Light

Good Morning,

Do you remember the days when your mom told you not to write on yourself? Not long ago, certain things were considered primitive, and certain things were considered civilized.

I know I am stepping into the world of judging, but let us stop worrying about social trends and start worrying about simple honest thinking.

As a child, I remember looking at National Geographic magazines and seeing piercings, tattoos, stretched earlobes, and an excess of exposed flesh. Those were strange days in America, days when the term underwear meant it was under and it was not to be seen. Those were days when your poverty was seen through the holes in your pants or shoes — those holes were certainly not fashionable. The primitive folks in uncivilized lands needed Christ and the Bible to bring them into the light of decency and propriety. They did not need to become Americans but they could be taught to be more appropriate.

The primitive cultures of the world are subject to all kinds of demonic activities and influences. In primitive cultures, the basic element that sets them apart from civilization is what many would call the lack of light. Light — the opposite of the Dark Ages ( a time when no Scriptures were available to the hands of people), when people lived in darkness because of the lack of God's instruction.

Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

Ephesians 5:13 “But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.”

Light reproves the darkness!

2 Peter 1:19 “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:”

The Word of God shines in the darkness and brings the spiritual and physical dawning into our world. The Word of God and the preaching of the Word of God brought men out of the Dark Ages, and with that, brought a civilized lifestyle, a lifestyle in which words like modesty, discretion, and virtue came with “the light.” Of course, there was always shame and wrong, but at least it was named as wrong. No one denied the wrong of drunkenness or adultery. No one tried to justify sodomy or primitive living. Tattoos and earrings on men were only appropriate when they were pirates — uncivilized, scoundrels, and reprobate men who were to be kept at arm's length.

Psalm 19:8 “The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.”

Proverbs 6:23 “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:”

The light of God’s Word reproves us, enlightens us, and brings us out of darkness. Without the Bible, we will return quickly to the dark world of primitive thinking and living. The problem in America came when we stopped having a biblical influence on our homes, our church, and yes, our government. The Bible had a huge influence on the founders and framers. Nakedness was something they expected from the “savages,” certainly not something in which civilized people would partake. The Bible taught us about propriety.

Many will say that these styles are now acceptable in our nation; but understand this: that which is becoming acceptable in America is no more civilized than that which is acceptable in the native tribes of Africa, South America, or the South Pacific. Just because everyone runs around in a loin cloth does not make it right. Those people are primitive. They have not been taught the Bible, and therefore, they miss the most basic principles of biblical discretion and modesty.

I remember traveling to Disneyland with our family, and one of our children in the back of the van found some felt markers. If I remember correctly, by the time we got to Disneyland, that child had colored markings all over their hands and arms and the back of one of the seats. Today, one would have to pay quite a bit of money to have that done to their arms; my child paid in a different fashion for the artwork. Needless to say, that trip to Disneyland began very soberly and unhappily for one child; it was definitely not the “Happiest Place on Earth.” We are civilized people; we do not mark our bodies; we do not allow our body parts to hang out of our clothing, and we get married before we have intimate relationships — civilized. Civilized people have the “light.”

May we read a great deal more Bible and may God grant us wisdom to not live as those who have no “light.”

Pastor