Tag Archives: light

How Can You Know the Truth?

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We live in a world in which confusion abounds. In every major facet of the world’s society: education, politics, religion, or whatever, contradictions, conflict and confusion prevails. Almost every subject of consequence is controversial these days.

There is a continuous struggle going on for our attention. Whether you realize it or not, your mind is under siege. All kinds of elements, groups, individuals, with a point of view to sell are struggling to capture your mind—attempting to win it over to their point of view. Your mind is constantly being bombarded by conflicting ideas, beliefs and opinions.

Even something as obvious as one’s sex is controversial. Are you male or female? An increasingly popular idea these days is that it’s not your DNA, nor the sex organs you are born with, that determine your sex. It’s whether you “feel” that you are male or female. Confusion about one’s sexual identity is being deliberately sown among even very young children by prevailing forces in our society. We can feel compassion for those who are confused about their sexuality, which often results from abuse or other kinds of mistreatment. But I have a hard time feeling anything but contempt for willful proponents of such confusion.

Paradoxically, in a world where the very idea of objective truth is increasingly under assault, powerful institutions are becoming more and more intolerant of any opinions on controversial matters which do not concur with their own.

Powerful social media companies routinely censor or deplatform those posting material which runs counter to opinions they favor, even though they are supposed to be content neutral platforms. Internet browser algorithms often tend to give preference in their search engine results to websites expressing viewpoints in favor with the left-wing Establishment.

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Welcome

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Dear Friends, Jesus said to his disciples, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16)*.

There are various ways committed Christians can let their lights shine. One of the most important is the example we set before others as we live our everyday lives. God’s word instructs us that we are to have our “…conduct honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12).

We must work diligently and continually to overcome our fleshly nature and be led by God’s Spirit so that we can, with his help, fulfill the admonitions concerning our conduct, as lights, reflecting the light that comes from God, in an evil world (cf. Romans 8:12-14).

To be lights we must be instructed in God’s Word. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). The words taught by Jesus show us how to follow him. “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believes on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejects me, and receives not my words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:46-48).

Genuine fellowship among Christians is predicated on our mutual fellowship with God the Father and with Jesus Christ (cf. 1 John 1:3). And that fellowship requires us to walk in the light of truth. “This then is the message which we have heard
of him, and declare unto 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 darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:5-7).

The true disciples of Jesus Christ live according to his word. “If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed” (John 8:31). That’s what it means to walk in the light (cf. Psalms 119:105; 2 Corinthians 4:4-6; 2 Peter 1:19).

To continue in or abide in God’s word we must know what its teachings are. To fully and properly understand God’s word requires diligent study and careful attention, with an intent and desire to learn and put into practice its precepts.

Nothing can replace your own reading and prayerful study of God’s word. But this website is intended as an aid to your understanding through instruction in the Bible and related topics, as well as a source of encouragement, and information of interest to anyone desiring to learn more about God. It’s my hope you will find it a valuable resource as you strive to fulfill God’s purpose in your life and walk in his light.

Rod Reynolds

*All Scripture quotations in this article from the New Testament are from the King James Clarified version unless otherwise noted.