____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ April 28, 1991 ____________________________________________________ GOD'S ILLUMINATORS by Tom Edwards In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus makes the implication that a light is to fulfill its purpose by shedding its illumination wherever needed: a lamp is not to be placed under a bushel, thus hiding its radiance from those who are dwelling in a home of utter darkness, but rather it is to be placed on the lampstand so that their abode may be cheerfully and warmly illuminated. In the King James Version, the term ``candle'' is used in Matthew 5:15. This word, along with its related forms, is also found 70 times throughout the Bible. According to this rendering, one might suspect that candles were quite common in ancient times among the Jewish people. Actually, this is not so. For this reason, the New American Standard Version does not use the term ``candle'' nor any of its related forms even once. What people really used during these times were the oil lamps. Those whom we read of in the Bible would have known nothing about candles, but they were very familiar with the common oil lamps that had been used for centuries. Apparently, the reason for this discrepancy presented by the King James Version is most likely due to the wide use of candles during the time of its writing, which was in A.D. 1611. By far, the most important illumination, to which mankind should be chiefly concerned, pertains to that One who refers to Himself as being ``the light of the world'' (John 8:12) and gives the promise that if anyone follows Him, he will not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12). John spoke of Jesus as being that ``true Light, which gives light to every man who comes into the world'' (John 1:9); and if we are striving to be like Him then we, too, shall be reflections of His glory and will have the responsibility towards enlightening others with the knowledge of the gospel, for we also will be ``lights of the world'' through Jesus Christ our Lord (Matt. 5:14). Lights have a purpose. They are not to merely shine for themselves. The great stars in the heavens as well as our Solar System's sun have been given for the benefit of mankind while life continues in this physical realm. Not only do they aid man in keeping track of time by indicating days, seasons, and years, but -- more importantly --they help make it possible for man's very existence. For example, if the earth were just a tenth of its diameter closer to the sun, life would cease to survive because of the intense heat; and, if the earth were a tenth of its diameter away from the sun, the earth would become too frigid to support life. (Incidentally, our planet is located right in the middle of a ``safe zone.'') How important the sun is to us; who would argue that we could do without it? In the account of creation, God made this ``greater light'' to rule the day, and the ``lesser light to govern the night'' (Gen. 1:14-19). These lights were given to man to help serve his purpose and not their own. I know my father never saw much good in a light that was only shining for itself -- especially when I forgot to turn one off after leaving an unoccupied room. Christians can only be the proper lights of the world as they remain connected to the eternal circuit of God's energizing power. For just as a light bulb without the needed electrical current will be no more helpful than a rock for illumination, we must, therefore, keep continually ``plugged in'' to the dynamo of God's power by our faith and obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ -- that Divine message which Paul refers to as being the ``power (dunamis [Greek]) of God for salvation....'' (Rom. 1:16). Only then will we be able to keep our light ceaselessly shining. And this we must do, not merely for ourselves, but also for God and for others around us. We are to be like that helpful lamp which lambently shines its comforting rays from atop its lampstand so that all in the house may see, or as that city which is conspicuously set upon the towering hill which can not be hidden, but is obviously seen by all. The concept of the Christian's life being one of seclusion, well-concealed and seldom contacting the world about, is foreign to the teachings of the Scriptures. As the Bible shows, we are to be in this world, though without being partakers of its unlawfulness (John 17:15,16). Paul was certainly well ``charged'' and well ``grounded'' in the regenerating power of the gospel and could, consequently and joyfully, say that his ``inner man (was) being renewed day by day'' (2 Cor. 4:16); How tragically regretful it will be, however, for the one who stands before God in that great Day of Reckoning unprepared. Of all regrets, surely this will be the greatest -- to have continually neglected God. For to do so, and to have never responded to the soul-saving message of the Scriptures, will lead to eternal ruin in the unblessedness of hell. For Paul, however, while he remained safely grounded in the gospel, he knew he would never hear the shocking verdict from the Lord, ``I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'' (Matt. 7:23). Rather, he found comfort in the realization that because of a life of faith and obedience, one could eagerly look forward to that heavenly city of light and one day hear the joyous pronouncement: ``Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world'' (Matt. 25:34) -- a city of light for God's saints of light. As we live upon this earth, we are not to be merely ``flashlight'' Christians that shine only during cases of emergency or on rare occasions; rather, we need to always keep aglow with the Spirit and, therefore, we are to be more as a ``generator light'' Christian. Simply put, this is one who realizes that in order to keep his light glowing, he must keep his life going for Christ by obeying Him daily. Figuratively speaking, it is only by having the filament of willingness and unceasingly turning the crank of faithfulness that one can be a live wire for the Lord and keep one's life emitting the rays of righteousness. As John shows, we must continue by walking in the light of the gospel in order to have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse us from all sin (1 John 1:7). In closing, let us listen to a poem by Annie Johnson Flint that expresses similar thoughts as in today's article: His lamp am I, To shine where He shall say; And lamps are not for sunny rooms, Nor for the light of day. But for the dark places of the earth, Where shame and crime and wrong have birth. And so, sometimes a flame we find, Clear shining through the night, So bright we do not see the lamp But only see the light. So may I shine -- His life the flame -- That men may glorify His name. May we each have the fervor to fulfill the Lord's command that we be the godly radiance to the world that will illuminate the way of salvation for all and help those who have been dwelling in darkness to see for themselves the way of redemption. Oh, Christian, do not hide your light -- for you are the light of the world! ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 713 13th Street, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________