The Shining Light
Back to The Precepts of Jesus
"Let your light so shine before men — that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16.
What unspeakable injury has been done to the cause of Christ — by the inconsistent lives of many professors of religion! To this must be mainly ascribed the comparatively little progress which Christianity has hitherto made. It is this — which emboldens the scoffer, which encourages the profligate, which strengthens the hands of the infidel, and which seals the eyes of the impenitent in death-like slumber!
Those who bear the name of Jesus should ever remember that the eyes of an ungodly world are upon them, and that their impression of the gospel, both in its nature and results — is derived from what they witness in the conduct of those who are identified with it. "The Bible," as one observes, "is God's revelation to Christians; and Christians are God's revelation to the world." That sacred book is not read by the careless and ungodly multitude — but they are eager in reading the character of the followers of Christ!
How important is it, then, that we should give, by our spirit and deportment — a correct representation of our holy religion. What a blessed thing it would be if all the members of our churches could be addressed in the language of the apostle, "You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."
Great is the power of impassioned oratory, as embodied in burning words, dramatic gestures, and flowing tears. But, after all, the most effective eloquence — is that of a pure, upright, consistent life! It shames the accusers of our holy faith; it puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men, and often constrains them, by the good works which they behold, to glorify God in the day of visitation.
Christian, let it be your earnest prayer and daily endeavour to be kept from dishonouring that worthy name by which you are called. Prefer, a thousand times over — to suffer for Christ, rather than that He should suffer by you. Adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour, not in some — but in all things. Adorn it by the purity of your conversation, by the blamelessness of your life, by the integrity of your dealings, by your abhorrence of all which is base or impure. Adorn it in the various conditions in which you may be placed — in prosperity and adversity; in obscurity and eminence; in health and sickness; in joy and sorrow; in youth and old age; in life and death. Let there be nothing lacking, which will contribute to the completeness of your godly character — but seek that every grace may be in you and abound more and more. Add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, Christian love. Thus you will thus be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Back to The Precepts of Jesus