Beloved, I was glad to come with you last week to the eighth step of the spiritual ascension, namely, suffering and sacrifice, or “suffering for Christ”. This walk led us to the esplanade of the temple of truth, which has twenty-seven windows and will be the subject of our sharing over the next few weeks.
But before doing so, it is worth recalling in a few words, the eight steps of spiritual ascent, so important for believers: initial step, humility, or awareness of one’s spiritual need; second step, repentance or the need to cry over one’s sin; third step, gentleness, or show a new spirit, conciliatory, easy to live; fourth stage, spiritual appetite or demonstrate spiritual growth, true inner justice; fifth stage, mercy or show this attribute of God and show superior growth, a manifestation of goodness; sixth step, the purity of heart or be free from all defilement, to show the existence of nobler attitudes that lead to the divine vision; the seventh stage is conciliation, that is to say, to bring peace, or to exert an influence worthy of Christ, and which helps to soothe the storms of life; and finally eighth step, the climax: suffering and sacrifice, or suffering for Christ, alongside the prophets and martyrs.
Today, I would like to begin with you, exploring the windows of this temple in the order they appear in the Holy Bible. It’s therefore first of all, influence.
I. Understand the origin of influence
‘Influencing’ is exercising an ascendancy over a person or circumstance; therefore, an influence is the action of one person or circumstance on another. In particular, it’s also an authority or power over an inferior person.
Thus the power of a master, of a lord, is a moral and free ascendant over his subordinates; and while power is an effective force, domination is a power, accepted or imposed, of a master over his subordinates. So going back to the origin of the world, we come to the Creator.
So it’s the Eternal Almighty God who is the sovereign Master of all, as we read in 1 Chronicles 29.12: ” Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all”; his dominion is over all things: Psalms 103.19 ” The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all”; it is eternal: Psalms 145.13: ” Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does”; Daniel 6.26 : “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. “For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end.”
Since he did not work alone, he delegated part of it to mankind: Genesis 1:28: ” God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Also, the Bible gives us examples of good influence between humans in the following verses:
Mark 9.50a : “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?
1 Corinthians 7.16 : “How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?”
2 Corinthians 9.2 “For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action”;
1 Kings 9.4 ” “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws,”
2 Chronicles 17.3 ” The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals “;
(2 Chronicles 20.32 ” He followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.”)
2 Chronicles 26.4 ” He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done.”
(2 Chronicles 27.2 ” He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done, but unlike him he did not enter the temple of the LORD. The people, however, continued their corrupt practices.”)
2 Timothy 1.5 ” I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”
II. The implications of good influence
In fact, the vocation of the children of the kingdom is to be the salt of the earth, which must never lose its flavor, to be the light of the world, which must never be hidden. May this light shine on the glory of God. The following verses constitute the essence of the mission entrusted to the disciples and to all who become children of the kingdom:
Mat 5.13-16: 13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
The Lord Jesus, after having characterized those who are children of his kingdom and foretold them of inevitable persecutions in a world that is an enemy of God, made them feel the seriousness of their position, the greatness of their vocation, so that far away to allow themselves to be defeated by the opposition, they become more courageous and faithful to exercise the holy influence they are called to have. They are among men salt and light.
But precisely, the purpose of salt is to remove corruption, to make food tasty and wholesome, that is the destination of salt. The disciples of Jesus are themselves the salt of the earth, destined to penetrate the whole mass of humanity. But if the salt itself were to lose its flavor, nothing could return it to same, it becomes a useless matter, and its destination is lost. This means that if the people of God are not what they should be, there is a serious problem to solve.
The Savior is the light of the world as we read in the following verses: John 8:12 ” When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”;
John 9.5 ” While I am in the world, I am the light of the world”;
John 12.35 ” Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going.”
And Jesus alone is in an absolute sense, the light of the world that has shone in our darkness. His disciples, illumined by him, immediately became it : Ephesians 5.8: ” For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light” ; Philippians 2:15 “so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”
It must be emphasized that our light is ours only when we have appropriated it in a living way; so it shines of itself before men who see our good works, the whole of a Christian life, the holy truth whose character is essentially moral and practical.
III. What are the consequences of becoming salt and light?
Remember that light is the very first thing that the Eternal God has commanded to exist: Genesis 1.2. It’s to say that to become light is : an incomparable grace. He is therefore light, he creates light, the father of light. Above all, he lives in the light. In addition, Jesus reflects the light of the Father, and He is the light of the world. We read it in the verses below:
Psa 104.2 “The LORD wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent” ; 1 Tim 6.16 “who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.” ; Heb 1.3 “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
John 1.9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world; John 8:12 ” When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”; John 9.5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world”.
IV. Those who proclaim the Gospel proclaim the light, in the light of God
Psa 119.130 ” The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple”. ; Pro 6.23: “For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life”; 2 P 1.19 ” We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts”;
Acts 26.18-23 ” to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ 19 “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. 21 That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22 But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23 that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.” 2 Cor 4.3-4 ” And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” ; Psa 36.10: ” Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart.”
Finally, the believers are enlightened, they are children of the light, they are called to be the light of God, they confess that the LORD is their light, they walk in the light, their path shines more and more, they put on the armor of light, they live as children of light, they must be the light of the world, they will enter the kingdom of God, they expect the new heavens that will be only light, they must not be in communion with the darkness. The corresponding passages are recalled below:
Hebrews 6.4: ” It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit” ; Heb 10.32: “Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering”;
1 Thessalonians 5.5: ” You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness”; Mat 5.14: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden”;
1 Peter 2.9: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” Psa 27.1: ” The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?”;
Micah 7: 9: “Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the LORD’s wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.”; Isaiah 2.5: ” Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.” 1 John 1.5, 7: ” This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin”; Proverbs 4.18: ” The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.”; Rom 13.12: “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”;
Eph 5: 8-12 ” For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret”;
Mat 5.14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city on a mountain can not be hidden; 15 And they do not light a lamp to put it under the bushel, but put it on the candlestick, and it lighteth all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven “;
Philippians 2:15: ” so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”; Col 1,12-13: “12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves” ; Isaiah 60:19: “The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.”
Rev 21.23: ” The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.”; Rev 22.5: “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever”. Luke 11.35: ” See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.”; 2 Cor 6.14: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”
Eph 5.11: ” Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” ; 1 Peter 2.12: ” Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
Finally, the humans who will see these good works, will glorify our Father who is in heaven, to whom they will be forced to attribute the testimony of a sanctified life. This is why the word of God remains true and all that has just been said above shows that following the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ will make all those who have followed him in his works, children of light and they will live in the eternal light. Also note that Christ is not the first name of Jesus, but his rank in the heavenly places. What joy then for all those still yesterday were in the darkness and became the light of the world. Let’s be in great number the light of the world, for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is our prayer for you all in this matter.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite anyone who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me as follows :
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you and ask forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as my Lord and personal Savior. I acknowledge that you died on the cross of Calvary and that you rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me each day to eternal life you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal to me and strengthen my heart and my faith so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me in your divine family so that I too can contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
To you all adoration, power, and glory, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be glad to respond to your queries and comments as necessary, before sharing with you next week on the eternal law.
May the Almighty God bless you profusely.
David Feze, Servant of the Lord of armies.
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