The Light of the world

Believers, have you ever tried going about your business outside in the bright morning sun with a candle to help you see straight; even on a cloudy day when we know the sun is still shining but we can't see it because of the clouds? If the winds, floods and rains don't put out the flame, you'll end up spending your time trying to keep the candle lit, unable to concentrate or enjoy the beauty around you, bumping into everything and everyone, stumbling often and falling!

But this is what many of us do. Many of us shun the gift of righteousness that God freely gives to us in our Saviour Jesus Christ, the Bright and Morning Star, and hold up our efforts at keeping the Ten Commandments as the light to guide how we live; our own righteousnesses. Many believers use their law-keeping as the light to their path forgetting John 8:12- "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”"

Like sheep that have their own torchlights, many depend on their own righteousnesses which are from keeping the Ten Commandments to help them see straight and guide them on the right path but still say "The Lord is my Shepherd!" In doing this, many are cut off from Christ! Galatians 5:4 says-

"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace."

Calling on the name of Jesus for forgiveness here is an effort in futility because Christ becomes of no effect to you when you mix law and grace. The candles (righteousness from works of the law) that such hold up while they profess to be under the Sun of Righteousness get hit by the winds and rains so it's either they're trying to put it on or it just went out; trying to stop sinning or falling into sin!

Because our Saviour Jesus Christ -the Light of the world, the Sun of Righteousness, the Bright and Morning Star is no longer of effect in their lives, they grope in darkness in broad daylight as it is written in isaiah 59:8

"We grope for the wall like the blind,

And we grope as if we had no eyes;

We stumble at noonday as at twilight;

We are as dead men in desolate places."

Believers, we are not under Law but under Grace! The Sun of Righteousness shines His Light on all who believe and receive His gift of Righteousness; all who forsake theirs which comes from keeping the Law.

At the cross, God performed righteous exchange, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21.

God didn't just sweep our entire lifetime of sins under the carpet. They were punished in the body of our Lord Jesus. He put all of our sins on Jesus so that we can have all of His righteousness. God is a just God and will never condemn or punish you for the same sins that Christ has already been condemned and punished for. God is righteous in making the sinner righteous!

Trying to keep the Law in order to "maintain your salvation" is telling Him that what our Lord Jesus did for you on the cross is not enough!

But His gift of everlasting righteousness is not a license to sin! It is the key to right living. God hates sin but loves the sinner, much like (but faaaar better than) how a dad who is also an expert oncologist hates the cancer in his beloved child. So what does He do? He fills us with the only effective sin "chemo" that He made available to believers in Christ - the Holy Spirit. His eyes burn at and destroy sin but radiate perfect love for the sinner. His Spirit transforms us to the image of His glory, from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18.) We get to be free from the clutches of sin and live right and not by our efforts but Christ in us!

Believers, ask our heavenly Father in Christ to help you depend solely on His gift of righteousness and not yours from deeds of the Law that can never make you righteous in God's sight. Why be cut off from Christ by your efforts at law-keeping in order to get right with God?

Build your house on the Rock (the Righteousness of God) and not on the sand (your candle in the sun aka efforts at keeping the Law.) When the rains, floods and winds come, your Light will still be shining, even when it's cloudy!

Believe Right and you will Live Right!