Let the Light Show

Matthew 5:14-16   ¹⁴ Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  ¹⁵ 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.  ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 Yesterday, we explored that God has chosen us for a mission of higher order, by God we have responded to the call and are ready to carry out as His special agency on earth the Great commission. A proverb says charity starts at home. Before our message can have an impact on others, it must have first had impact in our lives. How can someone do the propaganda of a product he doesn’t like? How can Christians preach Christ and at the same time reject Christ through their actions.

Jesus warned about Christians who don’t bear good fruits Matthew 7:15-23   ¹⁵ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  ¹⁶ Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  ¹⁷ Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  ¹⁹ Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  ²⁰ Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  ²¹ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  ²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  ²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Every sound and healthy Christian must exhibit a life which is worthy of his calling. Paul in the same spirit says in ^KJV 2 Peter 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. Paul here unveils an amazing principle; being called or elected by God doesn’t assure us automatically heaven, rather our commitment in obeying the Gospel of Christ will make our calling sure. Every good preacher must preach to himself first before preaching to another one. One should answer the following questions: Are you called? What shows you are called? Do you live as a person called?

Paul the great evangelist understood the danger of preaching a Gospel which the preacher doesn’t live by ^KJV 1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

The Gospel must be for Jews first before it can impact the Gentile, if not it has no impact on the unbeliever. That is we Seventh-day Adventist must live by our message, preach it through our character first before those who are in the world. In Rom. 2: 17-24, Paul warns Jews who teach what they don’t obey, and accuses them of Blaspheming God’s name. Like Paul said in ^KJV 2 Corinthians 3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men.

E.G. White says that it is not only by preaching the truth, not only by distributing literature that we are to witness for God. Let us remember that a Christlike life is the most powerful argument that can be advanced in favor of Christianity, and that a cheap Christian character works more harm in the world than the character of a worldling.—Testimonies for the Church 9:21.

Do we accept to live by our own Gospel before reaching unto others?