Walk as Children of The Light

“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”  (Ephesians 5:3-5 ESV)

Now these words, like many others of like kind, were written to the church, to those making professions of faith in Jesus Christ. All throughout the New Testament we have warnings, such as this, to those professing to be Christians, many of whom truly were legitimate people of faith in the Lord. And these warnings were to let the church be aware that if any of them continued in deliberate and habitual sin, and if sexual immorality was their practice, et al, that they would have no inheritance in the kingdom of God.

There was not even to be a hint of such things among them. But what about today? There is way more than just a hint of sexual immorality, and the like, among those calling themselves Christians. If you read statistics on how many “Christian” men (including pastors) engage somewhat regularly in the viewing of sexually explicit material, and who are involved in various perversions of sex, the numbers are fairly high, like in the majority range. And there are women and children who follow suit, as well.

Now, everyone is responsible for his or her own behaviors. But there are factors involved here which I believe have contributed to the massive number of people within the gatherings of “the church” who are sexually immoral, and who are living in adultery, if only in their own minds. One of the major factors is that many pastors have diluted the gospel message. So, many preachers are no longer teaching God’s requirements for death to sin and obedience to God, as required for genuine faith which saves.

Thus, many people have the impression that they can “believe” in Jesus, have all their sins forgiven, be guaranteed heaven when they die, while they continue in sin and pursue what is immoral and wicked and against God and against his commandments, in practice. And then the internet and smartphones have just made it so convenient for people to look at whatever and to talk with whomever and to flirt and to cheat and to lie, etc., where no one else can see what they are doing, even in a crowded room.

This should not be!

“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:6-10 ESV)

So, we need to understand that the Scriptures do not give us permission to keep living in sin just because we made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. We are not forgiven of our sins so that we can go on living in sin, only now without punishment, without remorse, and without genuine repentance (turning away from our sins so we can now follow Jesus in obedience). For if we do not die with Christ to sin, we are not reborn of the Spirit of God. And if we do not follow Jesus in obedience, we do not have eternal life in him.

So don’t believe those who are telling you that all you have to do is just receive Jesus Christ into your heart, or to acknowledge him for who he is and for what he did for us on that cross, and now you are saved, sanctified, and on your way to heaven, and no one can take that away from you. Jesus said if anyone would come after him he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we keep on in our sin, and if we do not obey our Lord, in practice, we don’t have salvation from sin.

So, if disobedience to our Lord and to his commands is our habit, and if obedience and holy living and dying to sin daily is not our practice, then we will face the wrath of God, not inherit eternal life with God. So we are not to be partners with those who are walking in disobedience to the Lord and who are living to please the flesh and not God. We are not to be in agreement with these altered “gospel” messages. But we are to walk in obedience to our Lord, no longer addicted to sin, and live lives pleasing to Him.

“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,

    and arise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:11-14 ESV)

Now, not only are we not to be partners with those for whom sin is their practice, and not only are we not to partake in sinful practices (the works of darkness), but we are to expose the fruitless deeds of darkness for what they are so that others don’t get entrapped by them. All of us who believe in Jesus Christ are to be doing this! All of us are to be teaching that genuine faith in Jesus Christ results in us dying with him to sin and us now walking in obedience to his commands, in practice. And if sin is what we practice, and not righteousness, we will die in our sins and face the wrath of God.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

Walking in The Light  

An Original Work / November 16, 2011

Based off 1 John 1-2

When I lift up my voice, and

Sing praise unto God,

I will fellowship with my

Lord and Savior, King.

In Him there is no darkness.

He is in the light of truth.

If we walk in His light,

From sin He purifies. 

If we repent of our sins,

He’ll forgive us now,

When we humble ourselves, and

Before Jesus bow.

The man who says, “I know Him,”

But does not obey His truth,

There is no truth in him.

In darkness still he’s found.

Do not love the world of sin,

For it is hell bound.

If you follow the world, you’ll

Not in Christ be found.

The world and its desires 

Will not last; they’ll expire.

The one who does God’s will,

Receives eternal life.

See that what you have heard from

Christ remains in you.

Then, you’ll remain in Christ, and

In His Father, too.

This is what He promised us –

His eternal life with God.

So, continue in Him, and

You’ll receive a crown.

https://vimeo.com/114160122