The Mystery of the Light

By Hall V. Worthington

The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. John 1:5 

He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. 1 Cor 4:5

Jesus, the light who enlightens every man who comes into the world. Jesus, the light of the world, who if man believes and follows, will have the light of life, and will be reconciled and restored to God, who is light, to become children of the light.

Throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament are references to the Light. Today, this is the most misunderstood concept in Christendom, for Christendom is truly in darkness and cannot comprehend the Light; thousands of years before Christ, even Job without a single scripture had more understanding of the light than all of Christendom today. The Light is another manifestation of the Holy Spirit of God (light, fire, word, water). We hear the Word spoken to us from our hearts; we see what the Light reveals to us in our hearts; both are revelation by the Holy Spirit of God to us.

In addition to Christ being named the word of God, Christ is also named the light, which enlightens every man; the light is the light of the word, the light of Christ:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and there was nothing made without him. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. [Him is Jesus, the life and the light of men] The light shines in the darkness; and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. [John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the Light.] This man came as a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men might believe in it [the Light, Christ]. He was not the Light, but was sent to bear witness of the Light. [John the Baptist was the witness of the Light, Jesus.] Which was the true Light that enlightens every man who comes into the world. John 1:1-9 

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life." John 8:12 

While you have light, believe in the light, that you may become the children of light. John 12:36 

And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world [every man], but men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, neither does he come to the light, for fear his deeds will be exposed and reproved. But he who practices truth comes to the light, so that his deeds may be shown to have been produced [effected, formed, prompted, energized] through God. John 3:19-21. 

God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5 

Now as he [Saul, later named Paul] neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven shined around him. And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" And he said, "Who are you, Lord? " And the Lord said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting;" Acts 9:3-5 

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; so that you may show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; 1 Pet 2:9 

Giving thanks to the Father, who has made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Col 1:12 

Which light was the new covenant, prophesied to come to the Gentiles, to be God's salvation to the end's of the earth: I the LORD have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand; I will keep you and give you for a covenant to the people, for a light to the Gentiles, Isa 42:6 

He says, 'It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation to the ends of the earth.' Isa 49:6 

And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Isa 60:3 

A light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel. Luke 2:32 

For the Lord commanded this, saying, 'I have given you to be a light of the Gentiles, that you should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.' Acts 13:47 

That the Christ would suffer, and that he would be the first who would rise from the dead and proclaim light to the [Jewish] people, and to the Gentiles. Acts 26:23 

Jesus is the Light that enlightens all men that come into the world. He is the life, the light of all men. The Light is in each one of us, whether we have been 'saved' or not. The Light is dim and shines in darkness; the Light is suppressed by the darkness of our hearts. Yet the Light is what quietly reasons with us throughout our lives. As we seek God, the Light is what exposes what is hidden in our hearts. The Light is what we either love or hate. If we are committed to truth, we love the Light and welcome the Light to show us how to improve ourselves to be acceptable in His sight. If we are committed to our selfish nature, we run and hide from the Light, or we try to extinguish the light, because we hate the Light. If you love the light, it is your Teacher. If you hate the light, it is your condemnation. As we respond to the what the Light tells us to deny and how to live a godly life, the Light increases within us; our selfish spirit decreases, and the Light increases.

Having the hope of purity, a sinless state, union with God, and entering the Kingdom of Heaven, we seek God; (the true gospel). To seek God, we silently wait on him, thinking on the name of Jesus; (the power his name). As we hear commands or are shown our sinful nature, our obedience and repentance (the cross) is rewarded with a change in our heart, removing a desire to a particular sin.

In the beginning, we only hear the voice, the sure word of prophecy, listening to its teachings, obeying its commands. Later the Light appears to show us the secrets of our heart, but in a kind way, that helps us regret our conditions, and leads us to repent from them.

It is theoretically possible for someone who has never heard of Christ, the gospel, or the cross to attain salvation by complete obedience to the Light within their conscience. The Lord has even told me he will reveal himself to people from other religions who seek the Light; but unfortunately, they typically reject him because of loyalty to their faith, or because of the poor record of people who call themselves Christians. Whoever lives in an area where the record of Christ is known, to seek salvation without acknowledgement of Christ would violate Christ's own statement: If any man desires to do His will (God's pleasure), he will know (have the needed illumination to recognize, and can tell for himself) whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking from Myself and of My own accord and on My own authority. John7:17

Just as God sent Jesus to the Jews, to either be accepted or rejected, so he has given to each of us the Light within, to either be accepted of rejected: This man [John the Baptist] came as a witness, to bear witness of the Light [Christ], that all men might believe in it . Our conscience tells us we have been wrong when we lie or steal. The Light of our conscience has been gently and anonymously reasoning with us all of our life, gently pleading for us to depart from our evil ways and do what is good. Our challenge is to become wholly directed in word and action by the Word and Light, Christ, within us.

Many of the early Quakers have written records on this site about their experience with the Light's reproving of sin and evil in them, early in their youth. In my youth I can remember at least one experience where the Light was reproving me; as convincing as it was, I was clueless at to its origin and ignored its advice, continuing on my course of error. Had I been taught in my youth to expect God to reprove me periodically, I would have probably recognized the source and would have been far more attentive.  This leads me to question what kind of world we would live in if we were taught at an early age to expect the convincing reproofs of God. The world might be a much better place.

This is the verdict:

Light has come into the world [all men], but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God. John 3:19-21

Until we have received the Light's teaching or conviction as coming from Christ, we have not received Christ. God is at peace with us through the sacrifice of Jesus that has paid for our sinful past - forgiveness.

• We have the power to become (not be) and live forever as a son God just by receiving Jesus in the light.
• We must exercise that power by making our first priority in life to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
• Through repentance, prompted by grace, we must kill our sinful nature by the Spirit to please God and find salvation.We have assurance of salvation to come when we are led (controlled) by the Spirit of God. 

The role of the Light is key to repentance, deadening our sinful nature, becoming led by the Spirit, finding the Kingdom, and attaining His righteousness.

Jesus came so he could destroy the devil and his works [sin] in us - if we go to him.

For this purpose the Son of God is revealed [in us] that he might destroy [in us] the works [sin] of the devil. 1 John 3:8

But let me be very clear: For waiting in the light to be of lasting benefit, you must believe that purity is possible through the light; and to attain union with God, you must believe that the promise of the Kingdom of God applies to you while alive. Per William Penn, "But then you must seek aright, with your whole heart, as men that seek for their lives, yes, for their eternal lives: diligently, humbly, patiently, as those that can taste no pleasure, comfort, or satisfaction in anything else, unless you find him whom your souls want, and desire to know and love above all." For you can sit, waiting on the light with no clear objective, nor dedication of purpose, and predominantly receive nothing but visions and voices of deceiving spirits. For the power of God is only released by belief in the true gospel, the cross, his name, and the fellowship.

There are three manifestations of the power of God which are necessary for change:

1. the name of Jesus, (you have to at least believe in the power of his name, as the son of God).
2. the true gospel - the true hope of freedom from sin and the kingdom — the good news that one seizes as their hope, 
3. the cross of Christ - the inward cross of self-denial, which is the exercise of the hope in faith of the true gospel's promises. 

When we get quiet in private, and wait on the Lord, we hear his living Word (Christ) speak to us; and we are shown our condition by the Light (Christ, who gives light to every man that comes into the world).  We are taught by the spiritual anointing (the Spirit of God was poured out on all men at Pentecost) within:

But the anointing which you have received of him abides in you, and you do not need not any man to teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in him. 1 John 2:27 

He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; (love, peace, joy, patience, gentleness, kindness, etc. Gal 5:22-23) 

for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5. Works without God's Love in us count for nothing. 1 Cor 13:3. 

To produce fruit, is to possess God's love; then your works are faith expressing itself through love. Gal 5:6

Abiding is the key to success as a Christian. Studying the Bible only tells us what we must achieve and avoid. To know the truth, you have to be taught by Jesus himself, personally, about himself. His living words must abide in you. To abide in Christ, is to abide in his Light, in his presence, in his living word, (not read the Bible).

But all things that are reproved are made manifest [revealed] by the light. For whatever reveals is light. Therefore he said, "Awake you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. Ephesians 5:13-14 

Search me , O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 129:23-4

That which shows him his sins, and troubled him for them, would show him his salvation;
for he who shows a man his sin, is the same who takes it away. George Fox

You have set our iniquities before You,  Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance. Psa 90:8 

Jesus, the Light who walked the earth, but who is also in all men as Light, is described by John:

In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. John 1:4-5

The true light that gives light to every man that comes into the world. John 1:9 

This is the message we have heard from him and declare: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5 

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 

I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. John 12:46 

Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. 1 John 2:10 

He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. 1 Cor 4:5 

While you have light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light. John 12:36

While in the Light, as it shows you the condition and motives of your heart, believe in the light that the light is Christ, who is the Light; and being obedient to the Light, you may become children of the Light. For in Christ is the Life, the Light of all men. And God is Light.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:7 

Now from George Fox's Journal:

For I saw that Christ had died for all men, was a sacrificial offering for all, and had enlightened all men and women with his divine and saving light; and that none could be true believers, but those that believed in the light. I saw that the grace of God, which brings salvation, had appeared to all men, and that the manifestation of the spirit of God was given to every man, with which to profit. These things I did not see by the help of man, nor by the letter, though they are written in the letter; but I saw them in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by his immediate spirit and power, as did the holy men of God by whom the holy scriptures were written. Yet I had no slight esteem of the holy scriptures, they were very precious to me; for I was in that spirit by which they were issued; and what the Lord opened in me, I afterwards found was in agreement with them.

Believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. John 12:36. God is light. 1 John 1:5 So, we must believe in the Light to be a "true believer."

This is how such belief occurs:

Christ is the Light that enlightens every man that comes into the world (John 1:9).

So Christ is the Light, which shows you your condition, and is the Word that speaks to you with commands and understandings.

The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach). Rom 10:8

So we go to him and listen for His voice and watch for what He shows us about ourselves and what is in our heart. If you love the Light and Word as Christ, you obey and repent from anything evil shown to you; and you are changed for the better. Loving and obeying the Word and Light that shows you your condition, you are acknowledging this Teacher within you as Christ. From the Word of the Lord within: "When you are sure that he who is speaking to you is Christ, you have received Him."

You have "received" the Light and acknowledged the Light to be Christ. Therefore, you believe in the Light. Just like when Christ asked Peter, "whom do you say I am," and Peter replied: 'You are Christ, the Son of the Living God.' Christ then said: Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. Mat 16:15-8 - the rock solid understanding that he who speaks to you is the Son of God, which the gates of Hell cannot prevail against.

Now look what Jesus further says about how rock solid applies to us:

For everyone who comes to Me and listens to My spoken words and does [practices, obeys] them, I will show you what he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood arose, the torrent broke against that house and could not shake or move it, because it had been securely built or founded on a rock. Luke 6:47-48 

He builds his Church on a rock solid foundation. He builds himself in you on a rock solid foundation. If you go to Him (within you), listen to his words, and then obey them, you have identified the speaker as Christ - just like Peter did in the physical realm, except your identification of Christ is in the spiritual realm within you.

Paul said: According to the grace (the special endowment for my task) of God bestowed on me, like a skillful architect and master builder I laid [the] foundation, and now another [man] is building upon it. But let each [man] be careful how he builds upon it. 1 Cor 3:10 The correct foundation is very important and key to your potential growth. Your foundation will come from Christ himself.

Notice he says comes to me, (not Bible study, not Bible reading, Him), listen to his words (not listen to someone reading the Bible), and do [practice] whatever he tells you to do. This is personal teaching by the Teacher, Christ. When you really believe that, who you hear speaking to you, is Christ, you have just accepted him; you have acknowledged and received him: that all men through him [the Light] might believe. And he says, this results in building the true foundation, that will not be shaken or moved, nor can the gates of Hell prevail against us as we exit. And from those who have this true foundation, he builds his Body of Christ, his true Church, of true believers who recognize him within them to be the Son of God. Christ in you, the hope of glory. Col 1:27

So to receive Christ and become a true believer, we must privately get quiet, think on the name of Jesus, and then listen and watch. Then we must believe the words we hear and conditions shown by the Light to be from Christ; and believing they are from Christ, we repent or obey what we are told to do; thus we have become a true believer. Until this happens, we have only believed and had faith in the historical record of Christ; whether from the Bible or the history books. Such faith is not of a true believer. "The word is near you, even in your mouth, and in your heart [so you may do it];" that is, the word of faith, which we preach. Rom 10:8 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God [from within your heart]. Rom 10:17. Further Jesus says that the words he speaks to you are spirit and they impart life to you. John 6:63

NOW the scriptures that say, "everyone who believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God will be saved" take on an entirely different meaning. To believe, is to listen to the Teacher himself and obey his instructions as coming from the Son of God himself, the living Word of God, the Light - within you!

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Col 1:26-28

Even the demons called Jesus 'Son of the Most High God,' falling down at his feet, worshiping him, and begging him to have mercy. Luke 8:28 4:41 3:11 Mark 5:6-7 Mat 8:29 But they did not call him Lord, and they did not voluntarily obey him from love. When we obey his commands, which we are not forced to do; we, by loving him, make him Lord of our life. We seek, listen, and obey his teachings because we love the Light and Living Word as Christ, the Son of God. Thus we are true believers, for we not only believe by receiving the Son of God, but we obey what we hear and understand him tell us.

John said:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:7 

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we do not deny our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 1 John 1:8-10

When you examine these verses in lieu of the verses before and after these three, this is the meaning: We go to the Light (Jesus) to quietly listen and watch, hoping for purification by his blood and grace. If we go without acknowledging that we are a sinner, we deceive ourselves, have no humility, and get no help. If when he (the Light) shows us our sins and we do not deny them, he will forgive and purify us. But, if when he (the Light) shows us our sins, we deny that we have sinned as he shows us, thinking He is not the Truth, thinking whom we hear to be liar, we reject the Son of God, and we fail to repent of our sins; and His word fails to be planted in our heart, so that it can control us in the future. But if we accept his conviction and Him [the Word or Light] as Truth, his word stays in our heart to keep us from sin. This is how we accept and "receive" Christ. We believe the Light that shows us our sins is Christ. We believe Jesus within.

To Walk in the Light

In the beginning of our journey to union with God, the light shines in our darkness gently and anonymously reasoning with us to depart from our evil ways; but men do not comprehend the light and hate being shown their life is evil. So all men walk in darkness without the light of God to guide them. With sufficient waiting on God and obedience to what you see and hear from Him, the light arises in your heart like the morning star rising on the earth; Jesus, the morning star, appears in your heart to guide us through life with what you should do and say. Then we are no longer walking in darkness; we are walking according to the light of God. We are no longer walking according to what we previously saw by natural light, but we are walking by the light of God, which shows us what to do and tells us what to say. All men sit in darkness and walk in darkness until their hearts have been purged from the evil that defiles them.

From the Word of the Lord within:

• "All sin is darkness.
• The whole world lies in wickedness; the wickedness knows no shame.
• Darkness mocks the earth; darkness covers the earth.
• Walking in the light is to be guided through life by God; walking in darkness is making your own decisions as to what to do and say.
• I am the light of the world; he who follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.
• First the light arises, then the kingdom.
• The arising of the light will be unmistakable.
• Light comes from faith in the voice."

Faith in the voice is evidenced by your obedience to what you hear; to follow is to obey what you hear the Lord speak to you as you wait on Him.

When you are walking in the light with belief and obedience, then you are righteous; and then you are doing the will of the Father on earth as it is in heaven.

Below are two of Isaac Penington's Works relating to the Light:

SOME PROPOSITIONS CONCERNING THE ONLY WAY OF SALVATION:

1. That there is no way of being saved from sin, and wrath eternal, but by that Christ alone who died at Jerusalem. There is no name, virtue, life, or power under heaven given, by which lost man may be saved, but his alone.

2. That there is no way of being saved by him, but through receiving him into the heart by a living faith, and having him formed in the heart. Christ saves not as he stands without at the door knocking, but as he is let in; and being let in, he brings in with him that life, power, and mercy, which breaks down the wall of partition, unites to God, and saves. The Jews could not be saved formerly by the belief of a Messiah to come, with the observation of all the laws and ordinances of Moses; nor can anyone now be saved by the belief of a Christ who has historically come, with observation of all that the apostles commanded or practiced; but only by the receiving him into your heart, where he works out the salvation.

3. That there is no way of receiving Christ into the heart, and of having him formed there, but by receiving the light of his spirit, in which light he is and dwells. [If you] Keep out the light of his spirit, [then you] keep out Christ; [if you] let in the light of his spirit, [then you] let in Christ; for the Father and the Son are light, and are alone known and received in the light; but never out of it.

4. That the way of receiving the light of the Spirit into the heart, (and thereby uniting with the Father, and the Son), is by listening to, and receiving its convictions of sin there. The first operation of the Spirit towards man lying in the sin, is to convince him of the sin; and he that receives not the convincing light of the Spirit, the work is stopped in him at the very first; and Christ can never come to be formed in him, because that light by which he should be formed is kept out. And then he may talk of Christ, and practice duties, (pray, read, and contemplate much), and gather comforts from promises, and run into ordinances, and be exceeding zealous and affectionate in all these, and yet perish in the end. Yes, the devil will let him alone, (if not help him), in all this, knowing that he has him the surer by this, he being, (by the strict observation of these), kept out of the fear of the danger of his condition, which otherwise perhaps he might be made sensible of.

Objection: But I may be deceived in listening to a light within; for while I think that I therein listen to the light of the Spirit, it may prove but the light of a natural conscience.

Answer: If it should be but the light of a natural conscience, and it draws you from sin, which separates from God, and so prepared you for the understanding, believing, and receiving what the Scripture said of Christ; this is not a very bad deceit; but if, in the result, it should prove to have been the light of the spirit, and, you all your life-time, have taken it for the light of a natural conscience, (and so have despised, or at least neglected, if not reproached it), you will then find that this was a very bad deceit.

5. I can show you by express scripture, that it is the work of the spirit to convince of sin. John 16:8. And again, that the law, which is spiritual, manifests what is corrupt and carnal. Rom 7:14. But where can you show me from scripture, that a natural conscience can convince of sin?

6. Let any man give heed to the light in his heart, he shall find it to discover his most inward, his most secret, his most spiritual evils; which a natural light cannot do; for what is natural cannot discover what is spiritual.

7. The apostle said, that it is the grace which has appeared to all men, which teaches not only godliness, but also sobriety and righteousness. Titus 2:11-12. The light of the fallen nature is darkness, and can teach nothing of God. What any man learns now of the true knowledge of God, he learns by grace, which shines in the darkness of man's nature, to leaven it with the true knowledge; though man, being darkness, can by no means comprehend it, and so cannot give it its true name.

THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF THE GOSPEL

"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." 1 John 1:5 

THIS was the message which Christ gave his apostles, to make way into men's hearts by: this is the first thing that is proper for the mind to receive, which lies in the darkness; namely, that there is no darkness in God, nothing but light. Darkness is excluded from him, and the mind that lies in darkness cannot have union or fellowship with him. Therefore he who would be one with God and partake of his life must come out of the darkness, which has no place with God, into the light where God is, and in which he dwells.

The work of the Son is to reveal the Father, and to draw to the Father. He reveals him as light, as the spring of light, as the fountain of light, and he draws to him as light. When he gave to his apostles the standing message, by which they were to make him known to the world, and by which men were to come into fellowship and acquaintance with him; this is it, "that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."

Christ Jesus, the Son of God, he is the image of his substance, the exact image of this light, the light of the world, who is to light the world into this substance. So that as God the Father is to be known as light, so Christ the Son also is to be known as light. He is the only begotten of the Father of lights, the only image in which the eternal substance is revealed and made known. And he that receives this image, receives the substance; and he that receives not this image, receives not the substance.

Now there is a breath or spirit from this substance, in this image, which draws to the image; thus the Father draws to the Son; and the image again draws to the substance; thus the Son draws to the Father. And so hearkening to this breath, the mind and soul is led out of the darkness, into the image of light, (which is the Son), and by the image into the substance: and here is the fellowship which the gospel invites to. Joining to this breath, being transformed by this breath, living in this breath, walking in this holy inspiration, there is a unity with the Father and the Son, who themselves dwell in this breath, from whom this breath comes, in whom this breath is, and in whom all are, who are one with this breath.

This breath purges out the dark breath, the dark air, the dark power, the mystery of death and darkness; and fills with the breath of light, with the breath of life, with the living power, with the holy, pure mystery.

Now, as the Father is light, and the Son light; so this breath, this spirit which proceeds from them both, is light also. And as the Father, who is light, can alone be revealed by the Son, who is light; so the Son, who is light, can alone be revealed by the spirit, who is light.

He then who hears this message, that God is light; and feels himself darkness, and in darkness, and is willing to be drawn out of the darkness into fellowship with God, who is light; this is requisite for him to know; namely, how he may be drawn out, who is it that draws, and which are the drawings; that he may not resist or neglect them, (waiting for another thing), and so miss of the true and only passage unto life. Therefore, observe this heedfully.

None can draw to the Father, but the Son; none can draw to the Son, but the Father: and both these alone draw by the spirit. The Father, by his spirit, draws to the Son; the Son, by the same spirit, draws to the Father: and they both draw by the spirit as he is light, as he is their light lighted to that end. For as the Father is light, and the son is light; so that spirit which draws them must be light also. He is, indeed, the breath of light, eternally lighted, to draw to the eternal image of light, and then to the eternal substance, which eternally dwells in that eternal image.

Question: But how may I know the spirit, and its operations; that I may follow him, and be led by them, both to the Son and to the Father; and so come into the everlasting fellowship?

Answer: The spirit is to be known by those motions and operations which are proper to him; which flow alone from him, and from nothing else.

Question: What are they?

Answer: Convincing of sin, and reproving for sin; which nothing can truly discover and reprove, but the light of the spirit. Darkness cannot make manifest darkness, but whatsoever makes manifest is light. All the discoveries of darkness, in the hidden world of the heart, are from Christ the sun of righteousness, by his spirit, whatever name men may give it; who know not this sun, nor its light, nor the true names of things in the light; but have named even the things of God in the dark, and according to the dark apprehensions and conceptions of their own imaginary mind. But this I say to such, who are so ready to beat their brains and dispute, leave contending about names; come to the thing, come to that which reproves you in secret, follow the light that thus checks and draws; be diligent, be faithful, be obedient; you shall find this lead you to that, which all your knowledge out of this, (even all that which you call spiritual light), will never be able to lead you to.

When you are joined to this light, it will show you him whom you have pierced, (even though you had not yet seen him), and open a fresh vein of blood and grief in you, to bleed and mourn over him; and work that repentance in you, which you never were acquainted with before; and teach you that faith to which yet you are a stranger; and teach you that self-denial, which will reach to the very root of that nature which yet lives; even under that, and by means of that, which you call spiritual light; and will lay such a yoke on your neck, as the unrighteous one is not able to bear: yes, such an one as the hypocrite, (who is able to hide it under confessions of sin, and forms of zeal, knowledge, devotion, and worship), shall be daily tormented and wasted. Then you shall know what it is to wait upon God in the way of his judgments, and find the powers of life and death striving for your soul, and daily floods and storms encompassing and attending you, under which you will assuredly fall and perish, unless the everlasting arm of God's power is stretched out for you, and be continually redeeming you. Then you will feel and see how sin is pardoned, and how it is bound; how death broke in upon Adam, and how it daily breaks in upon mankind; and what that standard is, which the spirit of the Lord lifts up against the powers of darkness. Then you will come clearly to perceive, how what you have formerly called religion, (which did not flow from this principle), was only the invention of your own imaginary mind, (though you fathered it upon the Scriptures, as most men do most of their inventions about doctrine and worship), in which you have been in a dream of being changed, and yet still remain the same in nature: and have had a name that you have lived, but are still dead; a name of being sanctified, but still unclean; a name of being justified, but still condemned by the light in your own conscience; which is one with him who is your judge, and who will judge according to it: and so, as that which is real takes place in you, so that which has been but imaginary will pass away.

Isaac Penington

If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:22-23 If we believe Christ within, speaking to us to be Christ, then we obey him. And if we obey him, with diligent seeking, we can't loose. Wait, watch, listen, hear, obey... wait, watch, listen, hear, obey..... seek, listen, obey. He leads us to complete salvation; he leads our obedient selves to purification; he leads us to the Kingdom - because we acknowledge Him and obey the captain of our salvation. We only have to keep seeking his instruction and be obedient. He does the rest, including taking us to paradise, the Kingdom of Heaven with everlasting peace, joy, and love. The Father and Christ come in glory, to establish the glorified resurrected Christ in us; the home they make is a Kingdom. His return, the Kingdom, and the completion of salvation are simultaneous. Believe in the light, that you may be the children of light. John 12:36

And when you receive the light the persecution really intensifies, just as it did with George Fox; his temptations and opposition increased dramatically. Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Heb 10:32

George Fox's record advises us that when you are shown something sad about yourself by the Light, don't draw back; realize it is the Light showing you your condition, and He is doing this to help you be rid of it and to become a better person; and that Christ has died for you so that you need not panic. Don't think about all you will lose, and draw away, but remain to focus on the Light that shows you your condition. Stand before the Son of Man. And then, just when you don't expect it, strength will come; and whatever you have been shown, you will have strength to be different from then on. You may not see the Light. You may only see what the light is showing you. That is all you need. If you can't see the Light, just focus on the fact that the Light is showing you your condition. He told me, "If a vision or understanding makes you sad, look at the cross." This is what George Fox called the first step to peace; he also said this process, repentance in the Light, is "the cross."

This is how to kill (deaden, deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members: sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, and all greed and covetousness, for that is idolatry (the deifying of self and other created things instead of God).  Col 3:5.

As we grow through repentance, we get more light. Our darkness goes away and is replaced by light.

The Light explained, from William Penn's Introduction:

The light of Christ within, who is the light of the world, and so a light to you, that light tells you the truth of your condition, leads all that take heed unto it out of darkness into God's marvelous light; for light grows upon the obedient. It is sown for the righteous, and their way is a shining light that shines forth more and more to the perfect day.

For which reason, Oh friends, turn in, turn in, I beseech you! Where is the poison, there is the antidote: there you want Christ, and there you must find him; and blessed be God, there you may find him. 'Seek and you shall find,' I testify for God. But then you must seek aright, with your whole heart, as men that seek for their lives, yes, for their eternal lives: diligently, humbly, patiently, as those that can taste no pleasure, comfort, or satisfaction in anything else, unless you find him whom your souls want, and desire to know and love above all. Oh! It is a travail, a spiritual travail! Let the carnal profane world think and say as it will. And through this path you must walk to the city of God, which has eternal foundations, if ever you will come there.

Well! And what does this blessed light do for you? Why,

1. It sets all your sins in order before you. It detects the spirit of this world in all its baits and allurements, and shows how man came to fall from God, and the fallen estate he is in.

2. It creates a sense and sorrow, in such as believe in it, for this fearful lapse. You will then see him (Christ) distinctly whom you have pierced, and all the blows and wounds you have given him by your disobedience; and how you have made him to serve with your sins, and you will weep and mourn for it, and your sorrow will be a godly sorrow.

3. After this it will bring you to the holy watch, to take care that you do so no more, and that the enemy not surprise you again. Then thoughts, as well as words and works, will come to judgment, which is the way of holiness, in which the redeemed of the Lord do walk. Here you will come to love God above all, and your neighbors as yourselves. Nothing hurts, nothing harms, nothing makes afraid on this holy mountain. Now you come to be Christ's indeed, for you are his in nature and spirit, and not your own. And when you are thus Christ's, then Christ is yours, and not before. And here communion with the Father and with the son you will know, and the effectiveness of the blood of cleansing, even the blood of Jesus Christ, that immaculate Lamb; which speaks better things than the blood of Abel, and through the living faith cleanses from all sin; their consciences being sprinkled with his blood, ceasing from dead works to serve the living God.

William Penn

From George Fox's Journal

ALL Friends of the Lord everywhere, whose minds are turned in towards the Lord, take heed to the light within you, which is the light of Christ; which, as you love it, will call your minds inward, that are abroad in the things of this world; so your minds may be renewed by it, and turned to God in this which is pure, to worship the living God, the Lord of hosts, over all the things in the world. That which calls your minds out of the lusts of the world, will call them out of the affections and desires, and turn you to set your affections on heavenly things instead. The same that calls the mind out of the world, will give judgment upon the world's affections and lusts; the same calls out your minds from the world's teachers and the things, to have your minds renewed. There is your obedience known and found; there the image of God is renewed in you, and you come to grow up in it. That which calls your minds out of the earth, turns them towards God, where the pure babe is born of the virgin; and the babe's food is known, the children's bread, which comes from the living God, and nourishes up to eternal life; which babes and children receive their wisdom from above, from the pure living God, and not from the worldly men; for that heavenly wisdom is trampled under foot by such men. All who hate this light, whose minds are abroad in the things of the world, in the world, and in the image of the devil, get the words of the saints, (that received their wisdom from above), into their old nature and their corrupted minds. Such people are murderers of the just and enemies to the cross of Christ; in these people the prince of the air lodges, sons of perdition, betrayers of the just. Therefore take heed to that light, which is oppressed with the fleshly nature; which light, as it arises, shall condemn all that cursed nature, shall expel it, and shut it out of the house. So you will come to see the candle lit, and the house being swept and swept clean. Then afterward the pure pearl arises, and then the eternal God is exalted. The same light that calls in your minds out of the world, (that are abroad), the same turns them to God the Father of lights. Here in the pure mind is the pure God waited upon for wisdom from above; and the pure God is seen night and day, and the eternal peace, of which there is no end, enjoyed. People may have openings, and yet their minds go into the lusts of the flesh; but there the affections are not mortified. Therefore listen to that, take heed to that, which calls your minds out of the affections and lusts of the world to have them renewed. The same will turn your minds to God; the same light will set your affections above, and bring you to wait for the pure wisdom of God from on high, that it may be justified in you. Wait all in that (the Light) which calls your minds inward and turns them to God; here is the true cross. That mind shall feed upon nothing that is of the world, but be kept in the pure light up to God, to feed upon the living food which comes from the living God. The Lord God Almighty be with you all, dear babes, and keep you all in his strength and power to his glory, over all the world, you whose minds are called out of it, and turned to God, to worship the creator and serve him, and not the creature. The light of God which calls the mind out of the creatures, and turns it to himself, brings into a being of endless joy and peace. Here is always a seeing God present, which is not known to the world, whose hearts are in the creatures, whose knowledge is in the flesh, whose minds are not renewed. Therefore all Friends, the seed of God mind and dwell in, to reign over the unjust; and the power of the Lord dwell in, to keep you clear in your understandings, that the seed of God may reign in you all; the seed of God, which is but one in all, is Christ in the male and in the female, which the promise is to. 'Wait upon the Lord for the just to reign over the unjust, for the seed of God to reign over the seed of the serpent, and be the head; and that all that is mortal may die; for out of that will rise presumption. So fare you well, and God Almighty bless, guide, and keep you in his wisdom.'

George Fox

And another letter to Friends opening of their understandings in the way of truth, and directing them to the true teacher in themselves.

THE Lord shows a man his thoughts, and discovers all the secret things in man. And man may be brought to see his evil thoughts, running mind, and vain imaginations, and may strive to keep them down, and to keep his mind in; but cannot overcome them, nor keep his mind within to the Lord. In this state and condition submit to the spirit of the Lord that shows them, and that will bring to wait upon the Lord; and He that has discovered them will destroy them. Therefore stand in the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, (who is the author of the true faith), and mind him; for he will discover the root of lusts, evil thoughts, and vain imaginations; and how they are begotten, conceived, and bred; and then how they are brought forth, and how every evil member works. He will discover every principle from its own nature and root.

So mind the faith of Christ, and the anointing which is in you, to be taught by it, which will discover all workings in you. As he teaches you, so obey and repent; else you will not grow in the faith, or in the life of Christ, where the love of God is received. Now love creates love, its own nature and image: and when mercy and truth meet, what joy there is! Mercy triumphs over judgment; and love and mercy bear the judgment of the world in patience. That which cannot bear the world's judgment is not the love of God; for love bears all things, and is above the world's judgment; for the world's judgment is but foolishness. Though it be the world's judgment and practice to cast all the filthiness that is among themselves upon the saints, yet their judgment is false. The chaste virgins follow Christ the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world; but they that are of that spirit which is not chaste, will not follow Christ the Lamb in his steps, but are disobedient to him in his commands. The fleshly mind does mind the flesh, talks fleshly, and its knowledge is fleshly, and not spiritual; but savors of death, not of the spirit of life. Some men have the nature of swine wallowing in the mire. Some have the nature of dogs, to bite both the sheep and one another. Some have the nature of lions, to tear, devour, and destroy. Some the nature of wolves, to tear and devour the lambs and sheep of Christ: and some the nature of the serpent, (that old adversary), to sting, envenom, and poison. "He that has an ear to hear, let him hear," and learn these things within himself. Some men have the natures of other beasts and creatures, minding nothing but earthly and visible things, and feeding without the fear of God. Some have the nature of a horse, to prance and vapor in their strength, and to be swift in doing evil. Some have the nature of tall sturdy oaks, to flourish and spread in wisdom and strength, who are strong in evil, which must perish and come to the fire.

Thus the evil is but one in all, but works many ways; and whatsoever a man or woman's nature is addicted to that is outward, the evil one will suit him, and please his nature and appetite, to keep his mind in his inventions and in the creatures, from the creator. Oh! Therefore do not let the mind go from God; for if it does, it will be stained, venomed, and corrupted. If the mind goes forth from the Lord, it is hard to bring it in again: therefore take heed of the enemy, and keep in the faith of Christ. Oh! Therefore mind that which is eternal and invisible, and him who is the creator and mover of all things: for the things that are made, are not made of things that appear; for the visible covers the invisible sight in you. But as the Lord, who is invisible, does open you by his invisible power and spirit, and brings down the carnal mind in you; so the invisible and immortal things are brought to light in you. Oh! Therefore you that know the light, walk in the light! For there are children of darkness that will talk of the light, and of the truth, yet not walk in it; but the children of light love the light, and walk in the light. But the children of darkness walk in darkness, and hate the light. In them the earthly lusts and carnal mind choke the seed of faith, which brings oppression on the seed and death over themselves. Oh! Therefore mind the pure spirit of the everlasting God, which will teach you to use the creatures in their right place, and which judges the evil. To you, Oh God, be all glory and honor, who are Lord of all visibles and invisibles! To you be all praise, who brings out of the deep to yourself, Oh powerful God! Who is worthy of all glory! For the Lord who created all, and gives life and strength to all, is over all and merciful to all. So you, who have made all, and over all, to you be all glory! In you is my strength, refreshment, and life, my joy and my gladness, my rejoicing and glorying for evermore! To live and walk in the spirit of God is joy, peace, and life; but the mind going forth into the creatures, or into any visible things from the Lord, this brings death. When the mind goes into the flesh, and into death, the accuser gets within, and the law of sin and death gets into the flesh. Then the life suffers under the law of sin and death, and then there is straitness and failings. For then the good is shut up, and the self-righteousness is set atop. Then man works in the outward law; and he cannot justify himself by the law, but is condemned by the light: for he cannot get out of that state, except by abiding in the light, resting in the mercy of God, and believing in him from whom all mercy flows. For there is peace in resting in the Lord Jesus. This is the narrow way that leads to him, the life; but few will abide in it. Therefore keep in the innocence, and be obedient to the faith in him. Take heed of conforming to the world, and of reasoning with flesh and blood, for that brings disobedience; and then imaginations and questionings arise, to draw from obedience to the truth of Christ. But the obedience of faith destroys imaginations, questionings, and reasonings, with all the temptations in the flesh, buffetings, looking forth, and fetching up things that are past. But, not keeping in the life and light, not crossing the corrupt will by the power of God, the evil nature grows up in man; then burdens will come, and man will be stained with that nature. But Esau's mountain shall be laid waste, and become a wilderness, where the dragons lie; but Jacob, the second birth, shall be fruitful and shall arise. For Esau is hated, and must not be lord; but Jacob, the second birth, which is perfect and plain, shall be lord; for he is beloved of God.

George Fox

George Fox's Letter 265

All you who are believers in the light of Christ, which manifests darkness, you are kept by the power of God unto the day of salvation. So, though your salvation is not yet completed, yet you have your keeper, the power of God, who neither slumbers nor sleeps, and will keep you until that day. For those virgins, in the parable, they had their keeper, by which they were preserved in their virginity, which they were never accused of losing; for it is said, that "the cry was at midnight;" that is, the mid-time of darkness; for darkness is called night, and the voice of the bridegroom was at midnight, "Arise." Now those who had no oil in their lamps did not enter with the bridegroom, but those who had oil did. Now that which keeps is the power of God, and it preserves pure to him in the virginity, from that which would defile the virgin mind, and the virgin soul and spirit. For it is all from the same man of sin who defiles the mind, and the spirit, who leads them out to defile their bodies, and corrupt them; therefore all are to mind their keeper, the power of God, which was before the devil, the man of sin, was; by which power of God they have oil in their lamps, through which their lamps may always be burning in their temple, and such come to be the temple of God; for those who defile the temple, defile their souls and bodies, they let in the defiler and destroyer, and so their lamps go out, and they go from God and his power, the keeper, and such God will destroy. And so as many as are kept by the power of the Lord until the day of salvation, though the day of salvation is not yet completed, yet in the day of salvation the people of God are a willing people, even in this day of his power. And so they are to abide with their keeper, which is the power of God; for while they are in the night, and not in the day of salvation, nor day of power, though they may be in the wilderness of temptations and trouble, yet may feel the power, the keeper, to lead through all these things, out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, through the wilderness, through Jordan, the river of Judgment, and over the Canaanites; and therefore everyone's faith is to stand in the power of God, and believe in the power of God, that will bring to the day of God's power, and to the day of his salvation. For the outward Jew did not enter, because of unbelief; and so this great foul man of sin has defiled all mankind outwardly and inwardly. And therefore all are to have their faith to stand in the power of God, their keeper; for the defilement is in the night, by the power of darkness, and through it. Therefore let your faith stand in the power of God, your keeper, which will keep body, and soul, and spirit clean and blameless to the day of redemption, and day of salvation; and by the power of God such will have a dominion over the foul man of sin, the devil; for it is he in people who leads and tempts to outward defilement of their body, and so to lose their virginity; and it is he who draws their minds from God and Christ, and from God's ways, and his worship, and his truth, and his spirit, and his grace, and his faith that he works in people. Therefore if your faith stands in the power of God, all is preserved by it, body, soul, and spirit, in purity and a hidden mind, soul, and spirit, secret to the Lord, who is a spirit; and they are preserved by his power, their keeper. For, it is as the saying of some of the world, who are the most modest, that they will keep their outward virginity to the day of their death, or of their marriage; but such as before [spoken of ] who have no esteem of their bodies, no more than unruly beasts, give up their bodies to uncleanness, and themselves to work wickedness, and so forsake their keeper, the power of God, which should keep both inwardly and outwardly. And so all the inward virgin minds, and souls, and spirits, that are hidden to the Lord, they will die before they will lose their inward virginity, but will keep it to the marriage of the lamb, as the wise virgins did; by which power they are preserved over the man of sin, whom Christ their husband bruises the head of, and destroys him and his works.For Christ was before the man of sin was, (the devil, or his works either), who was glorified with the Father before the world began; and therefore all such virgins who have come to Christ, and are married to him, Christ your husband, he will deal with the foul man of sin, and bruise his head, and break his power and strength to pieces, and will take him and cast him into everlasting fire. And therefore keep your faith in the power of God, which will bring you to the marriage of the lamb; by which power of God, which was before the devil was, you have oil in your lamps, that your lamps may burn always; by which power of God you may come to the day of God's power, and all to be a willing people, to serve God, and walk in truth, and to obey him; and so by the same power of God, which is your keeper, you may come to the day of salvation; you may have the song of salvation, and joy of salvation, and comfort of salvation, and the possession of salvation, and be heirs of the same. And so here you have your keeper, that is, the power of God. And Peter's words answer to this, "You have a light which you do well to take heed to, that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the day star arises in you hearts;" signifying it is sufficient, which you must take heed to, it will lead you to the day dawning, the light that shines in the dark place of your hearts, in the dark place of your minds. Now you do well to take heed to this light, for it leads you to the day star, and day dawning. "Out of Egypt have I called my son," said the Lord; and Israel was called God's son, who was called out of the house of darkness and bondage; they had light in Goshen, when the children of Egypt were in darkness, and could not see one another. For now the children of light have light, and can see one another; the children of Egypt, Sodom, and Babylon cannot see one another. And so, they do well who take heed to the light, but they do ill who do not take heed to the light, for they walk in darkness, and do not know where they go, and stumble at noon day, the highest time of light; for this light leads to the day dawning, and day star arising in their hearts, which is a sure word of prophecy. A prophet is a seer, and so he will see with the light, that which manifests is light; by it you shall see the day dawning, and the day star arising, and when that arises, the sons of God sing together, because of the joyful day; and the saints sing, who have long been in the brambly, briary wilderness, and in the house of bondage, of darkness and trouble, and of sorrow and misery. Therefore, there is joy when the day star appears and the day dawn; there is great cause of joy for all the sons of God, when the day star appears, and for them to sing together; for long nights of trouble and travel have they been in. "The path of the just is a shining light," the path of the unjust is darkness. So there are two paths. Now the unjust cannot abide to hear talk of the light, but call it natural, and created and made, or conscience; they do not know what to call it, whose darkness cannot comprehend the light, though it shines in the darkness; and so, the path of the just being "a shining light, which shines more and more until the perfect day;" signifying that the day has come, in which the just has his path, and his path is a shining light; and so increases, shines more and more until the perfect day."Now the unjust being in darkness, they hate the light and love darkness rather than light; and they hate the just man's path, the light, because their deeds are evil; for the light will reprove them. So the just man's path is sufficient, a shining light; for it shines more and more, it increases, it is sufficient, and brings to the perfect day. Now the unjust, whose path is darkness, say, "It is not sufficient," but such cannot abide the light, cannot abide the just man's path, nor the just either, but hate both, and speak against him and his path, with his darkness, which cannot comprehend the light, though light shines in his darkness. And therefore if he cannot comprehend the light with his darkness, (how can he comprehend the prophets', and apostles', and Christ's words?) but calls light darkness, and darkness light, and calls it natural, or created, or made, or conscience; and so this comes to be fulfilled on them, as John said, who with their darkness could not comprehend the light, yet they would be talking of the saints' words, law and prophets, with their darkness, who could not comprehend the light. They would call light, darkness, Christ said, "If that light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness?" You neither know the scriptures nor the power of God.

How should they know the scriptures or the power of God either, whose darkness does not comprehend the light? A dark man, is a blind man. A blind man does not have true judgment. Therefore how should they call it otherwise, but a natural light, a created or made light? So the Pharisees believed that Christ was to come, and preached him to come; as the Protestants and Papists preach him, that he has come and to come; and can tell by scripture where he was crucified, as the Jews could tell by scripture where he was to be born. But they were all against Christ, the light. When he came, they said, "Christ had a demon." The Pharisees said of him, who was light, that he was the prince of demons; who was the light, and the truth, and the life; and that he was the carpenter's son. So without the light they could not see him, nor his works, with their darkness; neither can they now, neither can they know the scriptures nor the power of God, whose darkness cannot comprehend the light. And John was a man sent from God, the greatest prophet born of a woman, who came for a witness, to bear witness of the true light, which lights every man that comes into the world, that all through him might believe; and it is said, in Christ was light; and this light was the life of men. And so the life that is in Christ, is the light of men. So this is a heavenly light, a divine light, a spiritual light, a saving light; which is the life of Christ, which is the light of men; though the professors in Christ's time, and these times, Papists and Protestants, with their darkness, cannot comprehend the light, and so cannot comprehend the life; so are no true preachers of Christ without the light and life. John said, he was not the light, but was sent to bear witness of the, light. That he was not worthy to unloose the latchet of Christ's shoes. And yet John, who had seen Christ, the lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, pointed his disciples to him, and showed them Christ; and they forsook him and went to Christ. For John came as a witness, to bear witness of Him who was the true light; and that he who was to come after him, was preferred before him, for he was before him. Yet when John was cast into prison, he questioned whether Christ was He, or whether he should look for another; and sent to Christ. And Christ answers his messengers, and said to them,the blind receive their sight, and the poor receive the gospel, etc. And as for these Papists, and Protestants, and Jews, they question whether Christ, the light that lights every man that comes into the world, whether he is the spiritual, divine, saving, and heavenly light. And further, mark Christ's own words. John 12:46. "He said, he is the light of the world, that teaches you how to believe; to wit, all his disciples, as Christ has taught them, who said, believe in the light. Now, believing in the light, you believe in that which manifests all things; for that which makes manifest is the light; and therefore to believe in the light, is to believe in that which makes manifest Christ to be their way, their teacher, priest, mediator, interceder, savior, and redeemer. And he that believes in the light, believes in that which makes manifest all false ways, and false religions, and false worship, and false teachers, and antichrists. For those who believe in the light, it manifests all true ways, and true religions. And so, they are not true believers, neither Protestants, nor Papists, who only believe Christ has come, from scripture, as the Jews believed Christ was to come, from scripture. But, I say, they are not true believers, unless they also believe in the light as Christ the heavenly man teaches. For the Jews, may teach their people to believe from the scripture, the Papists and Protestants may teach their children to believe from the same; but, not believing in the light, they are not true believers, as Christ has taught; for Christ, who is the savior, he teaches people how to believe, and said, believe in the light. Which makes it plain, that they are not true believers who do not believe in the light, neither Jews, nor those who have gotten the name of christians; for [only by] believing in the light, do they become children of the light. And so it is plain, none are children of light except those who believe in the light, nor children of the day.For children of darkness may profess scriptures, the devil may bring scriptures, and Protestant, and Turk, and Papist, and Jew may bring scriptures, with a dark spirit, and hold them in the unjustness; but there is no true believer in God, nor in Christ Jesus, but he who believes in the light, which the scripture testifies of; showing there is no salvation, redemption, justification, sanctification, but to those who believe in the light, that manifests all things, nor seeing Christ, who died, and is risen for them. And therefore the heavenly man, the second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, teaches how to believe, and said, "believe in the light, while you have it;" and this light will manifest him to be their way, their truth, and life; which light comes from him who enlightens every man that comes into the world, that all through the light might believe. And so those who do not believe in the light, as Christ has taught, are not true ministers, nor true messengers, nor true disciples, nor true christians, nor true preachers of Christ Jesus, who do not believe, as he has taught them; but are those who lay aside Christ's teaching, and teach one another to deny the way that Christ has taught to believe in, are keep people in darkness, out of the light, and call it natural, created, and made, and conscience, and so with their darkness and blindness give the light such names, who with their darkness cannot comprehend it. For he who believes in the light, it lets him see the scriptures, the prophets, Christ and the apostles' words, and by it they distinguish the true prophets' words from the false, the holy men's words from the unholy, the sanctified from those who are not sanctified, Christ's words from antichrist's, the true apostles' words from the false. So Christ the light teaches his people to believe in that which manifests all things; and those who believe in the light have the witness of Christ in themselves, in whom they believe. They have the witness in themselves, that he is their redeemer, and savior, and their way, their truth, and their life; for with the light they see him, they believing in the light that makes manifest; and after they believe in the light, they become children of the light; they witness themselves, that they are sealed, for their belief in the light stands in Christ the light, who has bought and purchased them; and after they are sealed by the spirit of promise, having God's mark or stamp set upon them, they can set to their seal, that God is true in all his promises, in all his prophets concerning Christ Jesus; who taught them to believe in the light. With the light they see, and come to know the "three that bear record in heaven", and the "three that bear witness on earth, the spirit the water, and the blood." First, the spirit that bears witness in the earth, which mortifies them, which circumcises them, which leads them into all truth; in which spirit is their fellowship, and a bond of peace, which keeps down that which troubles them; by which spirit the believers are baptized into one body; brought out of the many bodies; and so by the spirit they are brought to the one head, who is Christ Jesus, (though there are many heads in the world),by which spirit they are sanctified, by which spirit they are instructed, by which spirit they worship God, by which spirit they are covered, by which spirit they pray, and by which spirit they sing praises to God who is a spirit, by which spirit they have an understanding, the spirit of wisdom and knowledge, which is to know God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent, which is life eternal. Secondly, They come to know the water which is a witness in the earth; by which they are washed, their minds, their souls, their spirits, and in their bodies, with this pure water. And this is a witness in the earth with the light; to those who believe in it, it manifests these two witnesses in the earth, and with the light they see the pope's counterfeit holy water, which he has set up since the apostles' days, who with the light bear witness against it, not to be God's witness, nor of God's setting up. And so the children of the light, who believe in the light, their bodies, their souls, their spirits, and their minds are washed clean in this pure, clean, holy water; that comes from above, from the pure holy God, which is one of these witnesses in the earth. The third witness is his blood, with which the hearts of people are sprinkled, and their consciences are sprinkled with the blood of Jesus. As Moses sprinkled the outside of the posts, etc. with the blood of bulls and goats; which blood of bulls and goats, Christ's blood ends, which sprinkles the heart and conscience of people. So this blood of Jesus Christ, the heavenly man, is felt in the hearts and consciences of people; by which blood they are sanctified, they are cleansed from all their dead works, to serve the living God, and to serve their dead works no longer. So by this blood they are cleansed from all sin. Those who walk in the light, and believe in the light, they are children of the light, and children of the day; and the blood of Jesus Christ, the son of God, cleanses them from all sin; and their garments are made white in the blood of the Lamb; by which they come to testify of Jesus; they overcome the beast, the whore, the false church. And so every true believer, believes as Christ has taught them, to believe in the light, that so they may become children of the light. They have these three witnesses that bear witness in the earth, to bear witness in themselves; and they can set to their seal, that God is true in all his works, in prophets and apostles, and his son; and they shall come to know, and do come to know, the three that bear record in heaven, and the three that bear record in the earth.

George Fox

The light shines in darkness, showing us our heart's motives. We walk in the Light. The Light checks us before we do something wrong. Eventually we become Sons of Light. We become Light. The brightness of his coming (at his return) destroys the last of our darkness, the residual spirit of Satan. The day star arises in our hearts.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Gal 5:2

So what is the difference in the Light and Word compared to the Spirit?

The Light and Word, Christ, has been in all men in the Old and the New Testaments. The Spirit of God was poured out on all men at Pentecost. There is an additional gift of the Spirit, (confused as the Baptism of the Spirit) interim to the one baptism of the Spirit into the death of Christ.

We benefit from the Light within and the Spirit that has been poured out onto all mankind. For our purposes, we can simply consider the Spirit, Word, and Light as one.

The return of Christ to an individual is Christ in his glory with the Father to establish their Kingdom in your hearts. This is to be translated into paradise, while still residing on the earth - stepping into another dimension of sight, awareness, and consciousness. Being sanctified, separated, protected. You step into another dimension, and walk by the Light of God, not the sun or the moon. To become a child of the Light.

And expect to be prominently displayed by your Lord, for as he said: No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. Luke 8:16

The unperfected, blind guides of Christendom know nothing about the light. Neither can they accept the scripture that shows Christ, the light, is in every man who comes into the world, John 1:9; given to every man so that he might believe, John 1:7; nor can they accept the following three other scriptures that show the same:

• But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to benefit all. 1 Cor 12:7
• And it shall come to pass in the last days, said God, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all men. Acts 2:14-18
• The grace of God, which brings salvation, has appeared to all men. Tit 2:11(Grace appears to all, but each man must choose to respond to the grace to receive salvation.)

They insist on disbelief of the above scriptures applying to every man. Why? Because if Christ is in every man, then there is no difference between sinners in their sect and sinners outside their sect; they lose their imagined distinction of Christ only being in their believers; which is a necessary imagined distinction to deny the true gospel of being freed from sin and made pure by the grace of God. If every man in the world has the light, and if every man in the world has been given the spirit, then what do the sects have to offer? Nothing except lies! They are only a form of godliness without the power to change a man to become godly, pure, holy, clean, and perfect, while on earth. The sects do not understand how God purifies men, and think purity on the earth is impossible: Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. Dan 12:10. Christendom's lie that one must invite Jesus into their heart, and doing so results in salvation, shows their ignorance of even the basic understanding of God. Heed their blindness and total ignorance; consider that the rest of their teachings are also wrong, because they are. They offer death, no salvation, no heaven, no eternal life in God! From the Word of the Lord within: "the Christian medium itself is conformable to death." But if we believe in the light, what the light shows us to be true, we can become children of the light. John 12:36

Trying to save face, the ministers of Christendom deny the light being Christ in every man; some calling it a natural light, others denying it is in every man and claiming the light is a metaphor for an external light of knowledge to all; not the Spirit of Jesus in every man:

Yet the Bible makes a clear distinction between the natural light of the sun and moon, and the light of God or Christ:

• I saw no temple in the city. For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city had no need of the sun nor of the moon to shine in it; for the glory of God illuminates it, and the Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in the light of it; Rev 21:22-24. 
• The sun shall no more be your light by day; nor shall the moon give light to you for brightness; but the LORD will be an everlasting light to you, and your God will be your glory. Isa 60:19. 
• Yes, the darkness does not hide from you, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to you. Psa 139:12

And David speaks of those who have seen natural light, but will never see the light of life, Christ, whom is the life, and in whom is life, the light of men.

• He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see the light of life. Psa 49:16-19
• For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Psa 36:9

Those who claim the light cannot be in a man, deny the scriptures that tell us of increased light results in a finished disciple:

• Is not this the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with hungry, and bring to your house the poor who are cast out? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you hide not yourself from your own flesh? Is it not to share your bread with hungry, and bring to your house the poor who are cast out? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you hide not yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and your health shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, And if you extend your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall rise in darkness, and your darkness will be like the noon day. Isaiah 58:5-10 
• For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. Eph 5:8 
• But remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened you endured a great fight of afflictions; Heb 10:32 
• He who loves his brother abides [lives] in the light, and there is no occasion to stumble. 1 John 2:10 
• The light of the body is the eye . Therefore when your eye is sound, your whole body also is full of light; but when your eye is evil, your body is full of darkness. Luke 11:34 
• The morning star [Jesus] rises in your hearts. 2 Pet 1:19 
• Through the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dayspring [the morning star, Jesus Christ] from on high will break upon us, To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:78-79 
• Every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither is there a shadow cast with his turning. James 1:17 
• You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Mat 5:14 
• Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Mat 5:16 
• The light of the body is the eye [spiritual eye, the eye of the heart]. If therefore your eye is single [clear without specs], your whole body will be full of light. Mat 6:22 
• Be careful, therefore, that the light which is in you is not darkness. Luke 11:35 
• If your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be completely illumined as when a lamp illumines you with its rays. Luke 11:36 
• Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, Psa 13:3 
• You will cause my lamp to be lit; the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. Psa 18:8 
• For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Psa 36:9 
• To the righteous, light arises in the darkness of his heart; he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. Psa 112:4 
• Is there any number to His armies? And upon whom does not His light arise? Job 25:3 
• The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. Pro 13:9 

And the scriptures that speak of light being taken away from unrighteous, those who sin, the wicked:

• For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. Pro 24:20 
• Yes, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. 
• The light shall be dark in his tabernacle [body], and his candle shall be put out with him. Job 18:5-6
• How often is the candle of the wicked put out? How often does their destruction come upon them? That God distributes sorrows in his anger? Job 21:17
• And from the wicked their light is withheld, and their upraised arm shall be broken. Job 38:15
• The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. Pro 13:9

To deny the light is to deny Christ:

• All things were made by him; and there was nothing made without him. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. John 1:3-4 
• I am the light of the world [every man] and he who follows [obeys] me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life. John 8:12
• I have come as a light into the world [every man], so that whoever believes [depends on, trusts, obeys] in me should not abide in darkness. John 12:46
• The light of the body is the eye [spiritual eye, the eye of the heart]. Therefore when your eye is sound [clear without beams or specs], your whole body also is full of light; but when your eye is evil, your body is full of darkness. Luke 11:34 

To deny the light, denies how the truly saved walk in the kingdom:

• I saw no temple in the city. For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city had no need of the sun nor of the moon to shine in it; for the glory of God illuminates it, and the Lamb is its light. And the nations shall walk by the light of it. Rev 21:22-24

To deny the light, denies the prophecies of the God's covenant, and denies the means to salvation:

• I the LORD have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand; I will keep you and give you for a covenant to the people, for a light to the Gentiles. Isa 42:6
• It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation to the ends of the earth. Isa 49:6
• And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Isaiah 60:3
• That the Christ would suffer, and that he would be the first who would rise from the dead and proclaim light to the [Jewish] people, and to the Gentiles. Acts 26:23 
• A light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel. Luke 2:32
• The Dayspring [the morning star, Jesus Christ] from on high has visited us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:78-79

To deny the light is to deny God:

• God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5
• Every good gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither is there a shadow cast with his turning. James 1:17

To deny the light is to deny any knowledge at all of the true gospel:

• The god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine in them. 2 Cor 4:4
• But it is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:10
• Jesus said to Paul: I now send you to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, release from sin's slavery, and an inheritance among those who are sanctified and purified by faith in me. Acts 26:17-18

To deny the light is to deny what reproves [charges with sin] very man :

• all things that are reproved [sins] are made manifest [revealed] by the light. Eph 5:13
• For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest [revealed by light]; neither is anything hidden that shall not be known and come out in the open. Luke 8:17
• And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world [every man], but men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil deeds [sins] hates the light [so hates Christ, who is the light] and does not come to the light for fear his deeds will be exposed and reproved. But he who practices truth comes to the light, so that his deeds may be shown to have been produced [effected, formed, prompted, energized] through God. John 3:19-20
• He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. 1 Cor 4:5
• You have set our iniquities before you, and our secret sins in the light of your countenance. Psa 90:8
• Beware the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
• Whatever you have spoken in darkness will be heard in the light, and that which you have whispered in the ear behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops. Luke 12:1-3
• About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the pricks of your conscience, And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said, 'I am Jesus whom you persecute.' Acts 26:13-15

To deny the light is to deny the spiritual fellowship with the Father and Son, with one another, and the cleansing of all sin:

• But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7
• That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, so that you may also have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3

To deny the light is to deny the inheritance of the saints:

• Giving thanks to the Father, who has made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Col 1:12
• To deny the light is to deny the hope of becoming a child of the light, which is a son of God, for God is light and the Father of lights: While you have light, believe in [depend on, trust and obey] the light, that you may become the children of light." Jesus spoke these thing and then departed to hide himself from them. John 12:36
• For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. Eph 5:8
• You are all the children of light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 1 Thes 5:5
• And his lord commended the dishonest manager because he had dealt shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the children of light. Luke 16:8

To deny the light is to deny to where we are called:

• But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; so that you may show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Pet 2:9

To deny the light is to deny where Christ dwells:

• the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in the light that no [unregenerated] man can approach; whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen. 1 Timothy 6:15-16

To deny the light is to be in denial of being lost in spiritual darkness:

• He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no occasion to stumble.  But he who hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because that darkness has blinded his eyes.1 John 2:10-11
• Then Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walks in the day, he does not stumble because he sees the by light of this world. But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles because there is no light in him." John 11:9-10 
• Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overcome you, because he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. John 12:35
• Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God. Isa 50:10
• The light of the body is the eye [the spiritual eye, the eye of the heart]. Therefore when your eye is sound [clear without beams or specks], your whole body also is full of light; but when your eye is evil, your body is full of darkness. Be careful, therefore, that the light which is in you is not darkness. If your whole body therefore is full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light. Luke 11:34-36

To deny the light, is to deny 100 + scriptures in the Bible that speak of a spiritual, supernatural light. From the Word of the Lord within: "I work with the blind; but if you think you can see, and you are not with me in heaven, I will make you a laughingstock." "The world cannot see, and they are literally stumbling." "To charge the light or slam the light is forbidden; to deny the light is sufficient."

If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light of the morning in them. Isa 8:20 

I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright morning star. Rev 22:16 

You might be thinking: "I don't know anything about this light, but I know God; I read the Bible every day."

But the Bible says God is only known by revelation:

no man knows the Son but the Father, neither does any man know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal him. Mat 11:27, Luke 10:22

what may be known of God is revealed in them; for God has shown it to them. Rom 1:19

From the Word of the Lord within: "Do you know him or just pretend to know him; to know him is to have met him and listened to him."

God and Jesus are only known by revelation in your heart: Christ, the word within, who is the grace of God, and who explains the ways of God;

and finally by Christ, the light of the word, who shows you the glory of God in the face of Jesus. 

Even faith must be authored by Christ, and this must occur by revelation from Christ: But after that when faith has come, 3:25, as faith should afterwards be revealed. Gal 3:23

Do not confuse the light of Christ with the light claimed by Eastern religion's gurus, some who can pass on their light to you just by being in their presence. Their light requires no obedience, never convicts, never cleanses, never purifies, never unites with God, never teaches about Christ, never teaches about righteousness, never judges you, and never brings salvation with the eternal life of God. Their light is a pleasure trip of Satanic origin.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. Eph 5:8-9 

There has been a great deal of historical controversy on the Light Christ within each man vs. Christ in his heavenly body, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power, vs. the contribution of Christ the earthly Son of Man. So there is no misunderstanding, a short enumeration of Christ, the Son of Man's contributions includes:

• By his sufferings, one offering, sacrifice and death, put an end to all the legal offerings, types, shadows, and figures, outward ordinances [tithes], rites and ceremonies, and many washings [baptisms], under the Law of Moses and Levitical Priesthood, he continues a Priest forever, after the order of Melchizedeck, King of Righteousness and King of peace, our High Priest over the house and family of God; he having consecrated, prepared and opened the new and living way of the new covenant, through the veil of his flesh, for our access into the most holy sanctuary. (From G. Whitehead's Letter)
• His sacrifice paid for the sins of all mankind, giving each of us the opportunity to receive the power of his changing grace to cleanse and perfect us forever - to be set us free from the captivity and bondage of sin. Before Christ, perfection was not permanent; as David lost his perfection and had to regain it. (But until all sin is removed from your heart, until you are purified; you cannot be in the company of God- for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 2 Cor 6:14. ) 
• He made it possible so man could live in union with Him while on earth but in  the Kingdom of Heaven. Union was not possible before Christ, only a temporary salvation and enlightenment.
• He refined godliness to love your enemies, forbidding anger, looking at a woman with lust is committing adultery in your heart, be perfect, lose your life to save it, turn the other cheek, etc.
• He made it possible for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on all mankind - which occurred at Pentecost.
• He gave us the earthly example of God.
• He lived a perfect life, showing his loving obedience to the commands of God, even to death on the cross. (We are to follow in his footsteps, suffering, to the death of our selfish natures on the spiritual cross of self-denial.) 
• And all the heroes of the Old Testament did not receive the promise until Christ came, and until his first followers entered the Kingdom of Heaven and the Union.

And just in case there is someone out there wondering why Jesus is necessary, when considering the recorded salvation of the Old Testament prophets; Jesus made at least four things possible that the prophets could not attain: 1) a permanent perfection, a higher perfection, beyond Adam, the forever perfection of Christ himself as you enter 2) the union with Christ and the Father, to sit down in Christ in the 3) rest, to cease from your own thoughts, words, and deeds, to rest from battling with one's enemies of sin, and 4) to live in the Kingdom of Heaven, as a king and priest forever.

So that the world may know that I love the Father, I only do exactly as the Father has instructed me to do. John 14:31

http://www.hallvworthington.com/whylight.html