For the Glory of the Father in Heaven

¹⁴ Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

¹⁵ 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.

¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. – Matthew 5:14-16

It’s really incredible. Whether people love or hate us for the light of Christ that is in us, God is honored. If people hate us but we continue in the things of Jesus anyway as we learn to love our enemies, God is glorified all the more. If people love us, we can boast in the Lord and all that He has done for us, preach the gospel to them, and glorify God together as we revel in His mercy, grace, and the wonderful promises of His Kingdom.

However, the light that is in us should be the light of Jesus Christ.

As Jesus said, “if the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”

We cannot serve two masters, as Jesus says. We will learn to love one and hate the other eventually. We cannot say that the light of Jesus is in us if we continue to love the things of the world. When we do, the light that is in us becomes deception—a very great deception—because we can easily convince ourselves that we are in the will of God when we are not. Especially when there are teachings within Christianity that make it easy for us to do so.

The light of Jesus brings truth—and the truth does not mince words when it comes to sin because sin kills people, and if we love them, we will speak the truth in hopes that the darkness is dispelled. How can we say we know God if we do not love our brothers in Christ?

“Be not deceived. He that does righteousness is righteous.”

The only way we can do righteously is by the grace of God in Jesus Christ as He fulfills His promise to “write the laws of the kingdom on the fleshly tables of the heart.” Although we are actively participating in this, I have found that once relief comes, it is apparent that it was the Lord who gave the relief. If we seek, we will find. There will come a time when we have suffered enough. There will come a time of freedom.

“But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

We all struggle with serving two masters, and I think it is foolish to ever assume that we will not be tempted as long as we live in this corruptible body. There is always more to gain. There is always more to lay aside for His sake. We should always be “poor in spirit” as we seek Jesus humbly with dependence on Him for all things. Our light is darkness. His light is truly light.

The light of man is darkness. So it is with the “bright star, son of the dawn.” The ministers of Satan transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, but the light in them is darkness indeed—and how great is that darkness! They suppose they can serve two masters. Not so.

Lord, have mercy. Have mercy in redeeming many sons of Satan into sons of God. He can do this. He can do anything. We were all once sons of Satan, but we are not bound to him. We are bound to Jesus and blessed are they who’s God is Jesus the Lord and Christ.

Those whose god is this world—and the prince of this world—are death-bound whether they call themselves Christian or not. God knows. Jesus will judge it, and none who call themselves by His name should take that judgment lightly.

We trust in His mercy, and all who really trust in Him and love Him will find freedom from the master they do not wish to serve but are enslaved to. Let no one accuse you. Jesus knows your heart. He knows if you serve Him or not.

Yet, we are so good at excusing ourselves and with so many out there who make excuses for us, the temptations are everywhere. Jesus knows this too.

“As many as have not this doctrine and have not known the depths of Satan as they speak: I will put upon you no other burden, but that which you have hold fast until I come.” What is this doctrine if not a doctrine that makes the light in you darkness as it convinces you that you can serve two masters? Does God not hate it? Does He not hate a teaching that disrespects the blood of the Son of God and places the corruptible light of man in His place? (reference to the church in Thyatira in Revelation 2)

We are not ignorant of the devices of Satan, who seeks who he may devour. He wants to devour the children of God, as we see in the scriptures. But we also see that He will fail. We will overcome. We will be granted to sit with Jesus in His thrown, because He overcame first and He is faithful to do His work in all who God the Father gives Him.

How wonderful is our God! What other God is there that is so patient with us? What other God is there that delivers us from the forces of death? What other God is there that can take us corruptible people and make us into something like Him? What other God is there that became man, died for us, and rose again so that we too can live eternally? None. There is none, so put none before Jesus.

You cannot serve two masters. Let the light that is in you be Christ and Christ only, according to the measure of grace we are given of God to overcome. Seek His grace to overcome—not just theoretically or in a judicial sense—but in this present world. As we overcome and do His works, He is seen in this world and He is glorified whether people love Him or hate Him.

As John the Baptist said, “he must increase and I must decrease.” Our light is darkness. We must decrease. The works we do are not our own. They are His. We want to be judged according to His works, which are mercy and grace, not ours. Yet, His works are real. If we have faith in Him, we will show it through many good works as we learn to do the perfect and pleasing will of the Father.

There is no middle ground. There is no compromising with sin. Do not give up. Keep going. Trust in Jesus, repent of sin, and seek Him who makes it possible for us to “keep the commandments of God” by the working of the Spirit that teaches us to love God and love our neighbor, even as Jesus loves us.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

² Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

³ Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

⁵ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

⁶ If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

⁷ If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

⁸ Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

⁹ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

¹⁰ If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

¹¹ These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

¹² This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. – John 14:1-12

This is written as a Part 2 for You are the Light of the World. This article is part of a series that considers the Parables of Jesus. Right now, we are looking at the statements Jesus made during His Sermon on the Mount, to which He referenced in His Parable of the Building on Rock and Sand. Visit the link for quick access to all articles written within this series. Subscribe for notifications of future posts.