Live as children of light …
Summary: God’s realm includes the physical world we live in, but it is much more that we can’t see. To understand what it means to live in God’s house, Paul uses different metaphors to show us what we can’t see.
How should we talk about the unseen? Everyone has a spirit, but no one has ever held one in their hands. Light is a good metaphor for spiritual things because we know it is there, but no one can hold pure light in their hands.
Darkness is the absence of light. In the same way, spiritual darkness is the absence of God.
When light touches the world, it brings illumination and warmth. When God’s presence touches a soul, he brings spiritual illumination and spiritual warmth. We call this illumination and warmth “love.” (Agapé in the Greek.)
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he describes how much God loves us and how Jesus came to save us from being condemned to eternal separation from God. He describes how being saved from separation means we are joined with God in Christ. He explains that this invitation to be joined with our Creator is a gift from God, not something we can earn.
As Paul continues writing, he tells us what it means to be joined with God. He shows us through his words that it is wrong to accept God’s gift and act like we reject God. We can’t expect God to accept us into his family if we act like we own the place instead of God.
If you were to come and live at my house, you would have to abide by my rules. I would not allow you to stay in my home if you insisted on sleeping all day and then were up all night eating my food and playing loud music. I would expect you to be respectful of myself and my wife and the things we have in the house: Don’t track mud on the carpet, don’t break things, and pick up after yourself.
There are many more “rules” that would come to mind as the days passed. I would expect you to help with chores, for example. It doesn’t seem fair that you live here, and I end up doing more work than before you moved in. If you were a guest, it would be different. I would expect to clean the house before you arrived and after you left. That is a temporary situation. When people live together, the rules change.
God does not invite us into a relationship with him as a guest. We are invited to be part of his family. Paul’s words are intended to help us understand the difference and, more to the point, help us understand what it means to live as a member of God’s household.
Application: Show a little respect when you come to live with God.
Food for Thought: How do children of the light know they are children of the light?
1 John 1: 5 – 2:2; 1 John 3: 14 and 1 John 5: 11 – 13 instantly came to mind with this question. If we have a relationship with Jesus we have life and light. And if we have that light we will love our brothers and sisters in Christ. If we are in the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1: 7).
Excellent verses, Rich.
Thank you!
We can know we are children of the light because the Word, God’s Bible:
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)
08-15-2023, How do children of the light know they are children of the light?
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6
In Christ we have become a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
How can some describe our feelings when God first forced us to look upon our truly depraved condition and know we were headed into a pit of punishment beyond anything we could have imagined. To be driven to our knees in shame because God loved us so much, He revealed the truth to us. How do we fully describe His patience as He leads us to His word, to groups of imperfect beings just like us, daily making mistakes as we seek a life in obedience to our perfect God. In time there is a peace that grows in the heart of believers and people will ask, “Why are you different?”, “What can we do for you?” And we respond, “What do you mean?” We find ourselves being brought to and isolated with complete strangers who begin opening their lives to us, and in some cases telling their deep secrets through tears as God uses us to listen and tell them about Jesus. We find our greatest peace comes as we serve others rather than being served.
Those who have experienced Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit coming into their hearts will know what it is like to be a child of light. Our stories may be different but the power to be light comes from the same source.
God’s word tell’s us, Matthew 5:16, John 12:36, 1 Thessalonians 5:5
Thank you, Ron.
Your words remind me of one characteristic common to all who believe in Jesus: he changes us. That is a hard thing to admit. We change because, as you point out, we realize how self-centered we have been. We change because we realize the truth of where our behavior is leading us. We change because we need to.
What is miraculous is what we change into. Like the caterpillar entering the chrysalis, we enter a stage of vulnerability before God. God himself guides our rebirth, and we emerge … some slowly, some quickly … as a new creation in Jesus Christ. We emerge as children of light.
Beautifully stated my friend!
God Bless!
Ron