Living for God’s glory – Part 2

“Let your light so shine before men….” The reason we represent and reflect Christ before men is because Christ is the Light of the world. As lights that reflect Him in the world, we do not hide, seclude and isolate ourselves. After all, light is not useful but among men. If the people of the world cannot see it shining, then our light is useless. But we beam the light of Christ and the gospel of grace that burns with the oil of the Holy Spirit in our lives, so they can be attracted to Him.

Saved by grace, we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. In the words of John Wesley: Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.

Christ has created, saved and imparted His nature in us for the purpose of showing good works before men. Thus, we labour in good works before all men. Also, God has given us the Scripture so we can be “furnished unto all good works.” It behoves us, Christians, to endeavour to always live out a cleansed Christ-like attitude, character and lifestyle that illuminates. Our lives then, as Christians, must not only be full of good works, but also patterns of good works before men.

We must be conscious that other people are always watching us. They evaluate our behaviour, language, action and interaction. Therefore, our lives must be full of good works. Anywhere, anytime and “in all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you ” (Titus 2:7,8). This pattern of good works is what God wants us to demonstrate.

This is because God is good and promises the everlasting covenant for our good. Jesus, our perfect Model, went about doing good. The Holy Spirit is good in that He guides and directs us. The priority and commitment of our lives then must be to do good to others. By so doing, we will be showing ourselves to be following Christ’s model of glorifying God.

The reason for doing good works is so that men may see them and give glory to God. What was the pattern of the life of Jesus in bringing glory to God? He glorified God by concentrating on what the Father had appointed Him to do. “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do” (John 17:4). He could not be diverted from His purpose on earth. He rejected earthly coronation by men to be a king. Rather, He focused His attention on the purpose He came to fulfil on earth: His suffering and death for the sin of humanity.

Like Christ, whatever God has called us to do, let’s do it without procrastination, but with all our strength, might and knowledge. We must assess ourselves continually to make sure we finish the work God has given us to do to avoid living a wasted life.

As Christians, we must not live a life without consequence. Understandably, we are not ordinary people. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9). We must not allow personal problems or challenges that confront us to prevent our light from shining forth.

When it shines for others to see, many of them would be drawn to the Lord. They will glorify God for being transformed by the light of the gospel. So, our lives will glorify God as they also shine forth the light of God’s grace, love, holiness and power before men.

Further Reading (King James Version): Matthew 5:16; Romans 15:5,6; 1 Corinthians 6:19,20; Matthew 5:16; 6:1,2; 10:32,33; Acts 19:18,19; Romans 12:17-21; 16:19; Philippians 4:5-8; 1 Thessalonians 3:12,13; 5:14,15; Matthew 5:16; Ephesians 2:8-10; 2 Timothy 3:16,17; 2:19-21; 2 Thessalonians 2:16,17; Titus 2:7,8; 3:8,14; Matthew 5:16; John 17:4; 15:8; 1 Peter 2:9,12; 4:11,14; Galatians 1:21-24; 1 Corinthians 10:31-33; 2 Thessalonians 1:11,12; Colossians 2:6,7; John 13:15-17.