God wants us to walk in light and not to stumble. God’s wisdom is sound and shows us how to walk safely.
Proverbs 3:21-23:
My son, let not them [God’s WORDS] depart from thine eyes: keep sound WISDOM and discretion
So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy FOOT SHALL NOT STUMBLE.
Proverbs 4:10-12:
Hear, O my son, and receive my SAYINGS; and the years of thy life shall be many.
I have taught thee in the way of WISDOM; I have led thee in right paths.
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, THOU SHALT NOT STUMBLE.
God parted the Red Sea for Moses and the children of Israel when they left Egypt. When God led them through that sea, they did not stumble. For they followed His guidance given to Moses.
Isaiah 63:12,13:
That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name?
That LED THEM THROUGH THE DEEP, as an horse in the wilderness, that THEY SHOULD NOT STUMBLE?
Jesus was the light of the world while on earth. Now we have “Christ in” us, and we are the lights of the world. But not everyone accepted the light of God’s Son. They chose to walk in darkness, and were justly condemned.
John 3:16-21:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And THIS IS THE CONDEMNATION [JUDGMENT], 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.
We do the truth and gladly come to the light. We want others to see that our deeds are “God working in us to will and to do of His good pleasure.”
Some people try to generate their own light, without God. But without a power source, there is no light. That is like the people of Biblical times who tried to light their way at night with sparks. They eventually were sorrowful from stumbling and hurting themselves during their darkened journey.
Isaiah 50:11:
Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: WALK IN THE LIGHT OF YOUR FIRE, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; YE SHALL LIE DOWN IN SORROW.
The same judgment that Jesus spoke of us is still true today. People can accept Christ as Lord and Savior and become children of light. Or they can reject the truth and lie down in sorrow.
Ephesians 5:6-9:
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath [righteous justice] of God upon the children [huios, legal sons] of disobedience [nonpersuasion].
Be not ye therefore partakers [summetochos] with them.
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children [teknon, beloved sons] of light:
(For the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth).
Look at the uses of “children” here. The children [huios, legal sons] who are not persuaded by the truth will receive God’s righteous justice. That is the legal consequence as legal sons of Adam. We are to have not even a “part sharing” with them. That is what the Greek word summetochos means. The prefix sum- means “together with.”
But when we are born again, we now are light in the Lord, Jesus Christ. We can walk as children [teknon, beloved sons] of light. God loves us because we are His dear sons, born again of His incorruptible seed by the Word of God. And what is the fruit that we will produce? Our lives will be filled with GOODNESS and RIGHTEOUSNESS and TRUTH.
Ephesians 5:10-12:
Proving what is acceptable [euarestos, well-pleasing] unto the Lord.
And have no fellowship [sugkoinōneō] with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
When our lives are good, righteous, and true, we are PROVING what is well-pleasing unto the Lord. That is our fruit as children of light! But the darkness produces no good fruit. No tree or garden can grow without sunlight. Those who turn from God have no good fruit. We are to have NO FULL SHARING with those in the dark. Again, the Greek prefix sum- means “together with.” We should reprove their evil deeds. What they do in secret is too shameful to even mention.
Ephesians 5:13,14:
But all things that are reproved are made manifest [phaneroō, to shine forth] by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light [epiphauō, illuminate].
When we shine forth with good fruit, our light will reprove the darkness around us. It only takes a small flame to illuminate an entire room. We can help people who are asleep in darkness to awake to the gospel of Christ. Then he will ILLUMINATE THEM! Remember, “sunlight is the greatest disinfectant.” The truth will make ANYONE FREE INDEED!
Shine forth with the light of Christ in you, for eternal rewards await you.
Philippians 2:15,16:
Among whom YE SHINE AS LIGHTS IN THE WORLD;
Holding forth the word of life; that I may REJOICE IN THE DAY OF CHRIST, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
