Living As Children Of Light

Paul told the Ephesians to be followers of God as dear children.  We need to apply these principles to our lives as well.  Paul may not have been thinking about us at the time he wrote this letter but I think God was.  I wonder what Paul would think of what goes on in many of our churches today?  Paul told the Ephesians in Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

Have you ever compared your love to Christ’s love?  The Word says this in John 15:12-13, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

This doesn’t give us the option to pick and choose who we love.  Question: who did God love?  Let me refresh your memory, it says this in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  When God, the Son, died for sins, He died for everyone’s sins, even all of His enemies because He loved them.  

The problem we find here is that some people will never find forgiveness for their sins because they will not put their trust in Jesus; they refuse to repent and ask for forgiveness for their sins.  This takes humbling yourself before the Lord, but many people are so proud and arrogant they refuse to do that.  God does not make people submit to Him, even though He may make them miserable, they still have a choice.

This is another problem, if God commands us to love one another, why do people pick and choose who they love?  Why is there so much self-centered love?  Love should reach out and draw others in, not be consumed with itself.  Jesus said this in John 12:32, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”  Jesus’ love compelled people to come to Him and multitudes have come to Him over the years and have never departed because His love is a genuine, unconditional love.  If the church could just get a hold of this truth and apply it to their lives, what a difference it would make, then the church would be living as children of light.

If the church took the following two verses to heart and lived by them, instead of just talking about or quoting them, what a difference it would make in our society as well as the church, because the church could keep all the other commandments.  These are the two verses: Matthew 22:37, “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’”  And Matthew 22:39, “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”  If the body of Christ kept these two commandments they would be living as children of light.  

The Word says this in Matthew 24:11-13 about the end times, “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”  We are living in the last days and people need to see love, more than ever.  

So what kind of people should we be?  The kind of people that love genuinely, the way the Lord does.  Something to think about, God bless and have a great day!!  PS don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord for He is worthy!!