shine, for thy light is come” (Isa 58:8); “Arise, shine, for thy light is come” (Isa. 60:1); “Ye are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14); “a burning and shining light” (John 5:35); “Let your light so shine before men” (Matt. 5:16); “Walk as children of light” (Eph.5:8); “Christ shall give thee light” (Eph. 5:14); “a light that shineth in a dark place” (2 Pet. 1:19).

Among all these (and many more) is one not yet mentioned, found in the first chapter of John, which speaks of the true light “which lingteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:9).

Men do come into the world with a light implanted within them—a light that gives them inherently some discrimination between right and wrong, some response to good, some revulsion against evil.

It is true that many laws and manners are man-made. But the timeless virtues, the eternal truths, the ageless questions of right and wrong are man-made. As to conscience: It is true that children must be taught the fundamentals of right and wrong. But it is also true that no matter what men are or are not taught, there is implanted within them something besides custom and convention and man-made manners. Even a man who hasn’t been taught to have an acute conscience is not happy if the course of his life is running against the light.

Men are sincerely, wholesomely happy, and at peace in their innermost hearts only as they allow themselves to be led by light—the light that is implanted within, the light that leads to truth, “the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,” and that leads to further light.