Walking in the Light
Bible Matters 555: Walking in the
Light
This is lesson, 555, in this ministry,
as planned by God. 5 is the number of
grace, favor. It is only by the grace of
God, that the gift of everlasting life is offered for those that know and abide
by the truth in his word. Today, like Peter, God is telling you three times to
know and abide by the truth in his word, by walking in the light by serving God
and neighbor. Follow God’s gospel of
Love and God will be waiting for you.
When you believe in God and repent of
your sins, then you carry on by walking in the light to the truth in God’s
word. Period. By now, you know your sin that offends
God. Any sin that keeps you from serving
God and neighbor, will keep you walking in darkness. But you say, I’m a good person! I hear that testimony weekly. What about the sin of laziness.
James 4:17 – Therefore to him that
knows to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Walking in the light is
mandatory! A couple of years ago, I
witnessed to a Mennonite family, starting with the father, Amos. I had a jail lesson, called B-team and asked
if I could talk to his teenagers? He told me that he was having trouble with a
bible verse and was wondering if I could help him.
Hebrews 6:4-6 – For it is impossible
for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and
were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God,
and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them
again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh,
and put him to an open shame.
If I was a simple plan of salvation
believer, which I am not, then I would have answered that the man is saved and
salvation is guaranteed, but I didn’t. I
told Amos, that as a person of the flesh, I can’t judge that man’s walk with
God. Once we believe, God does not want us to continue in sin. At some point that man has to turn from sin
and walk with God. Only then can that
man experience the heavenly gift. Amos
thanked me and told me I can witness to his teenagers!
I knew that God was questioning my
belief, through Amos. Belief in God and
walking in the light is how we were brought up in the 1960’s. Once saved, always saved was not spoke of in
our neighborhood. People knew the truth
in God’s word and it wasn’t picking and choosing the verses you liked and then
walk in darkness. We knew that God would
judge us one day and we wanted to be ready.
Did I understand sin? No not really. I knew the ten commandments. Things that robbed my life serving God and
neighbor were not under consideration.
Once you know the truth in God’s word, you recognize that consumption of
alcohol and drunkenness offends God.
Thomas testified to man’s sin experienced by Jesus. Jesus recognized
that when they repent and give up wine, then their walk with God will change
(i.e. converted or born again.)
Saying 28: The World is Drunk – Jesus
said, “I stood in the middle of the world and appeared to them in the
flesh. I found them all drunk; I didn’t find any of them thirsty. My soul ached
for the children of humanity, because they were blind in their hearts and
couldn’t see. They came into the world empty and plan on leaving the world
empty. Meanwhile, they’re drunk. When they shake off their wine, then they’ll
change.”
Jesus warns of drunkenness in the New
Testament. Walking in the light takes into consideration that you are following
the teachings that Jesus bought, when he says to follow thou me. Three witnesses gave testimony that Jesus
will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until he is in heaven. The preponderance of evidence from the
testimony of these three witnesses considers Jesus giving up alcohol.
Mark 14:25 – Verily I say unto you, I
will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new
in the kingdom of God.
Matthew 26:29 – But I say unto you, I
will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I
drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
Luke 22:18 – For I say unto you, I
will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
On that night on December 3, 2013, I
walked to the alter and asked God to take the desire of sin away. I can confess that the last sentence in the
Gospel of Thomas, Saying 28 is absolutely true, that is: “When they shake off their wine, then
they’ll change.” When you change, repent, turn from sin and
walk in the light, you can be ready to take on the job God has planned for
you. You no longer live your life in
sin. Jesus may have died for your past
sins, but it doesn’t mean you continue to live in sin. Paul wrote Romans and Hebrews. He is telling you that sin is death.
Romans 3:25 – Whom God hath set forth
to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is
death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hebrews 10:26 – For if we sin willfully
after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more
sacrifice for sins,
So many people I meet are walking in
darkness, while they consume alcohol on almost a daily basis. You will never know how God plans to use you
while you are wrapped up in sin. It is absolutely clear that when you walk in
darkness and sin, then you lie and do not know the truth.
1 John 1:6 – If we say that we have
fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
John 8:12 – Then spoke Jesus again
unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not
walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Ephesians 5:8 – For ye were sometimes
darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
When you avoid acts of charity and
helping your neighbor because of sin, then you are walking in darkness.
1 John 2:11 – But he that hates his
brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knows not whither he goes,
because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
When you wrought with God, then you
walk will be in the light.
John 3:19-21 – And this is the
condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather
than light, because their deeds were evil.
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.
Jesus told you that in the end, you
will be judged by God in the last day.
John 12:46-48 – I am come a light
into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in
darkness. And if any man hear my words,
and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to
save the world. He that rejects me, and
receives not my words, hath one that judges him: the word that I have spoken,
the same shall judge him in the last day.
Your good works will allow your faith
to shine in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. You have been called out of darkness to
shine as a light of the world.
Philippians 2:15 – That ye may be
blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a
crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
1 Peter 2:9 – But ye are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye
should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into
his marvellous light:
You will no longer be in darkness as
children of the light. Be sober and
thank Jesus for dying for your sin.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-10 – But ye,
brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a
thief. Ye are all the children of light,
and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but
let us watch and be sober. For they that
sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober,
putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of
salvation. For God hath not appointed us
to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or
sleep, we should live together with him.
Matthew 5:14-16 – Ye are the light of
the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it
under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the
house. Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in
heaven.
May
you light up the world, in all that you do.
To God be the glory in all you do. Amen.