Christians do not fear the darkness. They confront it because Christ already reigns.
When the Son rose from the grave, He claimed what was always His. The resurrection was not only victory over death but the coronation of the world’s true King. From His throne at the right hand of the Father, Christ rules the nations by His Word and Spirit until all His enemies are placed beneath His feet.
“The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet’” (Psalm 110:1).
There is no neutral ground. Every day, every season, every home exists under His authority. The Reformers taught that Christ’s redemption extends to all creation, reclaiming what sin had marred. Calvin called the world “the theater of God’s glory,” where every act of obedience and every holy celebration shines as a testimony to the King who reigns.
Every inch of creation, every moment of history, and every corner of the calendar belongs to Christ. There is no night so dark that His light does not shine through.
“The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains” (Psalm 24:1).
The believer does not withdraw from the world in fear. He walks into it with light. Evil is overcome by truth, righteousness, and faithfulness. When parents teach their children to rejoice in what is good and to laugh at evil without partaking in it, they declare that Christ has conquered. Every hymn sung, every table blessed, and every act of joy under His law is a victory over the darkness.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).
The calling of the Church is not to retreat from corrupted days, but to reclaim them through holiness. The same Christ who made all things good is renewing all things through His people. Every corner of life is being brought under His order and blessing.
Semper Reformanda
Objection: “Believers should separate completely from the culture of this world.”
Response: Separation from sin is required, but separation from creation denies redemption itself. God’s covenant with Noah established the world as the stage for grace. Christ sends His people into the world, not to imitate it, but to bring truth and blessing to it. The saints are the light of the world and cannot hide what God has lit.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14).
Objection: “Christians should not claim days that were once pagan.”
Response: The Lord redeems what the world profanes. The early Church gathered on the first day because Christ’s resurrection renewed time. Every feast or day of joy becomes holy when it is kept in thanksgiving and truth. To sanctify time under Christ’s rule is to declare His dominion over all creation.
“For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations” (Psalm 22:28).
Objection: “We must wait for Christ’s return before His kingdom comes.”
Response: Christ’s kingdom is present and active through His reign in heaven and His work on earth. The Spirit applies His victory, subduing hearts and nations through the gospel. The Reformers understood this as the kingdom of grace advancing until it becomes the kingdom of glory. The Church lives and labors in that victory now.
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).
Truth That Withstands
Christ reigns now, and His kingdom is increasing. Creation groans for redemption, and the saints serve as instruments of its renewal. Evil cannot overcome holiness, and darkness cannot resist light. Every home ruled in faith, every table blessed in thanksgiving, and every heart devoted to obedience declares the triumph of Christ. The world is His, the victory is His, and the glory is His forever.
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