BE FAITHFUL TO THE END

John 8:12; [Ephesians 5:7-14]

Introduction

I had my suit trousers fading off so quickly leaving my lovely jacket looking so new. I picked the colour navy blue and went to a shop to get a perfect combination for my suit. The shop actually had not-so-bright lights though one could not complain since vision is not impaired. The attendant took my jacket and mentioned the colour "oh! navy blue, I'll get a befitting trouser to match." In a while, she came with navy blue trousers which I testified as a perfect match in colour and my size. I bought it, bagged it, and went on my way home. I just placed it in my closet until some weeks later when I needed to wear it. When I stepped out in the light, I realized there are shades of navy blue and my trouser is not actually the same as my jacket.

Light has a way of exposing what darkness turns to conceal. That is exactly what Paul meant when he says, "Live as children of light... Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." Ephesians 5:8,11 (NIV)

Happy Father's day to fathers and prospective fathers in Christ Jesus. God richly bless you for being a dad.

Jesus Christ, Light of the World.

This declaration comes from Jesus Christ Himself, that He is the light of the world. (John 8:12; 9:5). 

Jesus made it so clear that if we follow Him - ie. become His disciple; imitate him; do what He does, we receive the light of life. As we continue to follow him, we are transformed into His image [we become who He is] and so we participate in his nature. If we believe in him, we become men and women of the light. (John 12:36)

In the sermon on the mountain, Jesus indicates that we Christians are the light of the world. When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and personal Saviour, we become reflectors/transmitters of the light we have received from Him, the only source of light. Becoming and reflecting the light is made constantly possible when we follow Him, that is our walk in the light. Therefore, let men walk in the light since Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

The Christian as the Light of the World

Jesus gives us the clue of what we have become not to only ourselves but to the world. In John 9:5, Jesus indicates that as long as He is in the world, He is the light of the world. This indicates that the moment He was taken up into Heaven on the ascension and commissioned the church, He actually relinquished that responsibility to Christians. Therefore, the role of Christians as the light of the world took effect as soon as our Lord Jesus Christ was taken away into heaven. This manifested 10 days afterward when the Holy Spirit filled the church (see the disciples in 'Act of the Apostles').

Precious one, we should always allow our lights to shine. The "Let" here implies our role in making it happen. It is our walk in the light that will make the world see and glorify our Heavenly Father. (Luke 8:16ff; Matthew 5:16ff).

Let the men (and women) walk in the light, brings the understanding that;

1. That we have the light with us.

2. That we have a role to play to make the light shine.

3. That even though we have the light, it can be prevented from shining unless we allow it.

The Christian Walk In the Light

The Christian is to walk in a way that is dramatically different from his walk as an unbeliever. Ephesians 4:25-32, we taught about some of the things our walk in the light we put away such as; "falsehood, anger, giving the devil a foothold, stealing, unwholesome talk, not to grieve the Holy Spirit, bitterness, rage, brawling, slander and all form of malice." He further adds (Eph. 5:3-5), "no sexual immorality, greed, obscenity, foolish talk or greed."

Christians are further instructed to "be kind, compassionate, forgiving" and “walk in the way of love,” (Ephesians 4:32, 5:1-2). And now, Paul speaks of the Christian lifestyle as a “walk as children of light” (5:7-14). If we are to walk in a manner that is consistent with our calling, we are to be transformed into the new life Christ gives us as those who are “children of light.”

Beloved in Christ, let me address an erroneous concept of our practice that contradicts Biblical doctrine in soteriology. 

The gospel is often presented and received as though faith in Jesus Christ requires no great change, from the convert and that one just needs to “add” Christ to her/his experience. We ask the unsaved to “invite Christ into her/his life,” this is to say, the person has received salvation in Christ.

Meanwhile, becoming a Christian is not so much a matter of adding Christ to your old life. It is about abandoning your old life totally to find true enrichment of life in Christ. And when one thus trusts in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the change is not small. It is a radical transformation - no reversal. It is a transformation from death to life, from darkness to light. 

The Bible teaches that our calling as Christians should have a radical impact on our conduct reflecting on the society. We will never be the same again. We should never think or act the same. John says, "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God." 1 John 3:9 (NIV). Our thinking and our behaviour after our conversion is totally transformed. You can compare to our former “walk” as though it were night and day. 

Therefore, we must not add Christ but abandon our old walk in the dark completely for the new walk in the light.

Conclusion

Christ has made you and I who have believed and received Him the light of the world. Is there still darkness in the world? Is evil still reigning or triumphing over righteousness? Do we still face the problem of evil? Your transformation into the light of the world should disperse this darkness if you will constantly walk in the light. AMEN!

Shalom aleichem...