And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. Genesis 1:3
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light
shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a
witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe
through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about
the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone,was coming
into the world. John 1:4-9
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and
people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds
were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light,
lest his deeds should be exposed. But whoever does what is true
comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have
been carried out in God. John 3:19-21
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light
of life. John 8:12
..While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light. John 12:36
...I have come as light into the world that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. John 12:46
The parable of the talents and the trustworthy servants, Matthew 25:14-30
For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have
once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have
shared in the Holy Spirit,and have tasted the goodness of the word of
God and the powers of the age to come, if they then fall away, since
they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and
holding him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that
often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake
it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears
thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its
end is to be burned. Hebrews 6:4-8
The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast
off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Romans
13:12
For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our
hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6
For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the
Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found
in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is
pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of
darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to
speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is
exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes
visible is light. Therefore it says, Awake O sleeper, and arise
from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Ephesians 5:8-14
Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in
darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in
him there is no cause for stumbling. 1 John 2:9-10
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory
of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light
will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their
glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day--and there will
be no night there. Revelation 21:23-25
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The
lord is the stronghold of my faith; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1
Thy steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, thy faithfulness
to the clouds...for with thee is the fountain of life; in thy light do
we see light. Psalm 36:5,9
Arise, shine; for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has
risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and
thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his
glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your
light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Isaiah 60:1-3
"You are the light of the world...Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is
in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16
This then is the message, which we have heard of him, and declare unto
you, That God is light, and in him is no darkness at all: if we say we
have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the
truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us
from all sin. 1 John 1: 5-7.
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Matt. 5:48).
Quotations on the Inward Light from Friends
"Mind the Word of God, you Children of the Light, who are in the Light
that comes from the Word. George Fox, Ep. 138, p.108,;7.133, in
George Fox on the Light of Christ Within, by Joseph Pickvance.
None are converted to God...but as they come to know the Light within,
Christ, who is the Way to God. George Fox, The Great Mystery, p.
292, 3.467, in George Fox on the Light of Christ Within, by Joseph
Pickvance.
I have already touched upon their fundamental principal, which is as
the cornerstone of their fabric; and indeed, to speak eminently and
properly, their characteristic, or main distinguishing point or
principle, viz. The Light of Christ within, as Gods gift for mans
salvation. This, I say, is as the root of the goodly tree of
doctrines that grew and branched out from it... William
Penn, The Rise and Progress of the People Called Quakers,
p. 26, republished 1838.
The Light is your Teacher. George Fox, The Gospel Truth
Demonstrated, p. 20; 4.38, in George Fox on the Light of Christ Within,
by Joseph Pickvance.
As we believe in the Light as Christ commands...become children of the
Light so we are out of all their sects for the Light was never of
them. George Fox, Ann Cat., No. 85E, in George Foxs Conception of the
Church, by Lewis Benson.
You will say Christ saith this, and the apostles say this, but what
canst thou say? Art thou a child of light and hast thou walked in
the light, and what thou speakest is it inwardly from God?
Margaret Fell, quoting George Fox. Citation?
When we speak of the seed or light we understand a spiritual,
celestial, and invisible principle, a principle in which God dwells as
Father, Son, and Spirit. A measure of this divine and glorious
principle exists as a seed in all men which by its nature draws,
invites, and inclines the individual toward God. Some call this
the vehiculum Dei, or the spiritual body of Christ, the flesh and blood
of Christ,which came down from heaven, and on which all who have faith
are fed and nourished with eternal life. This light and seed
witnesses against and reproves every unrighteous action.
Barclays Apology in Modern English, ed. Freiday, p. 85
Secondly, by this Seed, Grace, and Word of God, and Light, wherewith
we say every man is enlightened, and hath a measure of it, which
strives with them in order to save them, and which may, by the
stubborness and wickedness of mans will, be quenched, bruised,
wounded, pressed down, slain, and crucified; we understand not the
proper essence and nature of God, precisely taken,which is not
divisible into parts and measures, as being a most pure and simple
being, void of all composition or division, and therefore can neither
be resiisted, hurt, wounded, crucified, or slain by all the efforts and
strength of men; but we understand a spiritual, heavenly and invisible
principle, in which God, as Father, Son, and Spirit, dwells: a measure
of which divine and glorious life is in all men, as a seed, which
of its own nature draws, invites, and inclines to God; and this we call
vehiculum Dei, or the spiritual body of Christ, the flesh and blood of
Christ, which came down from heaven, of which all the saints do feed,
and are thereby nourished unto eternal life. And as every
unrighteous action is witnessed against, and reproved by this Light and
Seed, so, by such actions, it is hurt, wounded, slain, and resiles or
flees from them, even as the flesh of man flees from that, which is a
contrary nature to it. An Apology for the True Christian
Divinity, p. 120, by Robert Barclay.
Now the Lord God hath opened to me by his invisible power how that
every man was enlightened by the divine light of Christ; and I saw it
shine through all and that they that believed in it came out of
condemnation and came to the light of life and became the children of
it, but they that hated it, and did not believe in it, were condemned
by it, though they made a profession of Christ. This I saw in the
pure openings of the Light without the help of any man, neither did I
then know where to find it in the Scriptures; though
afterwards,searching the Scriptures, I found it. For I saw in
that Light and Spirit which was before Scripture was given forth, and
which led the holy men of God to give them forth, that all must come to
that Spirit, if they would know God, or Christ, or the Scriptures
aright, which they that gave them forth were led and taught by.
Journal of George Fox, Nickalls, ed. p. 33
And the Lord answered that it was needful I should have a sense of all
conditions, how else should I speak to all conditions; and in this I
saw the infinite love of God. I saw also that there was an ocean
of darkness and death, but an infinite ocean of light and love, which
flowed over the ocean of darkness. And in that also I saw the
infinite love of God. Journal of George Fox, Nickalls, ed. p. 19
Now was I come up in spirit through the flaming sword into the
paradise of God. All things were new, and all the creation gave
another smell unto me than before, beyond what words can utter. I
knew nothing but pureness, and innocency, and righteousness, being
renewed up into the image of God by Christ Jesus, so that I say I was
come up to the state of Adam which he was in before he fell....
But I was immediately taken up in spirit, to see into another or more
steadfast state than Adams in innocency, even into a state in Christ
Jesus, that should never fall. And the Lord showed me that such
as were faithful to him in the power and light of Christ, should come
up into that state in which Adam was before he fell, in which the
admirable works of the creation, and the virtues thereof, may be known,
through the openings of that divine Word of wisdom and power by which
they were made. Journal of George Fox, Nickalls, ed. p. 27
For God is a God at hand, and the Most High he rules in the children
of men. So then this is the word of the Lord God unto you all;
what the light doth make manifest and discover, temptations,
confusions, distractions, distempers; do not look at the temptations,
confusions, corruptions, but at the light that discovers them, that
makes them manifest; and with the same light you will feel over them,
to receive power to stand against them. Which light discovers,
the same light that lets you see sin and transgression will let you see
the covenant of God, which blots out your sin and transgression, which
gives victory and dominion over it, and brings into covenant with
God. For looking down at sin, and corruption, and distraction,
you are swallowed up in it; but looking at the light that discovers
them, you will see over them. That will give victory; and you
will find grace and strength; and there is the first step of
peace. That will bring salvation; and see to the beginning and
the glory that was with the Father before the world began; and so come
to know the Seed of God, which is heir of the promise of God, and the
world which hath no end; unto the power of an endless life, which power
of God is immortal, which brings up the soul, which is immortal, up to
the immortal God, in whom it doth rejoice. Journal of George
Fox, Nickalls, ed. p. 347-348
The Light is one and the same, which enlightens every man that comes
into the world, believers and unbelievers. George Fox, The Great
Mystery, p. 39, 3.91, in, George Fox on the Light of Christ Within, by
Joseph Pickvance
...wicked men have the Spirit of God--else how could they quench it
and grieve it and vex it and resist the Holy Spirit...Wicked men
were enlightened by this Light--else how could they hate it?
George Fox, Camden Journal ii63; 2.37, in, George Fox on the Light of
Christ Within, p. 9, by Joseph Pickvance
To sum up what they say upon the nature and virtue of [the Light], as
contents of that which follows, the declare that this principle, is,
First, divine. Secondly, universal. Thirdly, efficacious:
in that it gives man, First, The knowledge of God, and of himself; and
therein, a sight of his duty, and disobedience to it. Secondly,
It begets a true sense and sorrow for sin in those that seriously
regard the convictions of it. Thirdly, It enables them to forsake
sin, and sanctifies from it. Fourthly, It applies Gods mercies,
in Christ, for the forgiveness of sins that are past, unto
justification, upon such sincere repentence and abedience.
Fifthly, It gives, to the faithful, perseverance unto a perfectman, and
the assurance of blessedness world without end. William Penn,
Primitive Christianity Revived in the Faith and Practice of the People
Called Quakers, p. 9 republished 1829
Quotations on Light from Other Faith Traditions
He is the source of light in all luminous objects. He is beyond the
darkness of matter and is unmanifested. He is knowledge, He is the
object of knowledge, and He is the goal of knowledge. He is situated
in everyones heart. Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, 13:18, translated by A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of
His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass.
The glass is as it were a shining star. (This lamp is) kindled from a
blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West,whose oil
would almost glow forth (of itself) though no fire touched it. Light
upon light, Allah guideth unto His light whom he will. And Allah
speaketh to mankind in allegories, for Allah is Knower of all things.
The Meaning of the Glorious Koran, 24:35, translated by Mohammed
Marmaduke Pickthall.