Tag: being a light to others

Walking Worthy of God’s Call to Service

The CrossThe greatest event in our lives occurred when we became “children of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:26), believing the simple gospel message “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3-4). Nothing compares with it. Nothing at all. For that single decision has forever changed the course of our lives and eternal destinies in ways we can never fully calculate. Through faith in Christ, we were forgiven all our sins (Eph 1:7; Heb 10:10-14), given the gift of righteousness (Rom 5:17; Phil 3:9), eternal life (John 10:28), became “children of God” (John 1:12), were rescued “from the domain of darkness” and transferred “to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13), and are now brothers and sisters to Jesus, Who is “the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim 6:15). These, and other wonderful blessings have been bestowed on us who are now, in Christ.

After being “justified as a gift by His grace” (Rom 3:24), we are called into phase two of the Christian life, which is our sanctification. In this phase, we start off as newborn babes in Christ, knowing little about God and His Word. As spiritual babies, our primary objective is to grow into spiritual adulthood, to “press on to maturity” (Heb 6:1), “no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Eph 4:14), but “to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ” (Eph 4:14-15). We advance to spiritual maturity by learning and living God’s Word on a daily basis, as we feed on “the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Pet 2:2). The reality is that we cannot live what we do not know, and learning God’s Word necessarily precedes living His will. But, it is possible to learn His Word and not live His will. For this reason, we must be “doers of the word, and not merely hearers” who delude ourselves (Jam 1:22).

Called Into Service to the King

Walking with GodNow that we are God’s people and are growing spiritually, we are called into service to the King, to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Eph 4:1). Paul uses similar language when writing to Christians in Thessalonica, saying, “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Th 2:12). We are called to a mission, and our mission field is wherever we happen to be and includes whoever we happen to meet. To fulfill our divine objective requires submission, humility, commitment, biblical education, field training, and advancement testing. We reach the spiritual high-ground by operating by faith as God’s Word saturates our thinking and directs our speech and behavior. And this dynamic life of service is executed in the Lord’s power, for “whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever” (1 Pet 4:11).

Sadly, not everyone answers the call to service, as our positional justification does not guarantee our experiential sanctification. But for those few who do answer the call, there is no better life, no higher calling, no nobler pursuit, than that which we live in our daily walk with the God of the universe who has called us “out of darkness and into His marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9; cf. Eph 4:8-9). As those who are now “the saints in Light” (Col 1:12), we need to act like it. God expects our performance to reflect our position in Christ, “for 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” (Eph 5:8-10). And we are to “lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Rom 13:12), and learn to function “in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world” (Phil 2:15). Being a light in the world means helping those who are positive to God to know Him. It means sharing Scripture with them. It means sharing the gospel of grace to the lost who want to know God so they might be saved (1 Cor 15:3-4; Eph 2:8-9). And for Christians who want to grow spiritually, it means helping them know God’s Word so they can advance to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1; cf., 2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18). Such a life glorifies God, edifies others, and results in joy for the believer.

Our service to the Lord takes place in an ever fluctuating hostile environment that is largely governed by Satan. And we’re not told why, but for His own sovereign reasons, God permits Satan a modicum of freedom in our world, to influence mankind to function apart from God.[1] As believers-on-a-mission, we are instructed, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world” (1 John 2:15a), and “do not be conformed to this world” (Rom 12:2a), for “friendship with the world is hostility toward God” (Jam 4:4). The world (κόσμος kosmos) does not refer to the physical planet (γῆ ge), but to those values and philosophies that are antithetical to God and His Word, which values and philosophies originate in Satan, the prince of darkness, and are promoted by his demonic forces and those people who belong to his kingdom of darkness.[2] It’s helpful for us to know that Satan’s world-system is unreformable, being systemically corrupt throughout.[3] Being irredeemable, Satan’s world-system can only be resisted. For those people who are trapped in that system, we share the gospel of grace with the hope that they will turn to Christ and be rescued out of it. When someone turns to Christ as their Savior, they are liberated from “the dominion of Satan” (Acts 26:18), as God rescues them “from the domain of darkness” and transfers them “to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13). This is their new reality in Christ, as they have been transferred from one kingdom to another.[4]

Daily Bible StudyAs we grow spiritually and walk with God, learning and living His Word (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17), we will stand in opposition to Satan’s world-system and sow the seeds of spiritual insurrection in the lives of those who live and walk in his kingdom of darkness. We disrupt Satan’s kingdom when we share the free grace gospel that liberates others from spiritual bondage and brings them into relationship with God. The gospel is the only way a person can be delivered from spiritual slavery; “for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16). Once saved, we seek to influence the thoughts and lives of other Christians through biblical teaching (1 Tim 4:13; 2 Tim 4:2), fellowship (Heb 10:23-25), prayer (Jam 5:16), edification (Eph 4:29), encouragement (1 Th 5:11), love (1 Th 4:9; cf. Eph 4:14-15), and words of grace (Col 4:6).

But Satan does not want us to succeed and will work to hinder us, either by pleasures or pressures. When we fail, and we occasionally will (Prov 20:9; Eccl 7:20; Rom 7:18-21; Jam 3:2), it’s important to confess our sins directly to God and accept His forgiveness (1 John 1:9), get back into the arena and “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim 6:12), and share God’s gospel of grace with all who will listen. And as we promote the gospel and biblical teaching, we will disrupt Satan’s domain of darkness by calling out of it a people for God. Worldly-minded people may not want to hear what we have to say, and their personal choices should be respected (Matt 10:14; Acts 13:50-51), but they should never be under the false impression that they have the right to quiet us.[5]

Ultimately, we know God’s plans will advance. He will win. The future messianic kingdom on earth will come to pass. Christ will return. Jesus will put down all forms of rebellion—both satanic and human—and will rule this world with perfect righteousness and justice. But until then, we must continue to learn and live God’s Word and fight the good fight. We are to live by faith (Heb 10:38; 11:6), share the gospel of grace (1 Cor 15:3-4), disciple others (Matt 28:19-20), be good and do good (Gal 6:9-10; Tit 2:11-14), and look forward to the return of Christ at the rapture (Tit 2:13; cf. John 14:1-3; 1 Th 4:13-18).

Summary

As Christians, we have been saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Our salvation results in forgiveness of sins, the gift of righteousness, eternal life, and a new status as a child of God. After our salvation, we are called to journey towards spiritual maturity and service to our God and King. The journey involves learning God’s Word and applying it by faith, and service to the King requires submission, humility, commitment, field training, and advancement testing. As God’s children, we are to glorify God in all things, be lights in a dark world, and help others know Him and grow spiritually. But we live in the reality that living the Christian life is not always easy and will be met with opposition, both from Satan and other people who operate according to their fallen natures. Despite this opposition, we are encouraged to share the gospel of grace and biblical truth with others, to live by faith, and serve as ambassadors for God. By promoting the gospel and biblical teaching, we disrupt Satan’s domain of darkness by calling people to God. While not everyone wants to hear the gospel or Bible teaching, believers should be respectful, conversational, and never have a confrontational attitude, as arrogance never helps advance biblical truth. Ultimately, we know God will establish his righteous kingdom on earth after the Second Coming of Jesus, so we look forward to His return.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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[1] God always retains His sovereignty over His creation, for “The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all” (Psa 103:19). As believers, we know “our God is in the heavens, and He does whatever He pleases” (Psa 115:3), and that “the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind” (Dan 4:17).

[2] Our world is fallen for two reasons. First, at some time in the past—we don’t know exactly when—there was an angelic revolt in heaven, where an angel, of the class of cherubim, by the name of Lucifer, sinned against God and led an angelic revolt (Isa 14:12-14; Ezek 28:12-17). The result was that a third of the angels fell with Satan (Rev 12:4), and this created his kingdom of darkness. But Satan expanded his kingdom of darkness when he convinced the first humans, Adam and Eve, to follow him rather than God (Gen 3:1-8). When Adam and Eve sinned, they abandoned their position as theocratic administrators (Gen 1:26-28) and handed the title deed of the world over to Satan (Luke 4:5-6), who now rules over the realm of mankind. Three times Jesus referred to Satan as “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). Other Scriptures call Satan “the god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4), and “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2), informing us “that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). And Satan is no benevolent dictator, but rules as a tyrant who has “weakened the nations” (Isa 14:12), and currently “deceives the whole world” (Rev 12:9; cf. Rev 20:3). Satan rules by deception, oppression, and enslavement; and because he is a finite creature, he relies on others—fallen angels and people—to help him advance his agenda. These are his useful idiots.

[3] Systemic corruption refers to a form of corruption that cannot separate the inherently immoral values from the institutions and processes that guide them. This corruption permeates the entire fabric of Satan’s system, and reflects his values, strategies, and practices. And Satan’s corruption infects most of society, influencing those who accept his values and practices, who range from high-ranking officials to everyday citizens.

[4] In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus gave the parable of the wheat and the weeds (Matt 13:36-43). In that parable, Jesus said, “the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the weeds are the sons of the evil one” (Matt 13:38). This is a picture of reality, as the whole world is split into two groups of people, the saved (good seed) and the lost (weeds). This means everyone we meet is either a child of God or a child of Satan. Those are the only two options. And this state of affairs will continue until Christ returns at His second coming, at which time He will remove all unbelievers (Matt 13:39), and will establish His earthly kingdom for a thousand years (Matt 6:10; Rev 20:4-6). Afterwards, all unbelievers will stand before Christ at the Great White Throne judgment and be cast into the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:11-15).

[5] As God’s influencers in the world, we should never try to force the gospel or Bible teaching on anyone, but be willing to share when opportunity presents itself. At times this will bring peace, and other times cause offense and disruption. In this interaction, we must be careful not to fall into the exclusion trap, in which the worldly person (whether saved or lost) controls the content of every conversation, demanding we only talk about worldly issues, as Scripture threatens his pagan presuppositions. Having the biblical worldview, we should insert ourselves into daily conversations with others, and in so doing, be a light in a dark place. We should always be respectful, conversational, and never have a fist-in-your-face attitude, as arrogance never helps advance biblical truth (2 Tim 2:24-26).

A Tribute to a Godly Grandmother

Jeanette Boerner O'DonnellJeanette K. Boerner O’Donnell (4/19/1893 to 12/21/1984) was the only grandparent I knew growing up in Lancaster, California, in the mid 70’s. I was 8 and she was 80 when she came to live in our home for about two years. We stood eye to eye and weighed about the same. She had a crown of silvery hair and kept her shoulders straight when she walked. Her gentle demeanor made others feel welcome. She was loved by those who knew her. 

       Jeanette K. Boerner 1930Jeanette was born in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, and lived there until she moved to California in the 1920’s to attend college (see genealogy). She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English in 1929 and then moved to Lancaster, California, where she was involved in her church. She was gifted in music and played the clarinet, the mandolin and the piano. Her love for God as a young girl continued into her adult life and she was not shy about sharing the Lord with others she met along the way. 

       She occupied the little bedroom near the front of the house. My room was next to hers, cattycorner across the hall. I walked past her bedroom each morning as I headed to the kitchen for breakfast. Usually awake at sunrise, she had the habit of praising God before getting out of bed, and sometimes I could hear her whispering praises to the Lord. This was her habit every morning. She would hold her hands slightly above the bedcovers and count praises on her fingertips. A hundred praises before she got out of bed. She liked to start each day with worship and honor to the Lord and often had tears by the time she finished her hundredth praise; tears and a smile. Her love for God was genuine, and it flowed out of her in praise for Him and love for others. My grandmother believed in godly habits, as they led to godly character. 

open-bibleMy grandmother used to say, “Be disciplined in your life.” By discipline she meant, “do what you ought to do, whether you want to do it or not, because it’s right.” When she spoke of doing what is “right”, she often meant according to the standard of God’s Word. For her, the Bible was the guide for Christian faith and conduct. The Christian was to learn God’s Word and then live it on daily basis. She modeled her Christian faith regularly. She also taught me basic rules of etiquette. She demonstrated politeness and good manners toward others and always had good posture when standing, walking or sitting. As a family, we were very poor financially, but she explained that was no excuse for poor manners, a poor work ethic, or a poor education. Above all, it was no excuse to be poor in love. As Christians, we were to look to Christ, both as our Savior and role model. I must admit, at that time, I did not understand my grandmother, and it took nearly fifteen years of growing up before I began to appreciate her in a fuller way. That’s the way it goes in life. We sometimes learn things we don’t fully understand until later, or we don’t appreciate some people until we grow older. 

       My grandmother was an anomaly to me. She was out of place in the world that I knew. My parents, siblings and friends were consumed with their own lives and were steeped in worldly values. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes, but my grandmother sought the Lord. She was a light in a dark place. She represented the highest and best in good behavior at a time when all others around me represented the lowest and worst. It’s easy to be worldly when everyone around you is worldly, but she chose to be godly and to live by biblical values. 

       She was not afraid to share Christ with others. I was with her once in a department store when she decided to share Christ with the man standing next to her. The man was well over six feet, bearded, scruffy, and wearing a black leather jacket with writing on the back. My grandmother turned to him and asked, “Have you made the most important decision of your life?” I did not understand what she was asking him. About fifteen minutes later she was standing with him over in a corner of the store and was sharing the gospel of Christ with him. She explained that Jesus had died on the cross for his sins and was assuring him that he could receive the gift of eternal life if he would trust in Christ as his Savior. A moment later they both closed their eyes and she prayed with him. She was bold when sharing the Gospel of God’s grace. 

       I remember a conflict I’d had with her once at the house. I’d defied her one morning when she’d asked me to perform a trivial task. I remember looking her square in the eyes and saying “no”. She asked me again to do what she wanted, and again I said “no”. She said, “If you don’t do what I ask, you can spend an hour in your room.” I told her, “No I won’t.” I don’t know why I defied her. She promptly grabbed me by my ear and walked me across the living room and down the hall and put me in my bedroom and said, “stay in your room for an hour and then come out and do what I’ve asked.” I told her “no” and proceeded to wrestle with her. She walked out of the room and shut the door behind her. I grabbed the door and pulled it open, and she pulled it shut, then we tugged on the door back and forth for a few seconds until I finally gave up and sat down on my bed. I sat and read my Curious George book, angry that I was made to stay in my room for an hour. After about twenty minutes I thought perhaps she’d gone away, so I quietly snuck over to the door and gently placed my hands on the knob, and with a quick turn I pulled on the door and was surprised to see my grandmother standing on the other side. She was surprised at my attempt to escape. She quickly pulled the door shut and said, “I’ll stand here the whole hour if that’s what it takes to keep you in your room.” And that’s exactly what she did. Afterwards she let me out and I did what she asked. My respect for her increased greatly. 

       My grandmother moved away after being with us for nearly two years. Eventually she went to live with my uncle in North Hollywood. She stayed there until her death in 1984. She suffered a stroke one day at the house and died a few days later at a local hospital. My older sister Cindy was able to visit our grandmother in the hospital before she died. Cindy kissed her cheek, thanked her for her love, sang a hymn and prayed with her while holding her hand. Though limited by her stroke, my grandmother continued to pray and praise the Lord until she died. Her faith was strong to the end of her life. She was a trophy of God’s grace to all her knew her.

       In closing, there was a great spiritual void in my life after my grandmother moved away. There was no one to help me memorize Scripture or teach me right from wrong. As I grew older the ways of the world filled my soul and I fell into darkness. By the time I was 21 I’d ruined my life with drugs and was living on the streets of Las Vegas, Nevada. I woke one morning to the sound of children walking past the fence near the alley where I’d slept the night before. Years of bad choices and heavy drug use had caught up with me and the few weeks I’d spent living on the streets and at a homeless shelter were enough to wake me to the despair of my situation. Worldly living had produced such a darkness within me, there were times I had considered suicide as a solution to end the misery that was my pathetic life. However, there was hope that morning on the grass. God’s voice broke through, as the influence of a godly grandmother came to my mind. I was thinking about Psalm chapter 1, which my grandmother helped me memorize when I was 8. I kept repeating that Psalm over in my mind, and it helped me focus on God rather than the despair of my situation. From that moment onward I began to look to the Lord and Scripture for guidance. My life has been an uphill climb out of the ash heap ever since then, and I thank God for His blessing me more than I deserve. I am thankful for the godly grandmother He placed in my life at a young age. The biblical seeds she planted took root and have been growing ever since. My life is richer because of her. 

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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[1] The Boerner family genealogy: https://boernerfamily.wordpress.com/.