Translate

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Ephesians 5: Walk in the Light

Throughout history good and evil has been portrayed by the colors black and white:  light and darkness.  The old western movies always had the "good guy" in a white cowboy hat and the villlain in a black cowboy hat. Wouldn't it be great if good and evil was so easy to distinguish in today's world?  Unfortunately, it isn't which is why we talked last week about not allowing ourselves to be deceived.  


Matthew 7:17-18  (17)  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  (18)  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

This scripture states very clearly how we recognize good and evil today, right? The problem is we live in a world that is so concerned about being unoffensive and walking such a neutral line that it can be difficult to identify the fruit on their tree, so to speak.  


Ephesians 5:8-10  For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light  (9)  (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),  (10)  finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

So in the light, out of the darkness, fruit should grow.  The fruit of the spirit grows in all goodness, righteousness and truth.  Galatians 5:


Galatians 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  (23)  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

So, back to Ephesians 5:

We were once darkness, but now are light in the Lord.  We walk as children of the light to prove what is acceptable to the Lord (verse 10).  How do we know what is acceptable?


Romans 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  (2)  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Our bodies are to be living sacrifices. Not just physically, but think about what a sacrifice actually is:   the act of giving up something that you want to keep especially in order to get or do something else or to help someone

Sacrifice hurts.  Sacrifice means we are depriving our flesh of something it wants.  We are depriving our human nature from giving into the lusts and desires of our flesh.  Paul said crucifying the flesh was something he did daily.  It is a process and Paul states it here again in Romans 12:2.  First, Paul said we are not to be conformed to this world.  We are not to look like the world, speak like the world, or behave like the world.  Conformed means that there is pattern that something is fashioned after.  I grew up with my mom a seamstress.  I spent a lot of time watching her take patterns, pin them to fabric, and then fit all the pieces together to form a garment.  It was amazing to me how awesome she was at what she did.  I could never do it quite right.  But, the pattern never changed.  If she used the same pattern over and over again she would make the same garment, just with a different fabric pattern..and sometimes with the same fabric color and pattern.  the pattern could be used over and over again producing the same results.  

Conforming to the world is the same way as the patterns my mother would use.  Even if my mother would use a different color fabric but used the same pattern, the dresses would all look alike.  When we choose to participate in activities that the world, or nonbelievers (and some lukewarm Christians) participate in, then we will just be a different color fabric cut from the same pattern. There will be little difference in how we look or how we can differentiate ourselves from the world...because we are a production of the pattern we follow.  

Paul goes on to say we are to prove what is the perfect will of God.  Perfect here means complete (as it relates to labor, growth, mental, and moral character).  Moral character can be called into question by the activities we choose to participate in.  Do you see the cycle we can be caught up in so easily?  If we have been truly brought of the darkness, then we should be sharing light with the world.  We are a city on a hill; a beacon in the darkness...,but only if our light is shining.  You know the children's song, "This little light of mine.  I'm gonna let it shine.  Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine."  When you are driving down the road at night on a dark stretch of highway you can see lights from a town or a city for miles before you actually get there. Are you showing that same light that is within you to those you come into contact with?  Are those that are searching for something able to see the One that can fill them completely shining through you?  Are you being the City on a Hill with a light that can be seen for miles?

Genesis 1:26  Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

God made man in His image, His likeness.  We are fashioned after His pattern.  Can anyone look at you and see you as a production of the pattern you were formed from?



Join our discussion on facebook.






1 comment:

  1. Your car could be stolen if you don't keep this in mind!

    Imagine that your car was taken! When you visit the police, they inquire about a particular "VIN check"

    Describe a VIN decoder.

    Similar to a passport, the "VIN decoder" allows you to find out the date of the car's birth and the identity of its "parent" (manufacturing facility). You can also figure out:

    1.Type of engine

    2.Automobile model

    3.The DMV's limitations

    4.The number of drivers in this vehicle

    The location of the car will be visible to you, and keeping in mind the code ensures your safety. The code can be checked in the database online. The VIN is situated on various parts of the car to make it harder for thieves to steal, such as the first person sitting on the floor, the frame (often in trucks and SUVs), the spar, and other areas.

    What happens if the VIN is intentionally harmed?

    There are numerous circumstances that can result in VIN damage, but failing to have one will have unpleasant repercussions because it is illegal to intentionally harm a VIN in order to avoid going to jail or being arrested by the police. You could receive a fine of up to 80,000 rubles and spend two years in jail. You might be stopped on the road by a teacher.

    Conclusion.

    The VIN decoder may help to save your car from theft. But where can you check the car reality? This is why we exist– VIN decoders!

    ReplyDelete