Keep Walking in the Light

As we know, the world... the world's a mess.

The world continues along, filled with troubles and sorrows and fears, and we understand why from Scripture it's due to sin, going all the way back to the Garden of Eden.

In the news media, commentators we listen to and most everyone we talk with seems to have very similar concerns by what is...

well, what is frankly what is seen as an increasing moral depravity, moral depravity and moral darkness, not just in our country but places throughout the world.

And this darkness looms ominously, and it worries us, and it rightly should worry us, frankly. But we can withstand it. We can withstand it.

We can and must believe that this moral darkness is not absolute.

You see kindness and goodness, mercy, justice, and much more remain. We see it in our neighbors, we see it in our families, we see it happening in different places. It does get reported about sometimes.

And all these beautiful, wonderful things, they always shall remain. They are never going to go away. Though we may be discouraged at times, we need to believe and be assured that darkness will never overcome light. It cannot.

We know, because God is light. God is light.

And you know, as we see the darkness around us, this moral darkness, we need to consider that the fact that we are even able to discern the darkness of this world, we really should consider that a tremendous blessing.

Because without the intervention of God, without Him opening our hearts and minds to understand the things He shows us through His Scripture, we would not recognize the darkness for what it is.

And there are many people that do not recognize it, and we wouldn't recognize it ourselves again, except it was for God's grace, God's mercy, and opening our hearts and minds to see.

We see the darkness because God has allowed us to see the light in Jesus Christ.

Let's turn to John chapter 1, please. John chapter 1, verse 3 through 5. And we're going to read some important verses here, familiar.

Every time I read this first part of John, I still am somewhat amazed by the depth of what is communicated here, in which I still know within myself I can't quite grasp all of it. It's just amazing. Too much for the human mind to comprehend in some ways.

Here in John 1, verse 3 through 5, we read more about Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, of course, was and is the Word. He's been with God since always. He is the light of God. John 1, verse 3, and we read, all things were made through Him, the Word, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shines in the darkness.

It's shining, and the darkness did not comprehend it. I cannot understand. Going down to verse 9, referring to this light that came. That was the true light, referring to Jesus Christ as we'll see here. That was the true light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. It sounds so sad, and it is sad. Verse 14, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we, John is writing this, Apostle John, we, referring to he and the other disciples, other apostles, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full, full of grace and truth. Let's read also over in John chapter 3 verse 19 through 21.

John 3, 19 through 21. Here, John is continuing and writing his gospel, and he reports, hear the words of Christ Himself, John 3, 19 through 21. Jesus said these words. Jesus said, And this is a condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.

God has blessed us, brethren, in allowing us to be aware of the darkness, much more to comprehend, to be comprehending the light, which is Jesus Christ. And no matter where we each may be in our conversion process of becoming more like Jesus Christ, there are certain things we must be doing, all of us, to be walking in the light. And that is the subject and title of today's sermon. The title of today's sermon is, Keep Walking in the Light.

Keep Walking in the Light. And so we're going to read a lot about walking today, but we need to be on the same page as to what we understand about walking. We need to understand what it means to walk according to Scripture, and the Bible talks about a walk, and what does that mean? Of course, walk can be a literal actual the way people typically move. We all move differently. If you notice, we tend to walk like our parent, one of our parents. We do. And it's interesting. God tells us to walk in the light, to walk like Christ. We're to be learning a different way to walk. Let's go back to defining what it means. The Old Testament word for walk is it's spelled either with a y or an h. It's y-a-l-a-k or h-a-l-a-k. I've seen it spelled two different ways from authoritative sites. But it's often translated as walk, just means the way human beings move. Figuratively in Scripture, it means actions or the process of living.

Such as a reference to walking in the ways of God. It's referring to the way one should act, the way to live. Greek has a very similar meaning term. It's peripatio, p-e-r-i-p-a-t-e-o, p-e-r-i-p-a-t-e-o. It means to walk around. Often is used to mean the word follow. Figuratively, it usually refers to the way believers behave or conduct daily life. It's the way they behave or conduct their lives, daily life. Of course, it doesn't take too much time in the Bible to learn a lot about people who walked, who have walked with God. Holy people, what we come down to is holy people walk with God.

We are called to be holy. There are holy people in Scripture, just a few. Enoch, Genesis 5 22, it says that he walked with God. And of course, Abraham walked with God. He went wherever God sent him. And David walked with God and many others. And so in the Bible, walk in the figurative sense refers to, refers to, I guess you could say three aspects, three facets. To walk according to the Bible in its figurative sense means to refers to how we live. It's about how we live. It's about how we conduct ourselves. It's a matter of thought and action. It's a matter of words. It concerns how we behave. It's a whole package. It's a whole package. The Bible's talking about walking with God.

Instead of walking the ways of God, to walk with God means, I hope you agree with me, it means something much more than just a leisurely stroll in the park.

They're not going to sing anymore. We have to be busy. We have to be cognitive of what's going on.

Now, of course, we also may be reminded of Matthew 7, verse 13-14. You can jot it down, but that's where we find Jesus' description of life as being a choice between two options and how to live out our lives. There's either the wide gate and the Broadway, and I cannot say that without thinking almost every town in Texas, Main Street's called Broadway. That was unusual to me, and I moved down here.

The way of most people is the wide gate, the Broadway, or the gate that we are to be going through. We've been called to go through, and by the way, the wide gate Broadway goes to destruction and death, versus the narrow gate in the difficult way leading to life. That's the path we want to be on. We want to be on that path. Let's look down on John chapter 8. Let's go a little more, and defining what it means to walk and the differences between light and dark. What is that all about? We're putting down a foundation here. Romans 8, verse 12.

Christ instructed His disciples about the course of life He wanted them to follow. In fact, His followers must be following. Reading in John 8, verse 12.

John 8, verse 12. Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. In Jesus Christ, he clearly identified Himself as the light we read about in John chapter 1.

And He is also the life that mankind needs. Mankind only has an immortal life, and God offers us eternal life, true life. Then down in John 12, I think I told you wrong, didn't I? Did I tell you John 8, 12, first time? Okay. There's two 12s in these scriptures. Sometimes my eyes do things. Let's turn now to John 12. Okay? Don't want to lose anybody on the road.

John 12, 44 and 46. Now, over to John 12, 44 and 46.

Jesus declared a second time, as we can see here, that He is the light sent by God. John 12, 44. Then Jesus cried out and said, He who believes in Me, you've got to believe. He who believes in Me believes not in Me, but in Him who sent Me. We have to believe in the Father, too. And He who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come. I have come as a light into the world. And whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. We're going to see this word abide a number of times in the scriptures having to do with our walk with God, light, darkness. Abide is a Hebrew word, excuse me, a Greek word, mino, M-E-N-O. It also means to stay. It means to remain. Whoever believes in Me, I have come as a light into the world that whoever believes in Me should not stay, not remain in darkness. We need to get out of darkness. And so those who heed the instruction of Christ and believe will not remain in the darkness but will be in the light which is God in Christ. And that is a very powerful statement of hope and a sense of direction we need to be applying in our lives. Also, still in John 12, let's look down verses 48 through 50.

48 through 50, His instruction and message of hope did come from the Father. It originated from the Father, ultimately. Jesus says in verse 48, He who rejects Me and does not receive My words has that which judges Him. The word that I have spoken will judge Him in the last day. We're going to be judged, held accountable for these things. For I have not spoken on My own authority, but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak, and I know that His command is everlasting life. That's what He came to take care of. Therefore, Jesus said, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak. Another reminder that the Father and Jesus Christ truly are one. John included Christ's instruction. Let's turn now to 1 John, one of John's epistles that he also wrote. John included very similar instructions, these instructions he received from Jesus Christ. These instructions appear in his epistle. 1 John chapter 1 verse 5 through 7. In here, as we would expect, the apostles taught as they had been taught, and God's ministers are to teach as they have been taught from Scripture and from other faithful ministers as well. 1 John 1 verse 5 through 7, he reiterates what Jesus taught and delivered. Verse 5, this is a message which we have heard from Him and declared to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, just as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. At unity with one another is the body of Christ, joined by God's Holy Spirit. In the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanses us from sin. The blood, the shed blood of Jesus Christ, cleanses us from sin. And so again, we learn that those who follow Christ must be walking. They must be conducting themselves, behaving themselves in the light of God, not in the darkness which is of sin and death, the ways of the world.

And as we read in John 1 verse 4 through 5, darkness can comprehend the life. Now are the light of men, which is Jesus Christ. Darkness is adverse to the light of God, adverse to Jesus Christ, adverse to those who follow Him. That's why it's hard for us to get along sometimes, not that we don't want to, but we're not supposed to get along with sin. And to walk in the light means to practice a life of submission to God, a life of constant evaluation of ourselves and practicing repentance from sin. We do that, repent from sin, by taking action, yes, but ultimately through living faith in Christ's shed blood. Those in darkness are blinded. They cannot comprehend this true light unless God opens their minds to understanding. And we've all been there, and God had to open our minds. Then further down, still in 1 John, let's, yeah, 1 John chapter 2 verse 6. John again in his epistle here underscores our need to abide, to remain in Christ by walking as He walked. And there's that figurative language, those metaphors. Verse 6, John 2, 6, 1 John 2, 6, He who says He abides in Him ought Himself also to walk just as He walked.

We're not to walk the way we think we want to walk. We need to walk the way Christ walked.

True believers will be walking as He walked, conducting themselves as best they can with the help of God's Spirit and His Holy Scripture to teach us and instruct us. We'll be walking the same walk, same righteous behavior, striving for the same righteous character that Jesus Christ exemplified, striving to be like Him, like Christ. So, what have we learned? So far, we've learned that Jesus Christ, who was and is the Word, is the light of the world.

And those whom the Father calls can choose to believe can choose. It's a choice. God's not going to force anyone.

But how could we not want to choose? I don't even know so much. There are so many blessings. I hope for salvation.

Those whom the Father calls can choose to believe and follow Jesus Christ and undergo the process of conversion if they truly desire to receive God's gift of eternal life.

And that means no longer walking in darkness. We've learned that means we have to no longer walk according to the way of the world, but by living faithfully according to the true light of the world, priced according to his life, an example. Inquiring minds at this point might want to know how. How can we do that? So now let's consider those things Scripture instructs to those who have been called out of darkness into God's marvelous, marvelous light. That's a line from 1 Peter 2.9. What must we be doing to walk in the light and to keep walking in the light?

Many things. A few. One, to walk in the light we must walk in truth and keep God's commandments.

To walk in the light we must walk in truth and keep God's commandments. There's no way around it. Walking in the true light requires that we practice God's commandments. We put them into action as Jesus instructs. We're nearby. Let's look at 2 John. I'm going to call it this way. 2 John 1, 4 through 6. There's only one chapter in John, but this makes it easier.

2 John 1, 4 through 6. Here, 2nd Epistle from the Apostle John, he's writing, in this case it's addressed to the elect lady and her children. It's likely symbolic of the Church of God in general. Here John states 2 John 1, 4. John says, I rejoice greatly that I have found some of your children walking in the truth as we receive commandment from the Father.

We're commanded by God to walk in the truth. Verse 5, Now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love. We have to figure out what's love. Is it a feeling? Is it a song? Is it a puppy? You know, what is love? I guess it can all be those things, but the love we're talking about here, the true love, this is love. Verse 6, that we walk according to his commandments, God's commandments.

This is the commandment that you have heard from the beginning. You should walk in it. Let's also look at 3 John 1-4, the third epistle of John, 3 John 1-4. And again, John reiterates what he has said earlier here. John writes, I have no greater joy than to hear that my children, children in the faith, that he felt very much apparent about, than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Again, the idea of truth, that my children walk in truth. And of course, as we know and will learn from the words of Jesus Christ in John 1717, he jot that down. John 1717, Jesus declared that God's word, your word, Jesus says to his Father, God's word, his Father's word, is truth. Your word is truth.

And we find those words of God's truth in the Bible. They are the scripture. It's on your laps or in your hand if you're using a smartphone, whatever it might be. Those words of truth are inspired, God-breathed words of his Holy Scripture, the Bible. It goes beyond just the Ten Commandments.

It's the whole package. Now, despite what many would have us believe, as we can see so far easily that God requires that we keep his Ten Commandments. I was reading an article earlier this week. There's a person who wrote an article, and nobody I know. But he was making the case. He's trying to make the case using totally human logic, human reason, and a part from God without God. He was making the case using Scripture in his own unusual way.

He said, well, Jesus Christ put away all the commandments. He nailed to the cross all the commandments. Not true. You can study up on that. Therefore, ergo, ergo, since Jesus did away with all the commandments, technically there's no such thing as sin. That's what many are pushing out there. Oh, now he says, well, it's still a good idea to be nice, to be kind, be good to the animals, help people, but don't worry about things being a sin or not. I think he misses a point.

We don't get to put away sin. It exists. God defines the law. God's law defines what sin is. And if we go ahead and choose to keep sinning and pretend it's really not sinned, the penalty remains the same. And what's the penalty? It's not the penalty. What's the penalty? Yes. Death. We don't want death, not eternal death. Let's go back now to John 14, John 14, verse 15. John 14, verse 15, again references to why to walk in the light we must walk in truth and keep God's commandments.

God's word is truth. Here's what it says. John 14, verse 15. These are the words of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, if you love me, keep my commandments. God's commandments define love. If we love God, we're definitely going to be keeping his commandments. And also, a few verses down, verse 21. Jesus said, he who has my commandments and keeps them, if we really value them and honor them and cherish them, if we have them, we keep them. And it is he, let me just read that again, he who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me.

And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. We keep God's commandments because God says to and we love God. And the more we do that, the more we're going to understand about God, the more we're going to see Christ and the more we're going to become like Christ, because we're striving in our walk to change our conduct, to change our behavior.

We need to believe God's word. We will be keeping his commandments.

They're necessary to abide, to stay, to remain with God, and to stay out of darkness. Let's notice John 15 verse 9, maybe a page over in your Bible, John 15 verse 9 through, yeah, verse 9. John 15 verse 9, Jesus again says, As the Father loved me, I also have loved you, abide, stay, remain in my love. He doesn't want us to go away from him, Jesus says. If you keep my commandments, you will abide, stay, remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide, stay, remain in him. We want to stick like everything to God in his way.

Christ remained in God's love by keeping the Father's commandments. That was his choice. He loved doing it. He loves doing it and referring to God's Ten Commandments and his instruction in all life. Again, it's the whole Bible. And remember what we read earlier in John 12 verse 49 through 50, that Jesus spoke with the Father's authority. If we're walking with Christ, we're walking with the Father and according what the Father wants for us as well. And that means we'll be serious about keeping God's commandments, the Father's commandments. Continuing on here, John 15 verse 11, Jesus said this, these things I've spoken to you that my joy may remain. I want my joy to stay in you in your heart.

That my joy may remain, what I should have told you, remain is the same Greek word, meno, n-e-n-o. It can be abide, but the editors here chose to use the word remain. That my joy may remain, abide in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. It's new in one sense in how he phrased it. It's new in that he said an example of absolute sacrifice for others, but it's all God's love. It's all what Scripture is about. It's all what God's gospel is about, love. Jesus said, verse 13, Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you.

So, yes, we must be learning. We don't naturally know how to love God's way.

I think it's safe and sane to take a lifetime to learn how to love God's way. We never stop learning. I don't care how many decades you've been in the church. You and I, we all know, we continue to learn how to love God's way. So we must be learning, practicing that self-sacrificing love that Christ exemplified. We've got to put away selfishness and pride. We've got to learn in that idea we have to learn to be cheerful givers and helpers of others' joys, for others' joys, not just our own. Oh, I should have told you to hold your place. Let's go back to 1 John 2. I apologize. 1 John 2, verses 3-6, several scriptures here that sum up, again, our need to walk to keep the truth and keep God's commandments. John again makes clear, to know God, one must walk in God's truth and keep his commandments. 1 John 2, verses 3-6. Now by this we know that we know Him, we know that we know God, if we keep His commandments. He who says, I know Him and does not keep His commandments is a liar.

Father of lies is Satan. And does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in Him. But whoever keeps his word, truly the love of God is perfected, or rather, being perfected in Him. By this we know that we are in Him, we are in Christ. He who says he abides in Him, remains, stays in Him, ought himself also to walk just as he Christ walked. Christ is our model, the best exemplification of walking in light. He is light. So God's commandments teach us how to love God, how to love all people. And Jesus Christ set the perfect example for us to follow of godly love through His conduct, through His behavior, through His self-sacrifice. 2. To walk in the light, we must be resisting our carnal nature and temptations to sin.

To walk in the light, again, we must be resisting our carnal nature and temptations to sin.

Let's turn to Ephesians chapter 5 and spend a little time here with Paul in his letter. Ephesians 5 verse 1 through 6.

In Ephesians 5, and we're going to be looking at actually 1 through 6 here, little by little, Paul elaborates Christ's instructions, which we've been reading a lot about, such as what we read in John 3.19. Here Paul defines and describes in greater detail what we read there in greater detail about what darkness is. We're going to learn a lot about what darkness is in this section. And so here Paul defines and describes in greater detail what the darkness is that, John 3.19 says, men loved rather than light because their deeds were evil. So Ephesians 5 verse 1, Paul begins by reminding us to walk just as Christ walked. Verse 1, he says, therefore be imitators of God as dear children, imitators of God as dear children, and walk in love. We know that. He told us to keep his commandments, keep to the truth. Verse 2, as we walk in love, as Christ also loved us and given himself for us, and offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Just as God loved and loves us, we're to be laying down our lives for others and being faithful to obey his commandments. That's what Paul's saying. He's agreeing with what John was saying, what Christ himself said. Continuing verse 3, then Paul does a shift of tone. He changes direction. He changes intensity. Verse 3, Paul urges, then urges Christ's followers not to walk in darkness. He's going to tell us a little bit about that way, that walk. And the fact is, we know what it is. Maybe we just didn't understand it was darkness.

And so Paul begins, then, to list various sinful practices and works of the flesh. This is the darkness humanity loves rather than God.

Verse 3, he says, Paul says, but fornication, and all unclean cleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you as is fitting for saints. Saints are people who are holy.

They're walking. They'll walk as Christ walked. Not be fitting as is fitting for saints. Verse 4, neither filthiness nor foolish talking, talking like someone who doesn't believe in God, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather, he says, rather we should be giving thanks.

For this you know, verse 5, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater. He's an idolater because covetous, when we covet things and we want something so bad, sometimes even wanting our own way so bad, that gets between us and God. That becomes an idol.

To be covetousness, to practice covetousness, covetousness is to practice idolatry, Paul says, that's what Scripture tells us. So no covetous man who is an idolater as any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, such as somebody saying, oh, all the commandments are gone, sin doesn't exist. No, that's empty. Empty-headed, too, frankly. It's not true. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. It doesn't matter what people think about what they're doing. No matter if they think it's up to them, it is up to them, but the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, those who disobey God's way. Continuing on verses 7 through 13, Paul then urges, he gets into this, the use of the metaphor of walk. Paul then urges those who walk in light to never return to works of darkness and moral depravity. Verse 7, therefore, do not be partakers. That means to be a partner with. Don't partner up. Do not be partakers. Partners with them who practice darkness. For you were once darkness. You've been there, as we might say. What's it saying? Been there, done that, didn't like it. Then don't go back. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. God's Spirit is holy. It's eternal. It's always going to be. The darkness is going to cease one day, and the goodness in God is going to always be there. Darkness is not absolute. It will never overcome light. 20 verse 10, walk as children of light. Finding output is acceptable to the Lord. We have to learn this. We have to work at it. Studying God's Word. And have no fellowship with. That New English translation says, have no fellowship with. They translate that is, do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. It means reprove them. Correct them.

We need to use God's light, His scripture, to help us see what sin is around us and in us.

Now I don't know. Maybe I'll tattle on myself.

I think my house looks pretty clean at times. I'm going to take that back. I don't want to offend my wife because she does clean very well. I may think my office is pretty clean. That's my room. Okay. I may think my office is really clean.

But as soon as I turn on a bright light, or shall I say a brighter light, because I have old eye syndrome and I need more light to see clearly, it seems, when I turn on a brighter light, guess what I discovered? Boy, that cobweb looks older than my dirty coffee cup over here.

The more light exposes more dirt, the more light exposes where I haven't been cleaning.

It's true. The more light shows me where I need to pick up my game.

Likewise, this idea of exposing, that's what Paul's talking about. We have to expose the darkness. God's light exposes what darkness really is. It exposes darkness in us, and when we find those spots and things we're not taking care of within us, spiritually speaking as well. And when we find those spots, what do we do? You leave the light on, and you clean. You clean it up. Don't walk away and ignore it.

And that, again, refers to Jesus had said something quite similar about exposing sin in John 3.20. He talked about how the light of God reveals sin, which must be rejected.

Verse 12, continuing, verse 12 and 13, then, For it is shameful, he says, Paul writes, even to speak of those things which are done by them, those who practice darkness in secret, but all things that are exposed, exposed through the light, are made manifest by the light. For whatever makes manifest is light. God's word makes manifest. It is light. It shows us where the darkness is.

So once committed to walking the light of God, Paul urges us to be vigilant, to reject the pulls of temptation to sin. Paul's called us to salvation, everlast- excuse me, God has called us to salvation, everlasting life. We must no longer be partners and participants, Paul says, in darkness. Darkness, and we know because we've been there and we fight it.

Darkness, the works of darkness only offer temporary and guilt-laden pleasures.

Instead, we must keep the God's path, keep walking in the light. And with the help of God's word and his Holy Spirit, we maintain our course, our true course, and repent whatever necessary. I recommend you do it without delay. And sincerely, and we must continue to be children of light.

Number three, to walk in the light, we must be striving to become more like Christ.

Be striving to become more like Christ.

Scripture again, the weight of Scripture urges us onward in our calling and unto perfection through faith in Christ. Romans 8, verse 1. Let's turn to Romans 8, verse 1.

As I've mentioned over and over again, we have to have the help of God, his Spirit, and the Word of God. We need Christ living in us, working with us, ultimately.

And as Paul makes clear here in Romans 8, verse 1, we need to walk according to the Spirit, according to God's Holy Spirit. We need to walk according to God's Holy Spirit, not the flesh. Romans 8, verse 1. Paul writes, there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are on Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but walk according to the Spirit. When we're right with Christ, we're living faith, we've committed ourselves to Him through baptism, received the Spirit, death's penalty is no longer over us. We're freed.

Because we've stopped our willful walking according to the flesh, we still struggle with the flesh. Oh, yes. But that's not the way of life we're practicing. We're striving against that. 9, for the law of the Spirit, verse 2, of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. His shed blood, His sacrifice, and our steadfast humanity, His stead, makes sin, removes from us the penalty of death for sin.

10, for what the law cannot do in that as weak through the flesh God did by sinning His own son in the likeness of sinful flesh on account of sin, He condemned sin in the flesh. And so with faith in Jesus Christ, we can resist sin and yield ourselves to God.

Hold your place here. With that help, with God's Spirit in us, walking according to the Spirit, hold your place here. And let's look at a few scriptures, Galatians 6, 9-10. We can start doing those things which darkness would find unusual. Galatians 6, 9-10. We are told, Paul says, in essence, he's telling us, rely on the Spirit, let God's Spirit, walking according Spirit, let it help us to not weary of doing good. Galatians 6, verse 9. Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season, it's a promise, in due season, we shall reap. Talking about the coming of salvation, kingdom of God, if we do not lose heart, we don't give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

So if we can do a good deed or say a kind word, whatever way we are able to do, we ought to do it.

Do good works of light, not darkness. Let's also look at Philippians 2, verses 3-4.

Another example of something we need to do, but darkness, those in darkness wouldn't fully understand this. This is we didn't fully understand it, too. God helped us understand. Philippians 2, verse 3-4. We must continue to express love and concern for others.

Verse 3. Let nothing, nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, pride, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interest, but also for the interest of others.

Reminded that we must resist giving in to selfish attitudes. Keep walking in light in spirit of God.

Back to Romans 12, verses 1-2 this time, please. We must not forget the words of Romans 12, 1-2. We must not be conforming to the world. Paul wrote here Romans 12, verse 1, he says, I beseech you therefore, brethren, his essence begging us, pleading with us, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, all the wonderful things God is doing, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is reasonable, your reasonable service. When you understand what God's scripture is all about, and what it means to follow God or to follow ourselves and the world and Satan, it makes perfect sense that we would want to follow and do what God says. It's a reasonable service to serve God, to serve him and do his way. Verse 2, and it continues, and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed from the inside out by that renewing of your mind. That happens through the help of God's Holy Spirit in his Word, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. And so we need to go to God for help anytime.

And he will help us through his Spirit, help us to keep transforming our lives, our minds, helping us become more perfect, to become more like Christ. And then a few verses down, verse 14, we need to heed another aspect of being like Christ. Now this is one we're going to find maybe a little bit challenging, humanly speaking. But again, with God's Spirit, it goes beyond what we humanly can do. We can do it with the help of Christ, with the help of God and the Spirit.

Verse 14, bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse.

That's a toughie sometimes.

In verse 17, Paul then tells us how we might go about doing that.

So Romans 12 verse 17, Paul tells us how to respond to the persecution, unfairness, other things that we know is unfair and not right. But it's what happens when people are human and when darkness pervades us, tries to pervade us deeper. Verse 17, Paul writes, repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. And if it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. So we have to use some wisdom. Verse 19, he says, and here's where he gets to the point. We have to be careful how we react to unfairness. Verse 19, beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath. Don't let it take over you. For it is written, vengeance is mine, God says. I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, verse 20, if your enemy is hungry, what do we do? We feed him. It's a principle. If he is thirsty, do the right thing. Give him a drink. For in so doing, you will keep coals of fire on his head. Perhaps you'll help him to change. Perhaps you'll help him to learn from your godly example and want to know more about how to be like you. And we'll say, well, I'm just being like Christ, my heavenly Father.

Yeah, I'd be glad to help you. I'll point the way. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Paul's instruction here points us to one more requirement in our walk with Christ.

Number four. To walk in the light, we must be faithful to endure. We must be faithful to endure. Paul understood that being like Christ means living in direct opposition to the ways of self and society under Satan's influence. From the instruction of Scripture and the experience of his own life, Paul knew that those who reject darkness and walk in light can expect to be hated even as Jesus himself was. Paul experienced some of that. 2 Corinthians 11-24. I'm just going to read a little bit here. 2 Corinthians 11-24-25.

This is a list of... Paul has this little list. It's sometimes called the list of perils that he experienced. I just want to point out, verse 24-25, Paul knows what it meant, what it felt like to be persecuted and treated unjustly and cruelly and having done no wrong.

Verse 24. He describes how from the Jews, Paul says, five times I received 40 stripes minus one. Five times 39 stripes are like belts of leather, sometimes with metal in them, maybe not. It's a whipping. Three times I was beaten with rods. Verse 25, he says, three times I was beaten with rods, canes. Once I was stoned, meaning they threw rocks on him. And you can read about that book of Acts. They stoned him with rocks and left him for dead. And so Paul has experience in persecution. He persecuted, you might say, and then after God, Christ intervened in his life on the road to Damascus, he changed and he experienced persecution in a very painful way.

And he encourages his brethren, he encourages us to endure suffering, to endure persecution in our walk with God. Let's turn to Matthew 10. Back to Matthew 10. We should understand now, we should understand by now, as we've made it this far in these different things we can be doing to walk in the light, we should understand that a faithful believer who is one who is walking in Christ steps. Over it's kind of like the way you see children walking the steps, maybe on the snow, don't get snow much down here, or maybe on the beach. Kids will walk, put their footprint inside the footprint of the parent, sometimes to see how they match up, see if they can reach the same stride.

We're walking in Christ steps, we're following His example, we're imitating His way, we're becoming more like He is with His help. Like Christ, the believer must be willing to forsake all in total submission to God. Matthew 10, verse 37-38. Matthew 10, 37-38. We recall this, Jesus said, He who loves father and mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me, and he who does not take his cross, his own share of burden in life, to righteousness' sake and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. God must come first.

It's not that we don't love our families, we don't hate them, we just have to love God more.

Matthew 16, 24. Let's look here as well. Matthew 16, 24. What we're learning here a little bit more is there's a price for discipleship. Matthew 16, 24-27. Here's how Christ explains it here, the price of discipleship. Matthew 16, 24. Then Jesus said to his disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, we've seen a lot of that there previously, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life, or physical lives, will lose it. But whoever loses his life, whoever is willing to give up his life for My sake will find it, will find true life, that immortal life. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul, for his hope of eternity? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with His angels, and He will reward each according to His works. This is the cost of discipleship, and its reward is according to their faithful works, which those who endure to the end will receive in God's kingdom, the kingdom of God on earth. And so prior to baptism, we prayerfully consider the cost of our repentance. Can I do this? What will that mean?

Why lose all my friends? My family hate me.

We have to count the cost of repentance and total submission to God.

What God would like is that when we do our equation, it adds up to our choosing to commit ourselves to God, to being baptized, and through the laying on of hands by God's ministers, receiving God's Spirit. We then walk in newness of life. Romans 6.4. Walk in newness of life.

And thereafter, throughout our lives, we must practice faith, endure with God, continue to walk in the light. We need to know that God will allow our spiritual metal, M-E-T-T-L-E, what we're really made of, to be tested, what we're spiritually really made of, to be tested and tempered, strengthened through various and often unexpected trials. But as we remain faithful to Him, He will never leave us. He will be faithful to us. He will never forsake us. He will never let us become lost. He will never let us overcome by darkness. He will not let us bear more than we can possibly bear in life. Christ God is ever there to help us in life's trials as we let Him.

Now, some of our trials may include unfairness and persecution. In this regard, let's read John 15, verse 18 through 20. John 15, verse 18 through 20. This is part of our walk with God. This is the way it is. This is part of the cost of discipleship. John 15, 18 through 20. Here, John's account of what Christ had taught lends more understanding about enduring to the end, which we must do in our walk. Verse 18, if the world hates you, you know, Jesus said, that it hated me before it hated you.

If you are of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Remember the word that I said to you, a servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. Jesus' enemies persecuted him. We know that for certain.

Well, then, as loyal followers, the believers who walk with him can expect to be persecuted, too. It is a fact that those who walk in the light, who refuse to conform to darkness, when we do that, we will find ourselves increasingly out of step with the world.

We will not walk with them. We cannot walk with them.

And just as Christ, the light of the world was slandered, accused of being in league with Beelzebub, the devil, so may we be vilified at times for our faithfulness to God and Christ. You know, it's not hard to imagine that, is it? It's already happening. It's happened to some of us.

Because we uphold the biblical rules of men and women, we're called sexist.

Because we reject same-sex marriage, we're called homophobic. These are all hateful terms.

Because we walk in light, we're called haters, bigots, evil, and other colorful and hateful things.

Such is the cause of faithful discipleship. We're just doing what God says, willingly so.

No one of us relishes the thought of being treated unfairly, being persecuted, but we should not fear it. Don't fear it. That's part of the price, and it's worth it in the long term.

It's a good thing, actually. 1 Peter 3, 15 through 17. 1 Peter 3, 15 through 17.

Peter emphasizes this. The need sometimes to suffer for doing God's good will in our lives.

1 Peter 3, 15. But sanctify the Lord in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, and to be able to do it with meekness and fear, having a good conscience that when they defame you, vilify you as evildoers.

Those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, note this, for it is better if it is the will of God to suffer for doing good and for doing evil.

It seems to suggest some may be terribly persecuted, others may not be.

It's according to God's will. But whoever the case, we will be tested. We will be tried. We will be challenged.

We can be comforted in knowing that Christ has gone before us and is helping us all along the way. To suffer because we are faithful, to walk with God in Christ in truth and love, is a mark of distinct honor and a reason to glorify God. It is not something to be ashamed about. And so there's no disputing it. When we welcome God's call to salvation and begin with earnest faith, to walk in His light, to reject darkness, we are following in Christ's steps. And as we follow Christ, we are guided by God's Holy Spirit and Word. This process, called conversion, this walk in light with God, it is the most meaningful endeavor any human being can undertake. Nothing is more important than undertaking this walk with God.

Our goal is everlasting life in the kingdom of God. And so we must not cower, though we see darkness all around us, and it looms, and it frightens us at times. We must keep to the path that God has set and established. We must keep walking in the light and with Jesus Christ our Savior and soon coming King. So I say to you, let's keep walking.