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Paul wrote, "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk
as children of light" (Eph. 5:8).
It is evident that these people had made a great change. Darkness and light are opposite extremes. There was a time when the people at Ephesus were "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1). They were then spiritually dead, but now they were alive. What a change! Every Christian is a changed person. On Pentecost, the minds of many of the Jews present were changed by the preaching they heard. "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37). Faith is produced by hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17). The faith that saves comes in no other way. Some claim the Lord puts faith into the minds of individuals in some mysterious way, but such is false doctrine. Paul said there was a time when God overlooked ignorance, "but now commandeth all men every where to repent" (Acts 17:30). Someone has rightly said that, "The theme of the Bible is repent or perish, turn or burn." Those who refuse to change their minds cannot go to heaven. When one confesses his faith in Jesus as Lord, he is in reality confessing his allegiance to Christ and expressing his desire to follow Him in life. Paul said, "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Rom. 10:10). If we are not willing to confess Christ before men, He will not confess us before His Father in heaven (Mt. 10:32). A sinner — one who is out of Christ — changes his relationship when he is scripturally baptized. Paul wrote, "Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" (Rom. 6:3). Again, he wrote, "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal. 3:27). There is no other way into Christ except to be baptized. Paul said, "All spiritual blessings in heavenly places" are "in Christ" (Eph. 1:3), and that in him (Christ) "we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins" (Eph. 1:7). "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:2). We either love the Lord or we love the world. Have your affections changed? We purpose to serve either the Lord or the devil. There is no middle ground (Mt. 12:30). Paul said we are servants of whoever we serve. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (Rom. 6:16). Paul was thankful that whereas the Christians in Rome had been the servants of sin, they had changed and become the servants of righteousness (Rom. 6:17-18). Their purpose had changed. What about yours? Christians have been "delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of his (Gods) dear Son" (Col. 1:13). "Our conversation (citizenship — ASV) is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20). As the song says, "This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through." God's people are "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Heb. 11:13). Paul wrote, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17). One is raised from the water of baptism to "walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4). We can be — and are — influenced by those with whom we associate. We are told, "Be not deceived: evil communications (associations — ASV) corrupt good manners" (morals — ASV) (1 Cor. 15:33). Peter talked about what kind of lives some had lived in the past (1 Pet. 4:3), then wrote, "Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you" (1 Pet. 4:4). Those who have obeyed the Lord and are following Him wear the name Christian (Acts 11:26; 1 Pet. 4:16). It is only in this name that we can glorify God, according to Peter, as Christians are sons of God (1 Jn. 3:1). What an exalted privilege! We must "put off the old man" and "put on the new man" (Col. 3:9- 10). When one is baptized into Christ, he puts on Christ (Gal. 3:27). We could use a number of verses to prove this point, but one verse will show the contrast between the destiny of the saved and the destiny of the lost. Referring to the lost, Jesus said, "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment." But in contrast to this, He said, "but the righteous into life eternal" (Mt. 25:46)." Which will it be for you? Are you willing to change in order for heaven to be your eternal home? Don't put it off. "Behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2)." |