Essential Baptist Principles™ Selected Article Series

9/1/2005

WALKING IN THE LIGHT

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son. Colossians 1:12    

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God…" The scripture in 1 Peter 2:9-10 tells us that all God’s people should shew forth the praises of Him who called them out of darkness. But some of God’s people do not. So often what we should do and what we do are two different things.

Some walk not in the light nor do they desire the fellowship with God’s obedient children (see 1 John 1:7). Some walk in the light of their own fire, and in the sparks that they have kindled (see Isaiah 50:11).  These are sad facts. Some of God’s people have even gone back to abide in darkness even though they have light. All of God’s obedient children are God’s people. All of God’s people are not God’s obedient children. God shall not be praised if God is not worshipped in Spirit and in truth.  God shall not be worshipped in Spirit and in truth if men insist on worshiping God their own way.  Men that fail to submit to God shall not shew forth praise of God.

Being called to life requires no active participation on the sinner’s part. All God’s people are passive in the heavenly calling of God. Being obedient to God’s word requires submissiveness. Submissiveness requires yielding to the Spirit of God. One must keep under the body and bring it into subjection (1 Cor 9:27) to be submissive to God’s word. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh. There is a battle going on and it would behoove all of God’s obedient children to follow Paul’s example and bring the body into subjection. How many of God’s people are made castaways in this world?

The darkness that natural man abides in is indeed a powerful darkness. All-powerful things have lasting effects on men. It leaves men with the misconception that he is more sufficient than he truly is.  From the world’s perspective being insufficient is a sign of weakness. But to the obedient Child of God the conviction of their insufficiency is an evidence of the work of grace. The world detests a broken spirit. There isn’t a child of God that hasn’t been given a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart (see Psalm 51:17). All the elect are God’s chosen people but not all of God’s people are found behaving as peculiar people, shewing forth the praises of God that called them out of darkness abiding in His light.  If ye are light in the Lord, walk as children of light. (Eph 5:8). 5/11/2005 Elder M. Hoogasian