From Darkness into Light

Previously we looked at the Bible’s instruction for us to stay SAFE: Stay Away From Evil. The Bible describes evil actions as walking in darkness. The Bible likens living according to God’s instruction, to walking in the light. It is not enough to flee the darkness we must walk in the light of God’s word.

Walking in the light means being obedient to God’s commandments. It also involves our striving to be more like Jesus every day. Pursuing these two goals is what the Bible calls sanctification. Sanctification is a life-long process. Sanctification is not optional for believers. The book of Hebrews warns us that without sanctification “no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).

Salvation is the beginning of our walk in the light as we pursue sanctification. We are not alone in the process of sanctification. The Holy Spirit, that drew us to Jesus and opened our eyes to see the truth, God has also appointed to work in us as we pursue sanctification. “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Paul prayed for believers that God “would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and … that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19).

Later in Ephesians Paul instructed believers that, “you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8-10).

Our walking in the light bears the fruit of sanctification in our lives. Paul describes this as the fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22).

Walking in the light also bears fruit for the Kingdom of God. That fruit is the good works He has prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). He uses us to save the lost (2 Peter 3:9) and to make them disciples (Matthew 28:19).

Sanctification also bears fruit within the church. “Pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another” (Romans 14:19). The fellowship of the believers is enhanced when we are obedient to God’s law (love our neighbors as ourselves – Matthew 22:39) and act more like Jesus (love the church -Ephesians 5:25).

1 Peter 3:10-12 teaches that any one that wants to experience fullness of life on earth “must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of Yehovah are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Flee evil, pursue sanctification and serve God.