What happens if you follow Jesus? You shall not walk in darkness and shall have the light of life.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12
What Does It Mean To Follow Jesus?
In this context Jesus is the light. A light shows the way, it helps you navigate the through the darkness. We are to follow Jesus. It does mean to follow in the traditional sense of walking behind someone who is leading but it can also mean…
- To be in the same way with
- Walking the same road
What Does Walk Mean?
- to live
- to regulate one’s life
- to conduct one’s self
- to pass one’s life
- be occupied with
What Is Walking In Darkness?
- The darkness due to want of light
- Ignorance of divine things
- Associated wickedness
What Is The Light of Life?
Light:
- To shine or make manifest
- Of truth and its knowledge
- That which is exposed to the view of all
Of Life:
- The absolute fulness of life
- Life real and genuine
- A life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed
Is Abiding in Jesus the Same as Following Him?
Abiding in Jesus’s impact is not the same as simply following Him. While following Jesus may involve outward actions, abiding in Him goes deeper, involving a close, intimate relationship. Abiding in Jesus’s impact means remaining in His love, walking in His ways, and allowing His teachings to dwell in our hearts.
Similar Verses:
“What Happens if You Follow Jesus?” from John 8:12 offer a rich interpretation of walking in the light of Christ and avoiding the darkness of ignorance and wickedness. Let’s explore other Bible verses that align with these meanings:
To Be in the Same Way With / Walking the Same Road:
- 1 John 2:6: “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” This verse aligns with the idea of following Jesus by living as He did, walking the same path of righteousness He walked.
To Live / To Regulate One’s Life / To Conduct One’s Self / To Pass One’s Life / Be Occupied With:
- Galatians 2:20: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” This speaks to living a life in faith, regulated by the teachings and example of Christ.
What Is Walking In Darkness? (Ignorance of Divine Things, Associated Wickedness):
- Ephesians 5:8: “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.” This verse contrasts the former state of ignorance and wickedness with the enlightened state of living in the truth of Christ.
What Is The Light of Life? (To Shine or Make Manifest, Of Truth and Its Knowledge, That Which Is Exposed to the View of All):
- 2 Corinthians 4:6: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” This verse speaks to the illuminating power of Christ in revealing divine truth and knowledge.
Of Life (The Absolute Fulness of Life, Life Real and Genuine, A Life Active and Vigorous, Devoted to God, Blessed):
- John 10:10: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Jesus speaks of offering a full, genuine, and blessed life devoted to God.
Each of these verses contributes to understanding what it means to follow Jesus in the context of being in His way, living a life illuminated by His truth, and experiencing the fullness of life He offers.