John 1:4-5, 3:18-20, 8:12, 12:35-36 & 45-46 In Him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.”Would you & I be content to simply know our sins are forgiven, or do we want more than that? Don’t we want to know that God is with us and that we are with God? Don’t we desire to give glorify, honor & praise to our heavenly Father. Do we understand the holy character of God, recognize how seriously God takes making the distinction between holy and profane, and discern what the Lord wishes in His children? Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Yes, separated and set apart from darkness, walking in the light of truth. 1Peter 1:14-16 “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Luke 11:34-35 Jesus said, “The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.” God’s first recorded act, after creating the heavens and the earth, was to separate light from darkness. This actual physical separation became a metaphor for a spiritual truth. Ephesians 5:6-10 “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.” For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.”
Light is the characteristic of Christians. We are to be separated from the darkness. 1 John 1:5-6 “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” No gray areas, no shade, and no shadows. 2 Corinthians 6: 6-7 & 14 “By purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” We, as people who name the name of Christ must be light – bright pure light shining in the darkness so everyone will see the truth and some will even see the Father. Colossians 1:12-13 “Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.”
Are we living as a child of light? Is our holiness clearly visible to a dark and lost sinful world?
1 Thessalonians 5:5 “You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness.” Then walk in the light; live out the holiness that shows you belong to God.
In Christ, Brian
5 comments:
Beautiful blog. Praying that we'd all live as children of Light!
Good word! I cannot formulate the words this post stirred in me. I guess I could say I have been going through a bit of a tough time and these Bible verse here, put together in the way you did, struck a deep chord inside of me. :)
My husband is a physician, and one of his patients that came in was a practicing witch. She couldn't look at my husband and her reason being was there was a bright light shining from his eyes and it burned her. He told her that was the Holy Spirit. I don't know what happened to her but I do know she left his office squirming.
Blessings,
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Thanks Deb for the great comment. I think that half of the battle is to realize that, as children of God saved by faith through grace, we are the light of the world and to live as that holy child of light in this world's darkness. Set apart from sin and walking in the Spirit without fear. I'm learning this more each day and sure agree with and appreciate your prayer.
Child of God, Isn't that just how the Lord works with each of us through His "living" Word in holy Scripture? It never ceases to amaze me how our loving heavenly Father speaks to us individually through the Bible to touch those deepest chords within our heart ... as you rightfully said. Christ never said that we would not go through trials and tough times, but did say that he'd be with us, in them, always. In good times and in bad times, the child of God is, always and forever, a student learning about life and living, continuously growing, from their teacher God (Father, Son & Holy Spirit). I praise the Lord that you husband was a witness to the light of Christ and the demonic realm of witchcraft, for salvation is the offer in the light that exposes sin and reveal who we truly belong to.
What an uplifting post!
We should be separated, but not in a holier that thou way (I've been guilty of this).
Light in a dark world...that is what I want to be used for:)
Thanks for witing Ma. I think that the key lies in the understanding of the character of God and the seriousness of sin. In John 3:17 Jesus tells us "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.", but immediately follows that with John 3:18-19 saying “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Meaning those in the world who have not accepted the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ are still in the darkness and condemnation of their unforgiven sin. Further in this same chapter John explains in John 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” So there is a natural separation between the saved (holy, light) and the unsaved (unholy, darkness) and this is where the love of God makes His mission of salvation, our mission also. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commissions us to "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. This makes the fact of John 3:16 become the greatest blessing because we need to know what we have been saved from, before we can understand what we are saved to. This produces compassion for the 'lost in sin', who are parishing to eternal damnation to desire to reach into the darkness with the saving light of Jesus Christ unto eternal life in heaven, and bring us to never-end love, joy and peace for the mercy and grace that we received ourselves with unending honor, praise and glory to God. Holiness!
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