"God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5) "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
Sin is therefore the absence of glory; it is darkness. Thus we see that the glory of God is His righteousness. He is righteousness; that is His being. But He is light. The glory that shines from Him is the shining out of His character. He is light, and the light that shines from Him is the light of His life. "[Christ] is the image of the invisible God," (Colossians 1:15)
He is the brightness, the effulgence, the shining forth of His glory.
"Who being the brightness [RV: "effulgence"] of His glory, and the express image of His person." (Hebrews 1:3) "The Lord God is a sun and shield." (Psalm 84:11)
Christ is the shining of God's glory, which is His righteousness, so that He is "the Sun of righteousness." (Malachi 4:2)
Jesus said, "I am the light of the world; he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:13)
After stating at one time that He is the light of the world, He showed the reality of it by giving sight to a man born blind. (John 9) Jesus is the light of the world, by which men see to go about. The Lord is upright: "He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him." (Psalm 92:15)
Thus it is that He is the Sun of righteousness, for He is the light of the world. The light, therefore, which shines upon this earth is the righteousness of God in Christ. "The heavens declare the glory of God." (Psalm 19:1)
He has set His glory upon the heavens. (Psalm 8:1,RV) The sun but transmits to us the light that emanates from "the eternal Father." (Isaiah 9:6,RV)
But that light is God's own character, His own personality. Therefore the sun brings to us the righteousness of God. The true light is that which "lights every man that comes into the world." (John 1:9)
The sun lights and warms the whole earth. "His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it; and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." (Psalm 19:6-8)
Thus we see that the law of God, the living righteousness of God, has been and is given to every man on earth. "The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men." (Titus 2:11)
What then shall we do? Take the light as God's own gift, His own life, and rejoice in it. "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7) "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:6)
Acknowledge God in the light, which shines constantly, and God will make you righteous. He will shine righteousness into your hearts. Oh, what a glorious thing light is! "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift." (2 Corinthians 9:15)--Present Truth, July 7, 1898.