Let Your Light Shine

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.” Matt. 5:16 






Many of us read that verse and zero in on “good works.” We want to see “good works” from them (the holier than thou people) but a studious breakdown of the verse reveals much more.

A Christian’s Perspective on Christmas

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is GIVEN (John 3:16); and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

And Micah 5:2 says, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.”

Discourse or Violence

Charlie Kirk said, “When discourse ends, violence begins.”

And Jesus said, “It is finished.”

The dialogue began with Adam (a-dam’ = man). God had much to say to Adam, considering he was a brand new creation, one of his kind, not another like him. Adam may not have had any questions, but God had much knowledge to give him... and a warning-- “Do not eat of that one tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day that you eat of it you, dying you shall surely die” Gen. 2:17. And then the violence began.

The Old Concealed - The New Revealed

"What is in the Old concealed, is in the New revealed" ~Augustine

If you keep reading the Old Testament you will read about the mysteries of God that even the prophets didn’t know about as Peter wrote, “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time (when), the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow (two advents). To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to you they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.” 1 Peter 1:10-12.

The Glory of the Redeemer

John 1:10-14 says, He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own (that which belongs to Himself) and His own people (fellow countrymen) did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the power (authority) to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

How Many Gospels?

"Strong objection is offered by Covenant theologians to a distinction between the gospel of the kingdom as preached by John the Baptist, Christ, and the other disciples and the gospel of the grace of God. One of them states that to make such a distinction is “unfortunate” and “dangerous.” He with others contends that the kingdom gospel is identical with the gospel of divine grace. Here nevertheless will arise an absurdity which does not deter this type of theologian, namely, that men could preach the grace gospel based as it is on the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ when they did not believe Christ would die or be raised again (cf. Luke 18:31-34)." ~Lewis Sperry Chafer, founder and first president of Dallas Theological Seminary 

Crucify Him

John 19... Jesus has been arrested by the Pharisees and chief priests and is brought before Pilate, who interrogates Him. He, Pilate goes out to the crowd to tell them that he finds no fault in Jesus for anything, but he says in 18:39, “you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40 But they all cried out, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Barabbas was a notorious insurrectionist and murderer no doubt awaiting death himself. So reluctantly, Pilate releases Barabbas and brings Jesus back inside, and had the soldiers scourge Him, and punch Him, and mock Him with the crown of thorns.

Humility and Love

Lamentations 3:22-23 says, The steadfast love of the LORD (Jehovah) never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

In the four Gospels we read the accounts of the life and death of Jesus (Jehovah incarnate). There is an infinite volume of truth about Jesus’ life, His birth, His death, His purpose(s), His words, His miracles, His righteousness, His divinity, His judgments, His sorrows, His joy, etc., which we will not fully comprehend in this life.