>To understand the Light you must also understand Darkness.
I really do not have an answer. But these are all in me.
But we are already immersed in Darkness! Do we really need to seek out Darkness, or is the Darkness of this world enough to provide that stark contrast? (Eph 6:12 pic) Related Bible quotes: Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. Romans 12:1-21. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour - 1 Peter 5:8. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil - Proverbs 3:7
Some other would say, to understand Light, one must immerse himself in moar and moar Light! Meditate, experience the Light, accept the gift of the Spirit. The new age would say raise the vibration. (Personal testimony: When one does this, the experience is so powerful and compelling that nothing of this earth comes close; Darkness holds no attraction, and Light is all. Pic 2 Drink up! water from the Throne of the Lamb)
The zen people would say, don't make two. [This means, don't mentally adopt divisions and categories.] Don't make dark, don't make light. Just go straight, "Don't know". Just do it 100%. [Make a "revolution" in your own mind, become clear by making unity within your mind. And do whatever you are doing 100% with full attention "Be there now".]
Contradictions? Or all saying the same thing in different ways?
Word fall short. The Bible had to use earthly language (it's all we have) to describe spiritual matters. To understand the spiritual matters we read the Bible's language as metaphor and imagery (word paintings) and typology. Bible literalists and Jewish "Torah is a history book" don't get this.
BTW. Many Christians quote scripture to assert that only those who accept Jesus as their savior are saved. (Exclusivity - think Billy Graham Crusade style).
I have a problem with that. I do not believe that. I do NOT believe people are automatically condemned if they do not follow the evangelical pattern of salvation. How do they reconcile Romans 2:12-16?
For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them
on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. (Romans 2:12-16)
Paul wrote in grammatically complex, scholarly, difficult-to-parse Greek. The many Bible translations have a lot of trouble rendering his words. Paul's language is among the most obstruse in the entire Bible and scholars debate meanings.
What Romans 2:12-15 means to me is that there are those (gentiles, in a broad sense meaning people who don't know or don't accept the Law of Moses), who nevertheless have God's Law written on their hearts. "Written on their hearts" means they ACT in accord with God's laws, i.e. love their neighbor, don't murder, don't steal, etc.
The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him.
And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.
(Acts 13:44-46)
The "church" (meaning the people who identify as followers of Christ, I'm not talking about specific denominations) – and the OT "chosen people" who HAD the law and did not obey it and rejected the messiah when they were offered a chance to turn away from pharisee legalism) will be judged first:
For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Pet 4) [notice Peter does not say what will happen to those who don't obey the gospel, it's a socratic question!]
Some refer to that as the firstfruits judgment. There is another later judgment, and some who did not have the "law" will be found to have the law written on their hearts even though they did not "identify as followers of Christ".
This is the primary reason why I do not condemn those who do not accept Christ as their savior at this time.
Jesus also said I have flocks you know not of. Which means expand our thinking. It means there were/are/will be people(s) somewhere, of whom we are unaware, who in their own way are doing what the law requires, whether or not they know Jesus.
So this sort of refutes the evangelical idea that the gospel has to be preached to all nations before the end.
So I hope nobody thinks I am trying to persuade anyone of anything. Just saying how I see it, and acknowledging that I'm not a teacher and could be wrong. Think for yourself. Are there different paths that get to the same place? Or strait is the gate and narrow the way, and few there be who find it?