Gray areas, and why contrast is important
Disclaimer: To understand the Lord's spiritual truth, you must be born from above by his Holy Spirit. Be sure you've submitted yourself to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and receive this gift from the Lord, lest you add knowledge with no power and are held eternally accountable.
Good evening, hope you're all seeking the eternal kingdom of God today, I sure am. Today I worked my first job, and what's convenient about this job, and why it's such a blessing, is I can have an ear pod in one ear while I work. So, I can listen to Japanese teaching audios and practice speaking, and I can listen to the word of God, and edification from other saints, while I make money. That's awesome, praise God for that. Afterwards, I did some laundry, and now I'm writing this post. I want to talk about a few different topics that were on my mind today, and hopefully afterwards, I'll write out my testimony if time permits.
First, spiritual gray areas destroy people. What do I mean by this? Without a definite understanding of darkness and light, it's impossible to identify truth and error, and without the truth we're all lost. With so few saints in the world, there's a lot of gray, a lot of perversion of God's word, a lot of mixing with world and false ways. Satan's ploy is mixing in some truth, and some lies. You let your guard down hearing the truth, which makes you susceptible to the lies. The enemy knows all he has to do is get you to believe one lie.
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” (Revelation 22:14-15, KJV)
The importance of continuing in good works is the preservation of the truth, being salt and light in the world. When saints hold fast to truth, there's a line drawn between darkness and light. Those who are drawn by the Spirit then see the good works of those abiding in the truth, abiding in the light, and begin to see this demarcation in God's word. It is vital saints continually abide in the truth for the salvation of souls, lest gray areas of compromise are created! Confusion is not of God, Jesus is the truth, there's one truth, one Spirit, we all speak the same thing, we all live by the same word of God which has one interpretation. There's one Way, one ark to float us above God's wrath all of mankind needs to enter.
“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” (Matthew 5:13, KJV)
“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:19-21, KJV)
There's only two kingdoms, the kingdom of God, the Father of lights, and the kingdom of Satan, the father of lies. You're either in the light completely, or in the dark. When God created light and dark, there was a definite contrast. He divided it, they were made separate, they don't mingle. Let's all beware lest we break God's order and mingle light with darkness.
“And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.” (Genesis 1:4, KJV)
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18, KJV)
I would like to share some verses on light and darkness now. While this wasn't in my notes, instead of touching on the other topics I have, I want to drive this point home.
“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:22-24, KJV)
“He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.” (1 John 2:10-11, KJV)
“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” (John 3:19-21, KJV)
“Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:16-17, KJV)
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12, KJV)
Those words are powerful, "shall not walk in darkness."
“Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:6-10, KJV)
No "kinda sorta in the light" here! You're either a child of light, or of darkness.
“If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:6-7, KJV)
What a key verse! You have to walk in the light to apply the blood atonement of Christ to your life.
“Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.” (John 12:35-36, KJV)
“And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:76-79, KJV)
“The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13:12-14, KJV)
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6, KJV)
Even brother Paul pointed back to the light created in Genesis as an example! Pretty cool to ponder this one.
“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3, KJV)
“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 marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10, KJV)
“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5, KJV)
So, I'll be writing my testimony for the rest of the night, and Lord-willing I'll have at least the draft done! Tomorrow I work both jobs, so it'll be a busy day. Thanks for reading tonight, I hope you ponder the word of God I shared, and may the Lord give you understanding if you're truly born of him. Keep being salt out there saints.
“I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.” (Psalms 119:63, KJV)
