Into Light or Dark Via Works

I have a choice to either be in the light or in the dark. That choice is driven by my works in this world.

“¹⁹And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. ²⁰For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. ²¹But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” — John 3:19-21 (ESV)

These are the words of Jesus. He came into this world and into the darkness to expose the people to the light that He is. He gave the people the opportunity to come to something greater. He did not stay on the throne and ask the people to come to Him, He went to them where they were.

I like to use imagery to visualize what things will look like, so here goes. I have watched a number of movies where the lead character goes into a dark room or area exploring for whatever it was in the movie. As the character goes into the darkness, the light they are carrying exposes the hoards of beings congregating. As the light shines on the beings, they move, but not toward the light, away from it to avoid the light that exposes them for what they are and what they have done. In the darkness there may be a few that are not like the others and when the light is brought into the darkness they will move toward it to be rescued from the darkness and the beings found there.

Jesus came to be the light in the darkness and as He came those in the darkness either moved away to remain unexposed or they move toward Him to be rescued. I personally choose to be rescued. I have done some things that I am not proud of and it would be easier to move away from the light and stay in the darkness so that I and my actions are not exposed, but what does that get me but more works I am not proud of and I will perpetually remain in the dark. By coming into the light, I may have some challenges getting there, but thanks to Jesus, the reward of salvation and forgiveness and grace are far greater than the shame of remaining in the dark.

I have to allow my works to speak to who I am. I can choose the works to be “carried our in God”, or I can choose to remain in the dark and remain shameful for the works carried our there. I choose to be in the light and carrying out the works that God has for me to bring glory to Him and the gospel to the people.

Where are you spending your time? Are you in the dark, ashamed of the works you have done? What if you were to see and come to the light that is God and accepting the forgiveness for those works and continue forward doing the works of God in the light?

Praise for Her Continuous Works

My wife, Lori, is one the hardest working people I know. She took on the role of my wife and proceeded to ensure that I was taken care of. Then we were blessed with two boys thanks to the trust from God that we would steward them in this world, and she stepped up her role, amazing. Next, she has taken on more responsibility as a school teacher and has continued her works impacting the lives of even more children. And, let’s not forget that she is still my wife ensuring that I am taken care of. All of this, she does with only others in mind.

“¹⁰An excellent wife who can find?

She is far more precious than jewels.”

— Proverbs 31:10 (ESV)

Wives and mothers are truly more valuable than anything other than the LORD. I have good ones in both aspects as I started life with a mother who paved the way for Lori. My mother did all she could to steward me and my siblings in this world. And, she worked, what seemed like tirelessly to impact not just us, but others like us in her little corner of the world.

I am blessed to have these two women in my life and know that I would not be the person I am without them. My mother and Lori do the work for God in this world and they do so in full service of Him and those they come in contact with. They are to be praised.

“³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the gates.”

— Proverbs 31:31 (ESV)

It is not the one work that makes them who they are, although it can certainly start there. It is the continuous work for others selfishly that makes mothers and wives those to be praised. They are always looking to make the lives of those around them better and are to be praised for that continuous work.

What works make your mother or wife what they are today? Are they given the proper praise for all that they do? What if we lifted them in praise for the continuous works they do in making lives around them better?

Works of the LORD to be Blessed

“²²Bless the LORD, all his works,

in all places of his dominion.

Bless the LORD, O my soul!”

— Psalm 103:22 (ESV)

All the works of the LORD are to be blessed. Not just a few of them that suit us and those that benefit me the individual, all of them. I believe it is too easy and we take pleasure in calling out those works that we identify as “good”. There are many that the LORD does that may be “good” for one and not good for everyone. And the “good” may not be known, as we are not able to see the entirety as God does. I may only be seeing a tragedy, when God is working under blessing. An example may be the one who is suffering through health decline and God calls that person home. We may only the death that occurred and do not know of the suffering that was fully relieved through the blessing of leaving this world and the pain experienced here.

“⁶The LORD works righteousness

and justice for all who are oppressed.”

— Psalm 103:6 (ESV)

The LORD provides for all of His people. All those who are under the pressure of the world. All those who are persecuted. All who fear the LORD. All who recognize Him as LORD. All who are in need of His grace and recognize it as so. I am one of those who need His grace and know that only He can and will provide it. I know that He will deliver me from that which there is no need for me to suffer with any longer. I have only to remember that it is His choice as to what relief is provided and not mine.

All works of the LORD are to be blessed by me. I have to recognize that all that goes in my life are determined by God for His glory and where I may suffer at times, it will never be more than I can bear and when the time is right, He will remove that suffering from me.

What are you experiencing in this world? Are you looking at that suffering as just that, suffering? What if you looked to the suffering as work done for the LORD and took on that they are a blessing and He will relieve you when He determines the time is right?

Justified Then Works

I have written a number of times about the fact that works are more done as a result of our justification and not to in some way gain justification. I have to remember that as a follower of Christ, I have already been justified and as a result, I have work to do for God, not as repayment for my justification, but I am now part of the family and I am responsible for work in the family.

“⁸The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.” — Titus 3:8 (ESV)

I notice in the above verse in the letter from Paul to Titus, “those who have believed in God” will “devote themselves to good works”. Paul does not say that the good works guide them in their believing, but that they have already believed and now will do the good works. It is those who were justified that will be compelled to do the good works. We do nothing in the way of works to gain justification, that comes from simply accepting Christ as our Savior and fully believing in Him.

“⁴But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, ⁵he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” — Titus 3:4-7 (ESV)

We are saved “according to his own mercy” and not by the works that we do. I can give to all the charities, feed all of the homeless, adopt all the children, build homes and hospitals and yet without acceptance of Jesus Christ as my Savior, I will still not be justified. With that acceptance, I will not be in the business of gaining something from my giving, I will simply be giving as a part of my role as a member of the family of God.

I have said that my wife and I like to watch television series and we just started another, “New Amsterdam”, that really tugs on our heart strings. In one episode, there was a father and daughter seeking help for the ailing daughter. She needed a lung transplant and of course the father was willing to give for his daughter. He was however not a match for her yet was a match for another in the hospital. He was informed that if he gave, the hospital would do everything they could to find a donor for his daughter, and he agreed. As the episode unfolded, it turned out that the daughter was not strong enough in the moment to go through the surgery. That did not deter the father one bit. He agreed to give even expecting nothing in return. In the end the daughter did receive the transplant and all was well, but the story here is about the giving of the father, not to gain something, but to give.

There is a lot to unpack in the above, but I will simply leave it here. I have to remember to be like the father and know that I have already received my reward from Christ thanks to my acceptance of Jesus as my Savior. I have been justified already and now it is time for me to give, not to gain, but because I have received.

What are you doing as works in the world? Are you doing works to gain something? What if you accepted Christ and the justification that comes with salvation and then did works to simply give?