Matthew 6:22-23 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

This scripture has really been on my heart for awhile now. I have developed an in-depth study based off this scripture. At first it seems simple, ok if I look at clean things then I’m clean but if I look at bad stuff then Im going to be filled with darkness. So say I look at a pornography then I am allowing darkness into my spirit by allowing it in through my eyes. When you study this deeper and study the original text you find a much more serious issue. The original text describes your eye being clear in vs22 as having a single minded vision or a single focus. I.E. having a single minded focus on the Lord and not allowing your vision to be distorted or diluted with darkness. Focus only on the things of the Lord Colossians 3 tells us to set our mind on the things above not on the things that are on earth.
Then study of vs23 when it says “if the light that is in you is darkeness”, reveals that its not what we see it is how we see things. This is the real issue that trips alot of people up. So if the way you see things makes you think you are right with God but it really is seperating you from God then how great is your darkness. So if for what ever reason, be it religion, personal view points, what your family has always done, political, or what ever reason you live in a manner that is not in the will of God but you believe you are in his will, then scripture says your darkness is even darker. We see a good example of this with the Apostle Paul. In his early days he was a high ranking officer set on destroying the Christians. He was there when they stoned Stephen, scripture says that day sparked great persecution of the followers of Christ(Acts 8:1). He went to high priest of the time to get letters of approval to go to near by cities to round up the Christians. He didn’t go to leaders of the army he went to the religious leaders because in his eyes or the way he saw it was, he was doing a good thing by killing, arresting, beating, the Christians. He saw it as what he needed to do to be right with God. So based on his relgious background he saw things a certain way and he thought it was good but in reality it was darkness. This is exactly what the scripture is talking about when it says “If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” It wasn’t until Paul who at the time was named Saul had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ that he saw things in a different view. This encounter on the road to Damascus transformed him in to a follower of Christ. It was the personal encounter not his religious views that allowed him to grow in Christ and eventually mature in the Apostle Paul who we credit with writing a large portion of the New Testement. After he saw things the way Christ would have him see things then he was able to become a great man of God.

So I ask you to examine how you see things. Is there anything that you feel is right that does not line up with the Word of God. Or maybe the way you see it you dont need a personal relationship with the Lord and Savior. I say to you dont live in darkness thinking you live in the light. I challenge you to base your views on the Word of God John 8:31 says “if you continue in my word then you are truly disciples of mine 32 and then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” It is the word that allows you to know Him and then he can set you free.

If you have been looking at Christ through a different view or you have never had a personal encounter with Christ I ask you to let him transform you now. Repeat this prayer……Jesus…I know I’m a sinner….Please forgive me of my sins…. I believe you died for my sins and that you arose from the grave…. I believe you are alive and you know everything about me…. So I ask you to come into my life…I give my life to you the best way that I know how….I accept you as my Lord and Savior….I thank you for choosing me. In the mighty name of Jesus….AMEN