Exploring Faith and Practice (Part III)
We are called to walk in the light that is in Jesus Christ
John 8:12- “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.”
Eph. 5:8-11- “8. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of the light: 9. (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth:) 10. Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
In Ephesians 5:8-11, Paul references the Ephesian believer’s former situation. The context suggests that they were once in darkness, but now they are in light. Their lifestyle in the past was one of darkness. Now that the light of the Lord has illuminated their life, they need to walk in that light. In fact, the old works of darkness needed to be reproved. Following Jesus will take us away from the darkness of sinful living.
The psalmist says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105) The Scriptures are the primary revelation of God’s light to man. It is not the only revelation, for the Apostle Paul speaks of the law of God being written in the hearts of the Gentiles which had not received the Law of Moses. This is sometimes called natural law. Because of this law on the hearts of men they know, for example, that murder is wrong even if they have never seen a Bible.
David realized that it was God’s word that illuminated his path and directed his walk. We too, need to allow the Scriptures to speak to our walk. Some Christians have truly come to Christ by faith, trusting Him for their salvation, but then they neglect a serious pursuit of the Word. They begin to make bad choices. Instead of following the Shepherd, they independently chart their own course. They get on the wrong path. Paths always lead to destinations. Wrong paths lead to broken relationships, failed marriages and bondage to sinful habits and practices.
The Apostle John gives us insight to light and darkness and fellowship with both God and man in I John chapter 1. He states that, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” Think about that for a moment. No darkness! As sinful humans we can hardly grasp that thought. Even when we have done our very best we can still find the traces of darkness in our heart. In God there is not the slightest hint of darkness in any form or expression. There is nothing in Him that is imperfect.
We cannot say we have no sin in our lives. But John reminds us that, “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” In this chapter we again see the two truths that seem to be in tension. The remedy for sin is found in Him, not us. But if we walk in darkness, we cannot say we have fellowship with Him. The remedy for sin in the Scriptures is always found in God, not us. But in the Scripture there is always a link between our faith and our walk.
A common view of Christianity today is summed up in the view that if you believe in God that is good. Faith is acceptable to many people. But the moment the light of Scripture is shined upon sin people can get quite disturbed. If a church does not accept a couple who are living in a homosexual relationship, the church is castigated for being hypocritical and unloving. People are alright with God as long as you don’t shine the truth into their heart. It isn’t because these folks have no sense of morality. Their morality has just become quite selective. Their morality and conscience is not being informed by the Word of God.
The light we are called to walk in is revealed to us in the Word. If God’s word is not an active and present influence in our daily lives we quite likely will begin to choose paths that lead us away from the light. “Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it.” (Psalm 119:140) Can you truly say you love God’s word? Is it a light to your path?
When Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life”, He was implying more than just our walk in the light. He said those that followed Him would have “the light of life”. The life we have in Jesus Christ is something far greater than anything we can find in this world. It is the light of God. There is no darkness in it. Our hope and our future is bound up in that light. Think about the promise in Revelation 22:5. “And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” Remember, in God there is no darkness at all. Even though we are called to walk in the light, not one of us will ever be able to say that there was no darkness in our walk. Praise the name of Him who will bring us to the perfect light and perfect life, not because we were perfect, but because He is perfect!
4 thoughts on “Exploring Faith and Practice (Part III)”
John 3:20-21 “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”
A gospel that has no power to change people to the core is not truly gospel (good news) at all. Yet it is natural (to the sin nature) to fear the change, when it’s changing me. But if I avoid reproof — pretending, wearing a mask around certain people, building walls to keep light out of my heart — the message is clear: I’m a lover of darkness. And protecting my darkness is precisely what gives it power and puts me in bondage to it.
It seems to me that the psalmist David, though he was an Old Testament saint, actually understood the nature of God’s light, and the truth He desires in the “inward parts” of his people (Ps. 51:6), as well as God’s amazing grace and mercy and lovingkindness, much better than do I.
As I begin to grasp these things more in my own life, I find that God’s light illuminates not merely the rightness or wrongness of my actions but also, indeed more so, the bent of my heart. That’s sometimes more scary than “just” knowing I’ve sinned. But inviting the Light to shine in those places is what brings fellowship with the Father and the body of Christ (1 John 1:7), because of the wondrous riches of grace given through Christ Jesus our Lord.
I think you have identified one of the struggles we have as Christians. It is so easy and tempting to “protect our darkness”. In any group of people the individual is always tempted to maintain an image even when he knows the image is false. It is not particularly easy to walk in the light.
Part of the problem for the Christian may be the propensity to reduce walking in the light to code keeping, especially a church standard or code. This leads to some terrible misjudgements of self. A person may feel quite satisfied that he is faithfully walking in the light when in reality there may be significant darkness in his heart.
DSJ
Indeed, I am convinced that when code keeping is regarded as the entire definition of walking in the light (or at least an acceptable substitute for it) it becomes a terrible instrument of darkness. This poisons our understanding of ourselves as already stated, as well as the Gospel, and the nature of God Himself.
And indeed it is often difficult to walk in the light. I wonder if dealing with that thing inside that makes it seem so hard is getting close to the core essence of sinfulness?
Yes we’re not perfect, upon hearing that many conclude why try. But it damping the goal to live it as close to it as we’re able.
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