Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
— Matthew 5:16 —
Raffaele Spitale: Italian Theological Academy | Italy
Those who are saved by the grace of God are described by Jesus as the “light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). This is who we are as a result of the saving work of God in our lives. It has nothing to do with the culture of a particular nation. The believers are light in the Lord (Eph. 5:8). No matter where we live or in which time, our godly lives need to shine before men. Jesus not only describes believers as the light of the world, but He also exhorts them to let their light shine before men. In a similar way, the apostle Paul exhorts the Ephesians to walk as children of light (Eph. 5:8). In other words, we are saved in order to let the world see the light of Christ, just as a lamp is placed on the lampstand in order to give light in the house (Matt. 5:15). Our Christian life is not something private; rather, it is to be a public demonstration of God’s powerful and glorious saving work. Each believer is called to live a godly life that will attract people to God, not to us. But why is this? Because the ultimate aim of our salvation is the glory of God. The point of letting the world see our good works is that they may glorify God and worship Him alone. In this passage, we are reminded of a crucial biblical truth. No matter where we live or in which time, our godly lives need to shine before men. We are called to let the world see Christ through the way we live, in order to bring glory to God.
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