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Bible Teachings

Characteristics of a Child of God             - Part 2

9/8/2019

1 Comment

 
by Whitney V. Myers
Download a printable PDF of this post.
Let Your Light Shine Before Men - Matthew 5:16 - 123RF Photo - Used under license
Let Your Light Shine Before Men - Matthew 5:16 - 123RF Photo - Used under license
"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

"Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him." (1 John 5:1)

"The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:16)

This lesson is the third lesson in the series, "The Children of God" (Ref. 1, Ref. 2).  This lesson is the second of two lessons on the Characteristics of a Child of God (Ref. 2).  To learn more about "Becoming a Child of God," please review Ref. 1. 

     Consider.   If someone asked you to describe the characteristics of a child of God, what would you say?

     A child of God illumines others with the light of Christ.  Jesus Christ himself is the light of the world (John 1:9, John 8:12).  When Jesus said to his disciples, "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14), Jesus described their (our) role to shine with his light, the light of Christ, upon the world.  The light of Christ that we shine enlightens people and leads them to salvation and eternal life.  When we are a child of God, we share the light of Christ upon the world effectively because the Holy Spirit indwells us and empowers us (John 14:16-17, Acts 1:8, Ref. 3). 

     A child of God should have the proper motive in doing good works.  Jesus said, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16, italics added).  We are to avoid doing good deeds for ostentatious ("look at me") purposes.  Jesus criticized people who do good works to bring praise to themselves rather than to God (Matthew 6:1-6).  Our motive as a child of God should always be to glorify God, not ourselves.  

     A child of God must love all people.  
  • Mankind at large - God sets the example of whom we are to love.  "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). 
  • Brothers and sisters in Christ - "By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother" (1 John 3:10, italics added).  "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him" (1 John 5:1, italics added).
  • Neighbors - Jesus said, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39, italics added).  
  • Enemies - Jesus said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44, italics added).

The Greek word for love in these verses above is agapaó, which means to have a preference for, wish well to, regard the welfare of (Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Ref. 4).

     A child of God has the witness of the Spirit.  The Apostle Paul writes, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:16).  The Greek word for bears witness with is summartureó which means to testify jointly, i.e. corroborate by (concurrent) evidence (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, Ref. 5).  When we are born of God, the Holy Spirit jointly testifies with our human spirit that God is our heavenly Father and that we are his child (Romans 8:15, Ref. 6 below).

     A child of God should be alert (watchful) and sober (free from illusion).  The Apostle Paul begins 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 with "Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.  For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night" (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2).  Then Paul says, "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day ..." (1 Thessalonians 5:4-5, italics added).

Paul then states a characteristic of children of God, "so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober" (1 Thessalonians 5:6, italics added.)  As a child of God:
  • We should not be indifferent (asleep) to spiritual things as are many in the world
  • We should be alert - The Greek word is grégoreó which means (literally) "stay awake"; (figuratively) be vigilant (responsible, watchful) (HELPS Word-studies, Ref. 7).
  • We should be sober - The Greek word is néphó.  Néphó means sober (not drunk), free from illusion, having clear judgment, and self-controlled (HELPS Word-studies, Ref. 8).

     Apply.  In self-examination, consider each of the characteristics of a child of God covered in this lesson.
  • Are you illuminating others with the light of Christ?
  • Are you doing good works to glorify God rather than yourself?
  • Do you love all people including your brothers and sisters in Christ, your neighbors, and your enemies?
  • Do you know for certain that God is your heavenly Father and that you are his child?
  • Do you have clear judgment about spiritual things?
Pray and thank God for helping you to demonstrate these characteristics of a child of God.  In the areas where you are uncertain, ask God to help, strengthen, and encourage you.

In the next, and final, lesson in this series, we will discuss the nature and benefits of our adoption as children of God.

References
1.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/becoming-a-child-of-god
2.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/characteristics-of-a-child-of-god-part-1
3.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/jfb/matthew/5.htm
4.  https://biblehub.com/greek/25.htm
5.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4828.htm
6.  Kenneth S. Wuest, "Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament," Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1973
7.  https://biblehub.com/greek/1127.htm
8.  https://biblehub.com/greek/3525.htm
  
1 Comment

"Jesus is the Light of the World"

1/27/2019

0 Comments

 
by Whitney V. Myers 
Download a printable PDF of this post.
Go to the page, "Bible Verses - 'I AM's of Christ" (under the "Resources" heading)
Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse (Manteo, NC USA) - John 8:12 - Photo by Whitney V. Myers
Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse (Manteo, NC USA) - John 8:12 - Photo by Whitney V. Myers
"Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, 'I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.' " (John 8:12)

"I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness." (John 12:46)
​
"Christ is the Light of the world.  God is light, and Christ is the image of the invisible God.  One sun enlightens the whole world; so does one Christ, and there needs no more." -- Matthew Henry (1662-1714) (Ref. 1, Ref. 2)
​
This lesson is the first in a series on the "I AM" statements of Christ.  This lesson discusses Jesus' statement, "I am the Light of the world" (John 8:12). 
​

     Consider.  What does it mean to you that Jesus is the Light of the world?  Do you have the Light of life?
​ ​
     God is Light.  The teaching that God is Light begins in the Old Testament and continues through the New Testament.  David wrote, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?" (Psalm 27:1).  The prophet Micah said, "Though I dwell in darkness, the Lord is a light for me" (Micah 7:8).  The disciple John, wrote, "God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5).
​
​          ​
     God's Light purposely illumines mankind.  Jesus' Jewish listeners would recall Exodus 13:21 - "The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night."  The psalmist wrote, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105).  The author of 2 Samuel 22:29 tells us "For You are my lamp, O Lord; And the Lord illumines my darkness." 

   "I am the Light of the world."  Jesus, the Eternal One, is the Light of the world because:
  • Jesus is God, and God is light (John 8:58, Ref. 3)
  • Jesus alone is the visible expression of God that mankind has seen (Exodus 3:1-6, Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3)
  • Only through Jesus our sins are forgiven (Mark 2:5, Colossians 2:13, 1 John 1:9)
  • Jesus alone gives the gift of eternal life to those who believe in him (Romans 3:23-24, John 6:40, John 10:27-28, Ref. 4).
​
     "He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness."  Let's discuss this phrase in three parts:

​a) "He who follows Me" - The Greek word for follow is
akoloutheó, which means to join as a disciple (Ref. 5).  In John 8:12, Jesus "likens himself to a torch which the disciple follows" (Ref. 5).  Jesus frequently spoke about what it means to follow him as a disciple (for example, Luke 14:27).  

b) "Will not walk" - The Greek word for walk is peripateó.  Peripateó means (in the ethical sense) how I conduct my life (Ref. 6).

​c)  "In the darkness" - The Greek word for darkness is scotia (Ref. 7).  Scotia has a dual meaning.  In the literal sense, scotia (darkness) is the absence of daylight (John 6:17).  In the figurative sense, scotia (darkness) is the state we are in before we believe in Christ, that is, a state of ignorance, guilt, and sin (Ref. 8).

Putting these three parts together - "He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness" means He who follows Me [Jesus] as a disciple will no longer conduct his life in a state of ignorance, guilt, and sin.

Note that Jesus also said, "I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness" (John 12:46, italics added).  Being in darkness is our (mankind's) default condition.  Jesus has come so that when we believe in him, God the Father transfers us from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of the Son of God (Colossians 1:13).

     "But will have the Light of life."  Just as sight is a function of physical life, Christ is the Light for our spiritual life.  John says, referring to Christ, "In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men" (John 1:4).  When we believe in Jesus Christ, the divine light of Christ continually shines in us, guiding us to life everlasting (Ref. 9).

     Apply.  Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world?  If not, then pray and put your trust in him today.

Are you a disciple of Christ?  Are you following him?

Do you have the Light of life?

​
References
1.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/mhc/john/8.htm
2.  ​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Henry
3.  ​http//www.ScriptureWay.com/home/who-is-jesus
4.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/bible-verses-about-eternal-life
5.  
https://biblehub.com/greek/190.htm​
6.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4043.htm
7.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4653.htm
8.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/poole/john/12.htm
(Matthew Poole's Commentary on John 12:46)
​9.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/john/8.htm
​
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