We Are Light To A Darken World

"For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,

'Awake, O sleeper,
rise up from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.'"

--Ephesians 5:8-14

Tonight in small group we discussed 1 John 1:5-9 which reads, "This is the message we heard from Jesus[a] and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness."

In verses 5-7 I believe light is to be understood as truth and righteousness; darkness here is error and corruption. If we are in God's light then we are standing in His truth. The truth of His word, and His promises to us. Once we step out of His light we are in darkness which allows for sin to come in and corrupt our every being.

This darkness will cause us to have our shield and sword down, leaving us vulnerable to the enemy's attacks. To walk in light or darkness is to live according to God's truth or to Satan's lies. This is not merely done intellectually but morally. Fellowship with God and with one another consists in a life according to the truth as found in God and in Christ.

We must know God to find what His truth is. And knowledge only comes by the word of the Lord. The Bible.

In 1 John 8 and 9 and even 10, if we have denial of the condition of the sin that is in our lives, then we are self-deceiving ourselves and in ways even contradictory of divine revelation. This also brings to light the continual possibility of sin's recurrence in our lives. In order for us to be forgiven and delivered from sin through Christ Jesus, we must acknowledge the fact we are sinners, and ask for forgiveness.

This message hit home with a lot of guys in our small group tonight. If you are struggling with a particular sin, confess it to God and then someone whom you trust to hold you accountable. James 5:16 says, "Therefore, make it your habit to confess your sins to one another and to pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

Prayer: God please allow me to focus on what your word says and not on what I may want. Bring me into Your light and guide me to continually walk in Your way. I confess my sins to You with a heart of repentance. Let Your glory shine in me so that others may see and be healed. Amen.