"Indeed, you were once darkness, however, now you are light in the Lord, as children of light walk,"1
Walking in light produces "righteousness," this word is dikaiosuné, it speaks to a decision of whether one is guilty or innocence. Christ is our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.10 This is at the core of the new covenant in Christ, He is our righteousness, "by Grace through faith you are saved not of works lest any should boast..." We "are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."11 If someone says they are more righteous than another they speak to their misunderstanding of righteousness. Jesus gives gifts to build up the church to walk in the Light.
Discerning what is well pleasing to the Lord is one we must all do, it is often hidden in traditions and doctrines of men and can be difficult at times but such we must pursue. This varied experience in different ministries has brought forth my own discerning of values or standards. In business these are often called Core Values, which are defined as guiding principles that dictate behavior and action. I have come to develop these for ministry, the Bible speaks to what they are. They are called fruit; "the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. Discern what is well pleasing to the Lord."3
A standard is a system in which value is placed on its highest values. Gold was the standard of monetary value for a long time. For Christianity the Gold Standard is called the Golden Rule. This is summed up in what Jesus said, "therefore, all things, as many as if you might desire that should to you men do, so also do to them, this indeed is the law and prophets."3 This standard of treating others as you would want to be treated, is reflective in the Greater Commandments, and in the Law of Christ which is to bear the burdens of others. "As children of light walk..." Paul writes we were once in darkness but now are in the light, so we are to walk in the Light. The Bible gives us these high standards or guidelines so that we as individuals and organizations walk in Light and not stray from its path.
Walking in light produces "goodness," this word for goodness is agathosune, and it only appears in the Bible, it is a goodness that comes from God, a unique quality and condition of God. Such goodness of God leads men to repentance.4 And what does the goodness of God look like? The prophet Micah spoke of this goodness, "To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."5 Goodness is a fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness..."6
"Viewed generally, it is benevolence; as exercised with respect to the miseries of his creatures it is mercy, pity, compassion, and in the case of impenitent sinners, long-suffering patience; as exercised in communicating favour on the unworthy it is grace."8
Goodness denotes kindness, which is reflective in uprightness of heart and life. To be Children of Light is to be full of goodness.6 It is a high value of worthiness of our faith, being the good pleasure of God's will.7 Goodness shows itself in spiritual, moral excellence; in forgiving and giving. It is benevolence, kindness, mercy, and Grace. Goodness just doesn't detest evil but it loves genuinely and holds fast to good.8 Goodness is a mark of the wise and understanding, "By his good character let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom."9
"Through good deeds having witnessed they might glorify God in the day of visitation."10 It is this goodness that people fall at the feet of Jesus. And He said by our Unity the world would know He is from the Father. This is so important to those who worship the God of Abraham, to see such Light in us, so they see the Way. It is the goodness of the character of God being expressed through us to others, such witness of God causes men to repent, such goodness causes men to be divinely persuaded. Therefore goodness is a high standard of righteousness.
"Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."12 Righteousness we become when we accept Christ, it is a high principle of the new covenant that not by Law but by Grace through faith in Christ are we given righteousness. If we are to judge by God's standards no one would make it, all would fall short. We are " justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus", in such we have confidence to approach the throne of Grace.
Accountability within organizations show that deeds are manifested in the Light. Good likes the Light, by such, good leaders are fine with you questioning their deeds as their deeds are good. Organizations that have open door policies, they want you to be a part of the solution, if there are issues bring them into the light, they are comfortable with this as their deeds or intentions are good. Good is manifested in the Light as Christ is the Light. Authority that doesn't allow you to question them is not good, they lord over you. Christ gives gifts for the building of men, the church, not a building but people built up into a Holy Temple to God. Organizations should be more interested in building men than building buildings.
How we glorify God is manifested in good deeds and is reflective in goodness, righteousness, and truth. How we treat others, how we are accountable to others, and how men are being transformed into disciples of Christ are signs of good deeds. Men find Freedom in Christ, they become slaves to righteousness not to men. But how can one measure such transformation? We see the rich young ruler was drawn to Jesus, as God draws all men, and Jesus says "come follow me..." but the rich young ruler loved His earthly riches and sadly walked away. Did He believe? did He confess Christ? this is the question. Success can truly be measured by transformation, following Christ, not by whether one runs to him calling him good teacher.
Jesus said the world will know you are His disciples by your love for one another. Where do the other statistics fit in? surely they do not if we have not love for one another, it is nothing Paul would say. This is not an option that can be broken in the name of reaching the lost, it is a commandment made new by the love, the example of Christ, a Light manifested to men. If you truly love me Jesus said you will obey my commandments, love your neighbor, love one another. We can gauge Light by what Children of Light truly produce; goodness, righteousness, and truth.
Walking in light produces "truth." This word for truth properly means truth (true to fact), reality, it is derived from A "not" and lanthánō, "unnoticed, concealed") Truth is a high principle of the faith, truth is that which is not concealed or hidden. The Bible speaks that we are given this light to shine to the world, it is to break forth as dawn or a day star.14 We are not to hide such a light, it is not to be covered up. And we are not to cover up our deeds but bring them into the light so that our deeds are made known, manifested in the Light, that they are good.
"This is the verdict. Light has come into the world, but men love darkness rather than Light, because their deeds are evil."15Those of darkness, their "dwelling is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know Me," declares the LORD."16 Those who do not like the Light attack the Light, the goodness of God. They do not come to the light because their deeds are evil. This is in contrary to those who love light, they imitate God as they are His children, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God."17 These higher standards of love are good signs of whether an individual or an organization is walking in Light.
"Pay careful attention, then, how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,"19As individuals and as organizations we develop the mindset of accomplishing the mission, such helps us to endure as we bring the gospel to a lost world. There is a battle fighting darkness and such is a great mission statement to bring Light to the world, but we need values to guide us along the way. As a business would have Core Values to align itself to principles of operation, ministries also need these values, such keeps an organization within the boundaries of what is God's good pleasure or will. Some help us not to sin, that we do not step outside these boundaries and break God's commandments. Accomplish the mission and love one another I can hear Christ say, to love as He loves as we accomplish the mission, this is being Children of Light.
Accountability within organizations show that deeds are manifested in the Light. Good likes the Light, by such, good leaders are fine with you questioning their deeds as their deeds are good. Organizations that have open door policies, they want you to be a part of the solution, if there are issues bring them into the light, they are comfortable with this as their deeds or intentions are good. Good is manifested in the Light as Christ is the Light. Authority that doesn't allow you to question them is not good, they lord over you. Christ gives gifts for the building of men, the church, not a building but people built up into a Holy Temple to God. Organizations should be more interested in building men than building buildings.
How we glorify God is manifested in good deeds and is reflective in goodness, righteousness, and truth. How we treat others, how we are accountable to others, and how men are being transformed into disciples of Christ are signs of good deeds. Men find Freedom in Christ, they become slaves to righteousness not to men. But how can one measure such transformation? We see the rich young ruler was drawn to Jesus, as God draws all men, and Jesus says "come follow me..." but the rich young ruler loved His earthly riches and sadly walked away. Did He believe? did He confess Christ? this is the question. Success can truly be measured by transformation, following Christ, not by whether one runs to him calling him good teacher.
"Let shine the light of you before men so that they may see your good deeds and glorify the Father of you in heaven."22Many are attracted to the goodness of the light, they ask the question why do you do good deeds? Picture these people seeing the light, they are coming to the light on a hill but if they experience something contrary to light, to the Golden Rule, to Unity and Love, if these great commandments are not being obeyed, they will not see light and will walk away. We say our behavior is for the end purpose but they have no understanding of such only that they have experienced something other than goodness. Take it for the team we say as such sacrifice is for the end goal, for the lost, the orphan... They come to the hill only to see something that is not Light. We are to be a light on a hill and the world should be attracted to the light as they see our good deeds.
Jesus said the world will know you are His disciples by your love for one another. Where do the other statistics fit in? surely they do not if we have not love for one another, it is nothing Paul would say. This is not an option that can be broken in the name of reaching the lost, it is a commandment made new by the love, the example of Christ, a Light manifested to men. If you truly love me Jesus said you will obey my commandments, love your neighbor, love one another. We can gauge Light by what Children of Light truly produce; goodness, righteousness, and truth.