Freedom Calls

In Philippians 2:15, the Apostle Paul exhorts believers to “shine as lights in the world” amidst a crooked and perverse nation.

This is not a suggestion, but a command. As children of the one true God, saved by grace and faith in Jesus Christ, we are called to reflect the image of our Savior in our daily lives.

According to Charles Spurgeon, “A Christian man should so shine in his life, that a person could not live with him a week without knowing the gospel.”

This is not about being obnoxious or forcing our faith on others, but about living a life that is so transformed by the power of the Gospel that it is impossible to ignore.

As C.S. Lewis once said, “The next moment is as much beyond our grasp, and as much in God’s care, as that a hundred years away. Care for the next minute is as foolish as care for a day in the next thousand years. In neither can we do anything, in both God is doing everything.”

Our responsibility is to trust in God’s sovereignty and live in obedience to His Word, shining as lights in the darkness.

Lights are intended for guidance, and as believers, we are to help those around us who are in the dark. We are to hold forth the Word of life, pointing sinners to the Savior and the weary to a divine resting-place. As A.W. Tozer said, “We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum.”

We must be bold in our witness, yet meek in our approach, always ready to instruct those who are seeking truth.

However, we must also be aware of the false lights that are prevalent in the world. Satan’s wreckers are always abroad, tempting the ungodly to sin under the guise of pleasure. As Watchman Nee warned,

“The enemy’s greatest strategy is not to get us to do wrong, but to get us to do good in the wrong way.”

We must be discerning and shine the true light of the Gospel, exposing the dangers of sin and pointing people to the only way of salvation.

Finally, lights have a cheering influence, and as believers, we ought to be comforters, bringing joy and hope to those around us. As D.L. Moody said,

“The best way to show that a stick is crooked is not to argue about it or to spend time denouncing it, but to lay a straight stick alongside it.”

We must live lives that demonstrate the transforming power of the Gospel, carrying sunshine wherever we go and diffusing happiness around us.

In the words of the hymn:

Gracious Spirit dwell with me;
I myself would gracious be,
And with words that help and heal
Would thy life in mine reveal,
And with actions bold and meek
Would for Christ my Saviour speak.

May we, as children of the one true God, shine as lights in this crooked and perverse nation, reflecting the image of our Savior and bringing hope to a world in desperate need of it.

References:

(1) Charles Spurgeon, “The Gospel of the Kingdom”

(2) C.S. Lewis, “The Screwtape Letters”

(3) A.W. Tozer, “The Pursuit of God”

(4) Watchman Nee, “The Normal Christian Life”

(5) D.L. Moody, “The Overcoming Life”

Scripture References:

Philippians 2:15
Matthew 5:14-16
2 Corinthians 4:6
Ephesians 5:8
1 Peter 2:9-12