Lights in the World
Prepared on October 5, 1945 by W.H. Wood
Do all things
without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the
sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation,
among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life;
that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither
laboured in vain. Philippians 2:14-16
The scriptures written many years ago are contemporaneous
with events and conditions of today.
They are just as applicable to life today as when written. Paul lived in a wicked and perverse age. Crookedness, perversity, and darkness exist
today. Just as lights were needed to
shine in the world then, so lights are needed to dispel the world’s darkness
today.
The world lay in darkness at the beginning of the
Christian era and the darkness was as dense as the blackest night. It was a disenchanted world into which Christ
was born. Religion had failed. Governments had failed. Philosophy could not satisfy the longing of
men’s hearts. Heathendom was
rampant. Slavery was universal. Colossal wickedness existed everywhere.
We live in a disenchanted and terribly confused era of
the world’s history. It is an entirely different
world from what we thought a generation ago it would be today. Faith in democracy has been shattered; rise
of nationalism; racial animosities; wars and rumors of wars, intemperance,
gambling, indifference to religion, suicides and divorces are on the
increase. Pessimistic philosophies of
life are prevailing everywhere.
Christianity, the Christian church and all Christians
have a definite function in this dark age.
We should do all things without murmuring and questioning or complaining
and doubting. We should become blameless
and harmless children of light not responsible for this wickedness. We should be lights in this world. Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good works and glorify the Father which is in
heaven.”
No comments:
Post a Comment