As Christians we are called to be a salt and a light in our surroundings. <Matthews 5:13-16> An interesting thing with light is that the light shines brighter the darker it is around it. The Bible says that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. <John 1:5> This means that the light is always stronger than the darkness and when the light breaks through the darkness has to go away. The world around us is pretty dark, especially in the metal world. That's why there is such a big need for lights in the darkness that can show that there is something much better than what the darkness can offer. We as Christians are called to be lights in the darkness. God has placed us in this dark world because He wants to use us to be lights in the darkness and lead people out from the darkness and into the light, the Kingdom of God.
SIN MAKES THE LIGHT HARD TO SEE To be able to be a light we have to live as close to God as possible, cause the closer to God we live, the stronger the light of God will shine through us. Sin makes us filthy and makes it harder for the unsaved to see Jesus in us. Plenty of people go to Hell everyday and we don't have time to waste precious time by living in sin. LET THE FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST GIVE TASTE TO YOUR SURROUNDINGS Two important functions with salt is that it gives taste and that it preserves. We are called to be good examples for the Kingdom of God and be a fragrance of Christ that gives taste to our surroundings. <2 Corintians 5:20, 2:14-20>. Salt also protects flesh from decaying. We as Christians can block some of sin's decaying in our surroundings by standing for what we believe in and letting Jesus work through us. But if we Christians lose our saltiness, that means that we no longer differ from the unsaved around us when it comes to lifestyle and values, then we are no longer blocking sin's decaying and therefore we no longer fill any function. <Matthews 5:13> But if we instead keep our saltiness and live pure, then unsaved around us will see the difference and start to be interested in the life we have found in Christ. GET RID OF ALL HYPOCRISY! It is also very important that we don't compromise but dare to stand for what we believe in. Cause if you dare to stand for your faith you will soon get respect also from those that don't believe. The unsaved will then see that your Christian faith is not a fake but something real. It is also very crucial that you are not a hypocrite but really live what you teach. It doesn't cut it to say one thing and then do the opposite! Hypocrisy among Christians have kept so many away from God. We are called to be rolemodels and good examples, since we are ambassadors of Christ and are representing the kingdom of God. <2 Corintians 5:20> DO YOU WANT TO BE MIGHTLY USED BY GOD? We live in a dark world but the good news is that God is with us and He is stronger than he that is in the world! <Hebrews 13:5, 1 John 4:4, 5:4> God's Holy Spirit lives in us and fills us with power and strength to be able to be salt and light in our surroundings. <1 Corinthians 6:19, 2 Corinthians 6:16, Acts 1:8> God wants to use us all to do big things, but we need to live clean and be devoted to Him, to be vessels that He can use. God's eyes are sweeping all over the earth searching for people that are devoted to Him, so He can fill them with His mighty power. <2 Chronicles 16:9> Do you want to be one of those that God will use for big things? Then search the kingdom of God first, take time each day to pray and study the Bible, live clean, get rid of all hypocrisy and start to be a salt and light where you live. Let nothing stop you but Go For It!
© Johannes Jonsson 2006 e-mail: johannes@metalforjesus.org |