Articles
Shine Jesus Shine!
A statement being heard more often today is that the church is doing the same as all other
religious groups, in spite of our teaching otherwise. Personally, I take offense at such a comment.
Yet, at the same time, I understand why the comment is being made. We tout that we “speak
where the Bible speaks and silent where the Bible is silent”, but our lives are not being lived
consistently with what is being taught. I do believe that we try to teach and preach God’s Word
as God’s word. But here’s the rub, are we practicing the Word as God’s word?
The apostle Peter challenges us [His children] “...like the Holy One who called you, be
holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am
holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16). The apostle Paul begins his letter to the Ephesians with the charge,
“...that we should be holy and blameless before Him” (Ephesians 1:4). To be a holy people,
demands that we know God’s Word (Psalm 119:11; 2 Timothy 3:15) and then begin to live
[obey] God’s Word (John 14:15, 21, 23). We have the tendency to sift through God’s Word,
pick and choose what we want to apply to our lives and ignore the words and commands that
may be, to us, too “binding”. And then we argue that we have become just like everyone else!
It is time for the true children of God to rise up and begin living for the Lord in all things.
It begins with an examination of our life to see that it is in accord with the Lord (2 Corinthians
13:5). When we find our shortcomings (and we will!), then we need to make the appropriate
corrections in our daily life (repent), so as to once again be walking in the light of our Lord and
Savior (1 John 1:6-7). We have allowed ourselves to align with the world, instead of calling the
world to account (Phil. 2:15; Titus 2:6-8; 1 Peter 2:12). The apostle Paul admonishes, “And do
not participate in unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;…” (Eph. 5:11).
Once we have corrected our lives and brought every thought under the control of God (2
Cor. 10:5), then, and only then, can we truly shine as lights in this dark world (Matthew 5:16; 1
Peter 2:9). We were once darkness, but now light for Jesus Christ! “Awake, sleeper, and arise
from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Eph. 5:8, 14). Yes, let us awake from our slumber,
allow no room for Satan in our lives, be a holy people unto the Lord, and in so doing be able to
proclaim salvation in Jesus Christ, according to His Word in all things! ~P. Mowrer
