Thursday, August 27, 2015

Why Do Christians Live Differently?




Ephesians 5:1-10

The command for the believer is this: in the light of Christ’s sacrifice for you, be children of light, walk as children of light.  In V3-7 we see a stern warning concerning Christian duties, the warning consists of: flee foolish talking,  pointless talking, flee covetousness.  Christian duties are so important as to be an indicator of your spiritual state.  Let no man deceive you with vain words, worthless words. The person who neglects Christian duties has no part in the kingdom of God 1 John 2:4-5 “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”

It’s your Christian duty to flee from sin.   If you do not flee from sin, you are not a Christian.   This is a major New Testament doctrine.  You cannot say you believe in Jesus and live like the world.  Christ saves us by grace and then changes us from darkness into light and now we live differently and we do what our Lord wants us to do, not to save us but because he saved us.  True salvation that changes people works out their life.  Works do not save but true salvation works.  Your submission to the Lord of glory, your obedience to God’s word is the test of your true Christianity.

Why do we do our Christian duty?  Why do we live differently as Christians.


1    In the light Christians see the dangers of the walk.  You were in times past darkness, but now you are light in the Lord so walk as children of light.  Presently, actively, it is imperative you walk as the children of light.  If you are going to go for a walk, do you want to walk in the darkness or in the light?  You would rather walk in the light because if you go for a walk in the dark you might not see something and stumble and fall.  If you are walking in the mountains and lose your way and darkness falls, you stop because a path that looks safe in darkness can be seen as dangerous in the light but you don’t see the dangers in the darkness.  Your life is like a walk, it’s like a journey, the walk of life is full of dangers, and we also meet good things in life that would help us.  Walk as if you are in the light.  In the light Christians see the dangers of the walk, you can see the things that would hurt you or help you.  That is why Christian life is different.  Those who are in darkness don’t see the dangers, they don’t see the pitfalls or the traps along the way.

        Because the spirit of God is within the believer.  The fruit of the spirit should be showing in the believer’s life.  Goodness, not  badness, honesty, and righteous living.   The tree is known by its fruit.  

          Because they are proving God’s acceptable will.  As we live in the light, we are visually proving God’s will, God’s well pleasing will.  Christian’s lives are proof of what is well-pleasing to God.

Christians are not deceived by false preachers.   If you are a Christian you are living according to God’s will.  What about those who say they “made a profession” but they walk in darkness, and they think that goodness and righteousness are bondage.  The bible says “ye were sometimes darkness but now are you light in the world.”  Do you believe the bible?  In the past you were in darkness, but in the present you are in the light.   

If you are not saved, you are walking the path of darkness, but you can walk in the light of Christ because Jesus walked it many years ago in darkness on the cross for sinners.  If you are unsaved, come to the light. John 8:12  “Then spake Jesus again unto them saying “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

This piece is based on notes I made from a sermon by Rev Paul Dowling of Whiteabbey Congregational (Reformed), here is the link to the sermon:




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