| The Christian Life | December 1946 |
How It Shines
The Light of the World
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”—Matthew 5:14-16
ORDINARILY, and properly, we think of Jesus as the light of the world—that true light which “lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” (John 1:9) In our text, however, Jesus reveals that his followers are divinely honored by being permitted to occupy the high position of luminaries to reflect “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God” as it shines “in the face of Jesus Christ.” (II Cor. 4:6) It is a distinctive favor that God thus bestows upon us, and it should be esteemed highly and used faithfully.
It was a dark world to which Jesus came. Darkness still covers the earth, “and gross darkness the people.” (Isa. 60:2) This symbolic darkness is in reality a condition of separateness from God through wicked works. Paul explains that when men wished to forget God he gave them over to their reprobate minds, “and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Rom. 1:21) Nearly all of the human race are thus alienated from God, and the hearts of all being darkened by error and sin, the whole world is inevitably dark; the only light-bearers being those into whose hearts God has shined by the Gospel.
The human race has never been without some measure of “light,” some representation from God. Until the present time however, darkness has prevailed in every age, and will continue to prevail until the “sun of righteousness” dispels all the mists of superstition and unbelief, and the knowledge of the glory of God fills the earth as the waters cover the sea.
In the antediluvian world there were such representatives of God as Abel, Enoch, and Noah. In the patriarchal age there were Melchizedek, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. At the death of Jacob his twelve sons, forming the nucleus of the Jewish nation, became God’s representatives in the earth. Moses was an outstanding leader among the Hebrews, and through him. God gave them his Law and told them that if they obeyed it he would make of them a holy nation and a kingdom of priests.—Exodus 19:6
Israel as a nation reflected but little of the light of God in the earth because the people failed to obey his statutes. Throughout the Jewish age the prophets God sent to the Israelites were his most brilliant light-bearers. True, at no time prior to the first advent of Jesus did the light of truth shine out in the earth as distinctly and brightly as it has since; but all the truth which God’s people needed at that time to guide them in the doing of his will was given to his faithful servants, and they were thus constituted the light of he world, the only light the world had.
The Light of Life
The first advent of Jesus marked a distinct change in the plan of God, a definite step forward from types and shadows and promises to the substance which began to fulfill them. The dim light of the past suddenly increased, fulfilling the prophecy which stated that they which “sat in darkness saw a great light.” (Isa. 9:2; Matt. 4:16) The true light of the world had come, the One foretold by the prophets and foreshadowed by the types. Yes, “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”—John 1:4
When man became alienated from God through sin, and darkness settled down upon the race, the death penalty ensued. But with the coming of Jesus, the “light of life,” there also came a way of escape from death—by faith in this age, and actually, in the age to come. (John 8: 12) Jesus “brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel,” or by the light of the Gospel; and before his part in the divine plan of salvation is complete he will have enlightened every man that cometh into the world.—II Tim. 1:10
But it was not God’s plan for Jesus to remain on the earth during the Gospel age and continue personally to be the light of the world. Rather, the divine purpose was for the Master to be represented among men through those willing to espouse his cause even to the point of being “beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God.” (Rev. 20:4) Paul speaks of these as “ambassadors” for Christ who serve as ministers of reconciliation.—II Cor. 5:18-20
And what is the purpose of this “ministry”? Paul explains saying that “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself.” (II Cor. 5:19) The reconciliation of the world is the ultimate objective of the plan of God. This work began with the first advent of Jesus. Paul declared on Mars’ Hill that “now God commandeth all men every where to repent.” (Acts 17:31) God foreknew that during this Gospel age only one here and there would heed the message of repentance, and to these has been extended the invitation to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, to die with him, inspired by the hope that if faithful unto death they will live and reign with him in the kingdom through which all mankind will be enlightened.
The call to repentance has gone out to the world through the followers of Jesus, who, as “ministers of reconciliation,” have been commissioned to say to all who have a “hearing ear,” “Be ye reconciled to God.” (II Cor. 5:20) It is thus that they serve as “ambassadors for Christ.” He was the “light of life,” and his followers in representing him are thereby the “light of the world.” Thus we see that the matter of being a Christian is both an honor and a responsibility. It implies much more than the fact that we have received the blessing of reconciliation ourselves and now enjoy peace with God. It means that we are to lay down our lives as co-workers with the Lord in carrying forward his plan for enlightening and blessing the world.
The Elijah Work
In addition to the clear-cut instructions of the Word which out; line the responsibility of Christians as light-bearers in the world, the Lord has furnished us with a prophecy to this effect, which is also in part a type. Through Malachi the Lord said, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”—Mal. 4:5,6
This prophecy describes a work of reformation, or reconciliation. While John the Baptist denied that he was this foretold Elijah, Jesus explained to his disciples that if they could receive it, John was the Elijah. (Matt. 11:14) Jesus meant that if the ministry of John had resulted in a reformation of their hearts and lives, then to them he was the Elijah, having accomplished for them the foretold Elijah work. But John’s ministry failed so far as the majority in the nation of Israel was concerned, and the alternative fulfillment mentioned in the prophecy came upon that unhappy nation—it was smitten with a curse—the great time of trouble which fell upon the Jewish people in A.D. 70-73.
However, the Elijah effort has been carried on throughout the age by Jesus and his church. The call to repentance has gone out by means of the Gospel message, and is still being proclaimed by the faithful ambassadors of Christ. The world has not heeded the invitation to any extent. Sin and selfishness have continued; and now at the very end of the age the people are increasingly “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.” (II Tim. 3:4) Again the alternative fulfillment of the prophecy comes, for the “curse” once more falls in the form of the greatest time of trouble the world has ever known.
Divine wisdom foresaw the failure of John the Baptist as well as the failure of the church, but it was the divine will that the effort should be made—and that it continue to be made—for it is thereby that the followers of the Master in serving now as the light of the world are being trained for the future work of the kingdom in which mankind will be reconciled to God so universally that no one will need say to his neighbor, “Know the Lord”: for they shall all know him, “from the least of them unto the greatest of them.”—Jer. 31:34
Change at First Advent
As we have already seen, the first advent of Jesus marked, a significant turning point in the plan of God. Those who formerly had been his servants in the earth were at that time set aside; and the church, under the headship of Christ, took their place. An important part of Jesus’ ministry therefore was to instruct his disciples concerning their proper deportment as the new light-bearers to the world. They were not to be sent out into the world ignorant of how they were to conduct themselves, and of the nature of the message of truth they were to bear.
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount—from which our text is taken—is a part of the necessary instructions which he gave to his disciples. In this sermon are found largely the character qualification of those who would be acceptable to serve as the “light of the world.” Jesus taught some features of the divine plan to his disciples, but explained that there was much which they could not understand until the Holy Spirit would come upon them at Pentecost. However, they could understand the principles of righteousness and love set forth in the Sermon on the Mount, for these were not the deep doctrinal truths of the plan of God, although they were and still are fundamentally important.
The Beatitudes
The intent of much that is set forth in the Sermon on the Mount is summarized in the Beatitudes which appear in the beginning of the sermon. When we keep in mind that these instructions were given to those who would become the new representatives of God in the earth it is interesting to note that upon the scribes and Pharisees, who were at the same time losing their honored position, Jesus pronounced contrasting “woes.” These are recorded in Matthew 23:13-33.
To his disciples Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” To be “poor in spirit” is to recognize one’s need of divine mercy and help; and it is this class that appreciates the privileges of the high calling. Paul explained that not many wise or rich or noble are called, and the reason is that these usually feel self-sufficient. Some, however, who are wise according to the standards of this world, as well as some who are rich and noble, are also “poor in spirit,” for they recognize that what they possess is of little worth.
In many instances those whom the Lord calls he first of all humbles by permitting some trying experience to come into their lives which causes them to sense their need of him. It may be the loss in death of some dear friend, or the loss of health or wealth; or some other great disappointment. Many Christians can look back to some such experience and realize that it prepared their hearts and minds for the truth which later, in the divine providence, came to them.
Only those who are thus humble and realize that without God they are nothing and can do nothing, is God able to use. The scribes and Pharisees, by contrast, were proud and self-sufficient, hence instead of entering into the enlarging kingdom privileges then due they barred themselves, and others by the arrogant attitude they took toward Jesus and the message of the kingdom which he preached. See Matthew 23:12,13,33.
The contrast between those whom the Lord can use and those whom he rejects for his service is well illustrated by the case of the two men who went up to the temple to pray. (Luke 18:9-14) The Pharisee thanked God that he was not like other men, and especially that he was so superior to the poor publican who stood beside him in the temple. The publican, on the other hand, was humble—poor in spirit—and he implored God to be merciful to him, a sinner. It was this one who left the temple “justified”—that is, his attitude of heart was pleasing to God. He was a man whom God could use because he was “poor in spirit.”
It is this class, then, who are poor in spirit, to whom the kingdom is given—“theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus said to the Israelites of his day that the kingdom would be taken from them and given to a nation “bringing forth the fruits thereof.” (Matt. 21:43) This new nation to whom the kingdom honors are given is made up of those who are “poor in spirit,” for it is only these whom the Lord can use. They are meet for his use because they are as empty and broken vessels, recognizing their need of God.
They That Mourn
“Blessed are they that mourn,” said Jesus, “for they shall be comforted.” (Matt. 5:4) The ordinary surface meaning of this text is not wholly true to the facts, for there are millions of people in the earth who mourn but they are not all comforted; although the time is coming when joy will fill the hearts of all. The mourning here is apparently of the nature experienced by Jesus. Of him it was foretold that he was a “man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.”—Isa. 53:3
Jesus did not sorrow on account of his own trials, but rather on account of the sufferings of others. He was truly sympathetic toward the fallen race. He wept beside the tomb of Lazarus because he was weighed down with the sorrow with which he was surrounded. Jesus felt the sorrow of the world, and realized as no one else could, the great need of the world. And he not only mourned for the world but his mourning spurred him on to faithfulness in laying down his life for suffering humanity.
And this is the attitude the Lord wants us to have as ambassadors for Christ. In order to be the light of the world it is necessary that we feel sympathetic toward the world, so sympathetic, in fact, that we will gladly lay down our lives as Jesus did in doing whatever we can to bless the people, especially in the way of enlightening them concerning God and his plans.
The fact that God has set aside a whole thousand years in his plan for the blessing of the world of mankind is no excuse for us to be indifferent toward the world’s needs now, and in our indifference withdraw ourselves into a life of ease and self-gratification. To use thus our knowledge of the divine plan to justify our unwillingness to lay down our lives in the service of the truth would mean that we are not genuine mourners, hence will not enjoy the real comfort which might now be ours.
And what is that comfort? The Scriptures declare that those who water shall themselves also be watered. How true this is! The truth cannot mean as much to us in any other way as when we endeavor to impart it to others. And the true spirit of sympathy toward the poor groaning creation is one of the qualifications which God looks for in those whom he accepts as light-bearers to the world.
The scribes and Pharisees did not possess this quality, although they made a pretense along this line. Jesus explained that while they offered long prayers on the streets to be seen and heard of men they devoured widows’ houses. That is to say, while outwardly they manifested interest in the needy by praying for them in public, in reality they were misusing their favored position to exploit those whom they pretended to love. Thus they lacked this quality of true sympathy which would help to make them acceptable servants of God.—Matt. 23:14
“Blessed Are the Meek”
Another qualification of those whom the Lord can use as light-bearers to the world is that of meekness—“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matt. 5:5) The meek are willing to be taught and are glad to look to the Lord for instructions. How necessary it is to seek the Lord’s ways, and meekly to follow his instructions if our work for him is to be blessed! There are millions who profess to serve the Lord, yet their service is rendered in harmony with their own wisdom. Such are not acceptable to the Lord, nor is their work blessed by him.
Only the truly meek can expect to inherit the earth. They do not inherit the earth as a home in which to live everlastingly. The inheritance of the earth in this case is the privilege of joint-heirship with Jesus in his thousand-year kingdom which is to reign over the earth to restore mankind to the inheritance which was lost by reason of Adam’s sin. This inheritance promised to the meek is even now enjoyed to a limited extent in the privileges which we have of serving as ambassadors of Christ, ministers of reconciliation—“Ye are the light of the world.”
The Pharisees, by contrast, encompassed sea and land to make proselytes but those they converted were further away from God than they were before. (Matt. 23:15) It was not wrong for the Pharisees to compass sea and land to make converts. Properly they considered this their responsibility, their inheritance. But God did not bless their work because they were not meek, hence did not seek instruction from the Lord as to how their work was to be conducted and what they were to teach the people. Instead of teaching the Word of God, they taught the traditions of men. How many there are today who are doing the same thing! And it is true now, even as then, that such are not acceptable servants of God. God can use only those who are willing to be taught of him, through his Word.
Thirsting After God
There is something very realistic about a gnawing hunger and a burning thirst, hence when Jesus said, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness,” he was referring to those who have a sincere and genuine desire to know God, and to understand and obey his will. David expressed a similar thought when he wrote, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”—Psalm 42:1
“They shall be filled,” said the Master; that is, those who genuinely desire to know and do God’s will, shall, as Jesus explained on another occasion, “know of the doctrine.” (John 7:17) This means that they will be able to understand and appreciate the truth, being filled with the Lord’s Spirit. If we truly hunger and thirst after righteousness it means that our study of the Word will be sincere and wholehearted, and with the one objective only in. mind, which is that of knowing and serving God acceptably.
Jesus pronounced “woe” upon the scribes and Pharisees because they quibbled too much over non-essential details. They tried to decide which was the greater, the temple or the gold of the temple; and whether it was better to swear by the altar or by the gift which was upon the altar. (Matt. 23:16-22) In this we see, not a sincere desire to know the truth, but a disposition to argue over things that were unimportant. They did not truly hunger and thirst after righteousness, hence could not be further used as God’s representatives.
Let us, brethren, be watchful along these lines ourselves. Our study of the Word, whether as individuals or in ecclesias, should be with the one purpose in mind—to learn God’s will more perfectly, and to receive encouragement to do it. Hairsplitting merely for the sake of argument and contention cannot be pleasing to God. Let us be unmoveable in our stand for the great fundamentals of the truth, but we should not waste time disputing over details which perhaps may never be settled this side of the veil.
The Merciful
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” (Matt. 7) In this Beatitude we have the same. principle as set forth in our Lord’s prayer in which we are taught to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against, us.” (Matt. 12-15) The quality of mercy is so essential that the Lord has made his mercy toward us dependent upon our exercise of mercy toward others. This should be a sobering thought to each of us whenever we find ourselves harshly judging others because we think they do not measure up to what we have decided is God’s standard for them.
The scribes and the Pharisees who were being set aside as God’s servants had failed to learn this lesson of mercy. They were very meticulous, Jesus explained, in paying tithes of anise and mint and cummin, but had omitted the weightier matters of the law, such as mercy and faith and judgment. (Matt. 23:23,24) Jesus concluded this “woe” by charging that while the Pharisees strained out gnats, they swallowed camels.
This is a good lesson for us. The Pharisees, while insisting on the little details of the law, and judging those who did not obey those details as well as they thought was necessary, failed to understand the lessons of faith and mercy which the law was designed to teach. Failing in this, while they strained gnats out of their drinking water to make sure they did not swallow meat which was unclean, by condemning those who were not as faithful in these details as they demanded of them, they were failing in the exercise of mercy, and this failure was like swallowing a camel in comparison to the gnats which they were so careful to strain from their own drinking water.
How this emphasizes God’s displeasure with those who attempt to judge and condemn their brethren. Let us be as faithful as we can in all the little details of God’s will for us, straining out every gnat; but let us not swallow camels by judging those who may not seem as faithful as we think ourselves to be. To judge and condemn others would be a far worse sin on our part than the supposed wrongdoing which we attribute to them. God is merciful, and he wants those who represent him as light-bearers in the world to reflect his quality of mercy in their dealing with others.
Heart Purity
“Blessed are the pure in heart,” Jesus said, “for they shall see God.” Woe was pronounced upon the Pharisees because, while they made the outside of the platter clean, the inside was corrupt. (Matt. 5:8; 23:25,26) For this reason they were “blind,” and could not “see” God. A purity which is not of the heart is hypocritical, hence not pleasing to God. Only the “pure in heart” may hope to “see God.”
The true light-bearers of this age who are faithful even unto death—“beheaded for witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God”—will, in the resurrection, see God face to face, for they will enter into his actual presence where there is fullness of joy. But there is a sense also in which we may see God now, and that is through the vision of truth.
The truth reveals the wisdom, justice, love, and power of God. Through the divine plan we see these glorious attributes functioning for the ultimate blessing of all mankind, and how we rejoice in this vision. We not only see God in his loving plan, but having entered into a covenant with him by sacrifice, we “see” him in all the experiences which he permits to come into our lives, for we know that he is causing them all to work together for our good. And purity of heart is the condition upon which God thus reveals himself to us; and it is only as we see him in all his glorious beauty that we can effectively represent him before the world, for it is the light of his glory that we portray to the people.
Peacemakers
Another qualification of those who serve as the light of the world is that they must be peacemakers—“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matt. 5:9) As ministers of reconciliation we serve as peacemakers between God and men. Those who are “justified by faith” have peace with God. (Rom. 5:1) Faith comes by hearing the Word of God, and as we minister the word of reconciliation some hear and in their hearts is engendered a faith which justifies them and gives them peace with God. Thus we serve as peacemakers.
As true light-bearers in the world our influence should be for peace. We should not be promoters of strife. The light of truth itself will often stir up opposition, for the darkness hateth the light; but let us make sure that it is the truth which does this and not our own misconduct, for only thus may we be called the children of God. Every true follower of the Master is a Spirit-begotten son of God, but apparently the expression in this Beatitude is used more particularly to denote that those who radiate peace in their contact with others are manifesting the Spirit of God, his image being reflected in them.
Blessings Through Persecutions
Concluding, the Beatitudes speak of the rich reward of those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. (Matt. 5:10-12) The Pharisees, by contrast, were of the persecuting class. (Matt. 23:29-33) The Lord’s true people should never be found among the persecutors. Persecution is one of the weapons used by the servants of darkness to defend error; hence those who have the truth need never resort to it.
Truth is its own defense, and if we, as light-bearers in the world, are filled with the truth and its Spirit we will not want to persecute others. On the other hand, because darkness hateth the light, the, servants of darkness will continue to persecute the servants of light. The prophets of old were thus persecuted. Jesus was persecuted, and we can be happy for any privilege we have of suffering with Jesus, for it is only as we suffer with him that we will have the privilege of reigning with him.
How high, indeed, is the standard God has set for those who qualify to serve as the light of the world! Let us remember that those to whom this high honor was first offered lost their opportunity because of unfaithfulness. Let us therefore endeavor to be faithful to all our privileges. Let us not hide the light under a bushel whether it be the bushel of our own imperfections, or one or more of the many excuses the flesh can find to step aside from the privilege of sacrifice. Let us continue to hold high the beacon light of truth to guide those who may be seeking after the Lord. It is not for us to determine who these may be, but it is our privilege to be the “light of the world,” the ambassadors of him who is that great light which eventually will lighten every man that cometh into the world.