Walk in the Light (Written by my Wife)
Growing up as a preacher's kid, my dad used to say that you can find a sermon in anything. While this became a common joke in our family, there is a lot of truth to my dad's statement. In fact, this blog proves that theory!
The other day when I was in the shower, I noticed a black smudge on my foot; I'm not even sure how it got there. I assumed that the soap and hot water would simply wash it off, but it remained. I had to use the washcloth and scrub to remove the mark. That got me to thinking how sin in our lives is just like that! We may think it is something that will go away without any real effort on our part, but in reality, we need to work the on certain issues it to permanently remove them from our life.
Philippians 2:12 reminds us that we cannot just go on our merry way and ignore the sins in our life, we must, "work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling." In other words, like that stain on my foot, we have to put forth the effort to be clean before the Lord.
My Bible reading this morning emphasizes the theme of this blog:
And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly (other versions say "decently" or "honestly"), as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. Romans 13: 11-14
Just as II Corinthians 6:2 reminds us that "now is the day of salvation," so do the verses in Romans. And as Ephesians 5:14 instructs, "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light," so the words in Romans also remind us to wake out of the darkness of sin and walk into the light of holiness!
Make no mistake, dear readers, the time is short! Surely with all the end-time events happening in the past few months, you have to be aware of it! How much time do you think we have left on this planet? I sincerely doubt we have more than 15-20 years before the end of this world, probably even less. Although this blog is not about Bible prophecy (though maybe someday I will write more on that subject if the Lord calls me to do so), the signs are there: a pandemic, plagues of locusts, unusually strong weather, even strange dust clouds appearing, rioting and chaos, the list goes on... (See at least Mark 13:8 & Luke 21:9-11) My point is that now is not the time to play around with fire, now is the time to wake up and walk into the light. Work out your salvation and get rid of the sin in your life!
You may think a little bit of sin is no big deal. A little lie here, a slipped swear word there, but I Corinthians 5:6 -7 says it differently (I exchanged the words leaven for yeast and lump for bread so that it is easier to understand), "Know ye not that a little [yeast rises] the whole [loaf of bread]? Purge out therefore the old [yeast] , that ye may be a new [loaf of bread], as ye are unleavened." (So you will be free from even the small sins damaging your soul.)
While I do not believe so-called small sins will cause us to lose our salvation, if we repeatedly choose to ignore these sins and refuse to try to change because we feel they are not as bad as murder or adultery, then the callus condition of your heart could send you to Hell. That small amount of yeast can indeed ruin your soul. We need to purge ourselves of pride, racism, deceitfulness, bad language, unforgiveness, etc. "The night is far spent," and the there is precious little time left! If you love the Lord and care about where you spend eternity, play close attention to the condition of your soul! Now is the day to make your heart right with God!
I will close with more words from II Corinthians 6 and also from Ephesians 5, please let these words sink into your heart and soul! ("Not to receive the grace of God in vain" means not to take advantage of God's favor by living a life full of sin, read on...)
We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says:
“In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God... 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? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”
Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters," Says the Lord Almighty.” II Corinthians 6:1-7, 14-18
“In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God... 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? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”
Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters," Says the Lord Almighty.” II Corinthians 6:1-7, 14-18
Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. Ephesians 5:1-21
But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. Ephesians 5:1-21
