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 “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

The Second Epistle to the Corinthians 4:6

Father Matta El-Meskeen (Matthew the Poor)


 

Darkness filled all the earth and still does, and the true light is Jesus Christ. Man will remain in this world’s darkness till God’s light shines in his heart with the light of the knowledge of God’s glory that is in the face of Jesus Christ. Every man experiences this truth before he really gets to know Jesus Christ and feels that the face of Jesus Christ, the true light, has shone in his heart.

Yet we must clarify that the light in this world is the true darkness if the face of Jesus Christ is absent from it, but those who live in this world’s darkness do not know that there exists the true light. Every light in this world disappears or extinguishes some times, but the light of the face of Jesus Christ is a light that is not extinguishable. This means that he who lives with Christ lives in an inextinguishable light, so that the enemy, the basis of deathly darkness cannot oppress him, as the devil’s darkness is certain death. For that reason Christ calls all people to Him being the light of the world. He who follows Him does not walk in the darkness that blinds the eyes from the knowledge of truth. The Gospel explains it “and the life was the light of men.”1 If the sun being the source of light and life on earth ceased to light then creation on earth would die, and accordingly we know that Christ is the sun that lights the heavens and the eternal true life that is permanent and never ceases.

This truth is a warning to whoever walks in the ways of this world. If the life and light of this world suffice him, then he will remain deprived from the glow of the glory of the Lord on the face of Jesus Christ. The end of this deprivation is death without resurrection.

If life with people of the world is supported by money and pleasure, with evening parties, drunkenness, dancing, music, tourism, play and gambling, all matters that are not fit to be discussed here, matters prepared by the devil for those who love him and require his favor. These must inevitably come to an end as in them lies sickness, grief, depression, and fast aging. As for those who have asked for faith and loved Christ holding on to eternal life they are those who have conquered the beast of the world and killed the deathly serpent, raising the banner of victory and salvation and Christ received them and took them into His glory.

Thus, dear reader, just in front of you is the light of the world with his life of pleasures and also in front of you is the light of the face of Jesus Christ and the promise of eternal life. If you choose one you will lose the other. This is a serious matter because it is not a choice, choosing being a ruse, for accepting life with Christ is inevitable, and throwing oneself in His embrace is the only chance for you to live and never die.

It is neither wise nor logical to chose darkness refusing the true light; nor is it at all acceptable to belittle the way of ignorance and death’s danger by refusing the way of truth and life.

Knowing the glory of God on the face of Jesus Christ is the mystery of eternal life. Because God’s glory is revealed in this age, a treasure kept for those who have accepted the life of fellowship with Christ now. It will be revealed with Christ’s appearance when we will appear with Him to share in His glory, because as the bible mentions “we shall be like him.” 2

In front of the pleasure of this age’s false life which will be taken away from us in a second there will be instead, for those who trampled on the pleasures and joys of this world, the revelation of the glory of God on the face of Christ Jesus and a share in that glory that is everlasting with the immortal. The revelation of the glory of God is a supreme vision of the nature of God that lights life above, where there is yet no sun nor moon, but the light of Christ that is inextinguishable in permanent glory. It is fantastic that we will be partners with Christ in that glory as Christ has announced: “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them.”3

1 John 1: 4.

2 Col 3: 4;

1 John 3: 2.

3 John 17: 22.

 

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