Jesus as the Light of the World: A Biblical Guide to Walking in His Light
“Shine bright, y’all!” declares one of my favorite workout shirts. I like this slogan because I am reminded when I wear it that I’m not gonna shine unless I sweat. My brightness won’t come from sitting on the couch, scrolling through my glowing screen. I need physical exercise to sweat and shine, and this is not unlike my spiritual life. Unless I practice the disciplines of Bible study, prayer, and meditation on God’s Word, my spiritual muscles become dull and the light of Christ in me grows dim.
Jesus declares about Himself, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). These words remind us that Jesus is the very light that dispels the darkness in our lives. In a world often shrouded in darkness, confusion, and chaos, the message of Jesus as the Light of the World offers a profound hope that transcends any circumstances. What else do we know about Jesus as the light from the Bible?
The good news in the first chapter of John’s gospel is “In (Christ) was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5). John was writing to an audience who understood that the world was divided into the “sons of light” and the “sons of darkness.” John goes on to describe in his gospel the accounts of Jesus healing blind people, casting out demons from people despairing in the dark, and raising people from death to life. John saw again and again people transformed from lives of darkness to abundant lives in the light. John also witnessed with his own eyes the death and resurrection of Jesus, who took death and destruction to the dark grave and rose again in victorious light! John knew the mission of Jesus was to bring sons of darkness into His family to become sons of light. John joined that mission and Christ’s followers are invited to do the same!
Darkness, in the Bible, often symbolizes sin, ignorance, and spiritual blindness.In our natural state, we are lost in darkness, unable to see the truth about God, ourselves, and the world around us.
Jesus, as the Light, reveals the truth we need to know—about our need for salvation, the holiness of God, and the grace He freely offers through Christ. Without Jesus, we are trapped in spiritual blindness, stumbling through life without true direction. But with Him, our hearts are illuminated, and we are able to see clearly—not only the reality of our sin but also the hope of redemption in Him.
The Psalmist declares in Psalm 27:1: “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” I’ve known some people in our community who began coming to church with doubts, depression, and darkness consuming them. I’ve witnessed with my own eyes the transformation in their lives when they’ve accepted the gift of salvation from God and surrendered their lives to following Jesus. Doubts are replaced with faith. Depression is replaced with joy. Darkness is overcome with the light of Christ. When God saves a person from death, His life in that person becomes a beacon of hope that gives her confidence to not fear the doubts, depression, and darkness of this world. He is the light. He gives the salvation. With that truth, of whom shall we be afraid?
Once a person experiences salvation and desires to live a surrendered life to God, what does she do to keep the light burning in her life? Psalm 119:105 tells us, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” This verse is important because it reminds the Christ follower to look to God’s word for direction in the way she lives her life. I’ve heard it said that the original Hebrew word for “lamp” in this verse is like a single candle, which only illuminates the space directly in front of a person’s foot. That foot lamp gives enough light for each step a person takes. The word for “light” in this verse is more like stadium floodlights which make the darkness seem like daybreak! Bible Recap teacher Tara Leigh Cobble explains this verse like this: “God’s Word is both kinds of light – the whole earth flooded with the fires of thousand suns kind of glorious, illuminating absolute truth, once-and-for-all and the individual, step-by-step kind of personal guidance we need, moment-by-moment.” His light is for us and will be in us as we get to know Him in His word!
In addition to revealing truth, Jesus leads us out of the darkness of sin and death. He doesn’t just show us the way; He is the way. Through His death on the cross, Jesus bore the ultimate consequence of our sin—taking upon Himself the punishment we deserved. And in His resurrection, He overcame the darkness of death, offering new life to all who would believe in Him. Jesus is the light that guides us from the pit of despair, “out of darkness into the kingdom of His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).
Jesus doesn’t just save us from darkness; He calls us to become light-bearers in a dark world. In Matthew 5:14-16, He tells His followers, “You are the light of the world... Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” As believers, we are called to reflect the light of Jesus in how we live, speak, and love. The light of Christ is not something we can keep to ourselves—it is meant to shine in the darkness of the world around us, drawing others to the hope of the gospel.
We need His light to shine bright in us so that we can serve in His mission of helping people in this dark world to find and follow Jesus.
The light that Jesus brings is not temporary or fleeting. In Revelation 21:23, we are given a glimpse of the eternal kingdom where “the city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” When Christ comes again to bring the new heaven and the new earth, Jesus Himself will be the everlasting light, and His presence will eliminate all darkness, pain, and sorrow forever. In this light, we will dwell with Him in perfect communion, where there will be no more need for artificial sources of light.
In every season of life, whether in moments of joy or seasons of suffering, we can find comfort in the truth that Jesus is the Light of the World. He came to bring light into our darkness, to lead us into truth, and to guide us into everlasting life with Him. As we walk in His light, we are called to share that light with others, so that the world may know the Savior who came to shine in the darkness—and who promises that those who follow Him will never walk in darkness again. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Light of the World, and follow Him with hearts full of gratitude, for He alone is our hope and salvation.
