INTRODUCTION
The previous message introduces Jesus Christ as God’s Holy and Spiritual king, and reveals His saving grace in the world and his power to deliver from the bondage regimes.
This message explains the reign of Christ as the “light of the world” distinguished from bondage regimes of the world of darkness. It explains the ‘world within a world’ concept of the reign of Jesus, the God-King. It analyses the symbolisms of His reign of light including the knowledge of salvation, believing in His name, walking in truth and in love, and the witness of the Holy Spirit to the faith.
1. THE WORLD OF THE GOD-KING
God is a Spirit and Jesus is the son of God, born of the spirit of God. Though he was born of man and lived on the earth physically, the God-King is not of this world. He declares to Pilate,” My kingdom is not of this world…” (John 18:36). Also, those that God takes “out of the world” to believe in Jesus are “not of the world” (John 17:6; 16 & 20; John 6:37,65). In fact the world hates believers because they have the word of God (John 17:14).
This “world within a world” concept of the reign of Jesus, envisages two distinct worlds existing in the physical and in the spiritual. There is the world under the dominion of Satan, and it is characterized by darkness, in terms of evil, hate, lies, wickedness, injustice, wrath, murder, malice, injustice, unforgiveness, etc. (Galatians 5:19-21; Matthew 15:19; 1 Timothy 1:9). Previous messages in this series illustrate the reign of bondage kings depicting these dark worldly attributes driven by lusts of the flesh and sins; and influenced by the “prince of the power of the air”, the spirit that works in “children of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2-3).
The World of the God-King Jesus, is the other world which symbolizes Light, in terms of love, goodness, truth, righteousness, peace, kindness, self-control, gentleness, forgiveness, compassion, etc.(Galatians 5:23-24; 1 Corinthians 13:4; Colossians 3:12). The reign of the God-King Jesus is a reign of Light and peace, whereas the reign of Satan and the worldly kings is of darkness and bondage.
And, like the city of Jerusalem which is located on the Hill, God’s world of believers in the world of Jesus should stand out from the “great city” or the dark world of abominations that depict the reign of the kings of the earth (Matthew 5:14; Revelation 17:5;18).
2. REIGN OF THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Out of Israel, through the reign of Christ, God ordained salvation and righteousness for His people; but it was also to be “for a light of the Gentiles” unto the ends of the earth (Isaiah 42:6; Acts 13:47). Let us examine the ways in which this light manifests in the world.
2.1 Knowledge of Salvation
The knowledge of salvation is necessary for one to belong to and be the light of the world. The gift of Salvation which comes by the mercy of God through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus or the remission of sins is the “great light” which will lighten the world ( Luke 1:77; Ephesians 2:8).
By salvation knowledge, the people that walk in darkness and those that “dwell in the land of the shadow of death” will be saved; and the Lord’s “light and salvation” will guide their feet into the way of peace in this world (Isaiah 9:2; Matthew 4:16; Luke 1:77-79; Psalm 27:1). Jesus declares “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46).He will not judge those who hear his message of salvation and believe not because he came not to judge the world but to save it (John 12:47).
2.2 To Believe on His Name is “Light of life”
“In [Jesus] was life, and that life was the light of men” that lightens the world (John 1:14; 9:5). In other words, the life of Christ – i.e. God’s Spirit revealed in human form (as life) was the light that should bring people to knowledge of the spirituality of God; and it provides the means by which to live for God and serve Him in Spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). It also provides believers with a name by which to know the Almighty God and by which we may present our requests to God (John 14:13-14; Exodus 6:3 & 3:14; Isaiah 52:6).
Thus, the knowledge of Christ’s spiritual nature (that he was born of God), and believing on his name (that God had sent him to deliver mankind) is the light that lightens men from spiritual blindness, and empowers them to have fellowship with God. For instance, “born again” believers should consider that before you were saved by Grace, you were in darkness; but now you are the “Light of the Lord”; and because you believe in His name you should walk as “children of light” (Ephesians 5:8; John 1:12-13).
And all those unbelievers who may desire to have “the light of life” must, while they have “light” (or life), believe in Jesus whom God has sent as “the light of the world”; and if they keep his commandments, they may become the “children of light” (John 8:12 ; John 12:35-36).
2.3 To Walk In Truth
Jesus was born into the world, to bear witness unto the “truth”(John 18:37). What is Truth? “[God’s word is Truth” by which believers in Christ are sanctified and empowered to live in the ‘world within worlds’ (John 17:17). It is by continuing in God’s word as revealed through Jesus, that one can become a true deciples and you “shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” from the bondage of the devil’s world (John 8:32; 7:16; 12:49; 14:10;24).
According to Jesus, those who refuse to hear or understand his word of truth are not of Father God, but are of “[their] father the devil, and the lusts of [him they] will do”. The Devil abodes not in truth because there is no truth in him; he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:43-44). But “every one that is of the truth heareth [Jesus’] voice” (John 10:4-5 &16). So if we say that we have fellowship with [God], and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 John 1:6).
Brethren, you must therefore believe in Christ, and keep his word or commandments in order to walk in the light of God as ‘children of light’, or to claim and enjoy a relationship with Him in spirit and in truth (John 14:15 &21).
3. TO LOVE GOD AND THY BRETHREN
To walk in the light of Christ in fulfillment of God’s commandment is to love God and thy brethren. What is this commandment of God? It is to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength”; and to “love thy neighbour as thyself. This is the greatest commandment (Mark 12:30-31; Luke 10:27). The reign of the God-King is therefore defined by the Love for God and people.
Brethren, if you desire to develop “the love of the father” in you, “love not the world” of darkness or the things that are perpetrated in that world such as the “lusts of flesh, lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life”, which are not of the Father (1 John 2:15-16). It is by loving the children of God that we can truthfully claim that we love God and that we keep His commandments (1 John 5:2-4).
a) To Love with a Pure Heart
The love that is commanded us to demonstrate must be love that comes “out of a pure heart, a good [or clear] conscience, and of [honest] faith” (1 Timothy 1:5). If you love one another in this way, you will demonstrate to all men that you are a believer or a disciples of Christ, and that he reigns over you (John 13:35). One who loves his brethren abide in the light and would not have cause to stumble upon him (1 John 2:10).
If thy brethren offend you, do not regard him as an enemy but “tell him his fault between [you] and him alone: if he shall hear [you], thou hast gained thy brother”(Matthew 18:15; Luke 17:3 2; James 5:16; Thessalonians 3:15). While you may rebuke your brethren for wrong doing, beware not to incur sin on his account ” (Leviticus 19:17).
Finally let they, which are spiritual, seek to restore the brother at fault in the spirit of meekness; but considering thyself, lest you be tempted also (Galatians 6:1). In order to avoid temptation therefore you must not take vengeance or bear grudge, but love always (Leviticus 19:17-18). Those that love the Law (of love) shall have great peace and nothing shall offend them (Psalm 119:165; Isaiah 26:3).
b) Do Not Hate At Heart
To love thy brother from the heart also means that one should not hate your brethren in your heart (Leviticus 19:17). One who believes in Christ but still hates his brethren “is in darkness and walketh in darkness”; and is blinded by the darkness” (1 John 2:9). In other words, if anyone claims to love God, but hates his brother, he is a liar.
For anyone who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20; 1 John 5:2). Hating another is equal to murder; but by loving the brethren one passes from death unto life or overcome darkness or hate (1 John 3:14-15; John 8:43-44).
4. THE SPIRIT TESTIFIES OF THE REIGN IN LIGHT
Brethren we should be aware that our love for God and our brethren, as with our belief in Jesus as our saviour, requires more than just our confession. It must be from the heart and demonstrated by our actions in obeying His commandment with sincerity. The LORD, searches the hearts, test the mind and knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, by which He rewards us according to our deeds ; or whereby makes intercessions for us according to the will of God (Jeremiah 17:10; Romans 8:27).
Thus, it is the Spirit that bears witness, (both to our belief in Jesus by the faith of salvation, our love of God and of our brethren, because the Spirit is truth (1 John 5:5; John 15:26). The Spirit dwells with believers and lives in them and abides with them forever (John 14:16-17). He Himself testifies with the spirit of all believers that they are children of God; and will guide them into all truth to help them walk in the light of the world of the God-King, to the Glory of our Father God (Romans 8:16; Ephesians 5:9; John 16:13).
5. FOOD FOR THOUGHT
If we say that God is our Father and we have been reconciled to Him by Jesus Christ, we should be clear by our confession and our conduct about which world we subscribe to -Jesus in Light or Satan in darkness. God’s gift of salvation through Christ is the “great light” that delivers and keeps one from walking in darkness. Staying in the light of the world as God’s children would require believers to walk in truth and love in obedience to God’s word, and by the guidance of His Spirit. And your peace will be assured in spite of the reign of the worldly bondage kings.
For ” Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God” (Isaiah 50:10).
In the coming weeks by grace, we will address the reign of Christ pertaining to righteousness and deliverance by the power of the Holy Spirit.
PRAYER
Almighty God, thank you for your word and for calling thy children to the perfect reign of your son Yeshua.
Great Father of Lights, shine upon the hearts of thy Children who dwell in darkness. Make them Lord to recognize the hope of your gift of salvation in Yeshua.
Gracious Holy Spirit, convict us of sin and inspire our hearts with love for God, and for our brethren. Help us to forgive those that have wronged us as we enjoy your tender mercies.
Keep us in Your light Lord, and Your favour, and let our fear be only of thee.
I make this prayer in JESUS NAME. Have a Sabbath of peace!
Lots of Love, P. Schwartz (SOG) 17 November 2017.
