Are You Walking In Darkness – Or Are You Walking In Light?
"Then Jesus said to them,
'A little while longer the light is with you.
Walk while you have the light,
lest darkness overtake you;
he who walks in darkness
does not know where he is going.'"
John 12:35
Do you know where you are going? Or ...are you walking in darkness?
One who has been born again knows exactly where he is going. He knows that his citizenship is not in this world, but is in heaven.
"For our CITIZENSHIP is in heaven,
from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ…"
Philippians 3:20
Jesus said that in this world we will have tribulation (John 16:33 ) and so it is, especially for the believer. All believers experience tribulation because all believers are hated by Satan and it is his satisfaction to afflict those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. But not only are the problems afflicting us temporary, but we also have the promise that for the believer, God works ALL things out together for our good (Romans 8:28). And how great is our joy when we see him do exactly that! We don't see it immediately, but when we look back, we say "oh my ....YES!" - and we marvel!
One of the greatest promises granted to the born-again believer is that those walking in the light will be removed from this world before the great and terrible judgment falls upon it "in the last days." That time is called "the Tribulation," when he judges this world, when he "tramples down the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored." Speaking of that time, Jesus told us that this last 7-year Tribulation period will bring worse suffering than the earth has ever experienced. Think the flood of Noah. Think the Holocaust.
"For then there will be great tribulation,
such as has not been since the beginning of the world
until this time, no, nor ever shall be."
Matthew 24:21
It will be a time of judgment, coming just when the world doesn't expect it.
"For you yourselves know perfectly
that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
For when they say, 'Peace and safety!'
then sudden destruction comes upon them,
as labor pains upon a pregnant woman.
And they shall not escape."
1 Thessalonians 5:2-3
"They" shall not escape, but the born-again believer WILL escape it:
vs 4:
"But you, brethren, are not in darkness,
so that this Day should overtake you as a thief."
The difference is that the people of "the world" are in darkness, but those in Christ walk in the light.
Vs 5:
"You are all sons of light and sons of the day.
We are not of the night nor of darkness."
The believer has the assurance that he will NOT see those days:
"Because you have kept my command to persevere,
I also will keep you OUT OF the hour of trial
which shall come upon the whole world,
to try those who dwell on the earth."
Revelation 3:10
Furthermore, Jesus told us to pray, asking specifically to be kept out of that terrible time:
"Watch therefore, and pray always
that you may be counted worthy
TO ESCAPE all these things that will come to pass,
and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Luke 21:36
Do you pray this? Certainly if you're walking in darkness you've never uttered these words before God. Turn to him therefore, bring to him a repentant heart and ask him to become your Savior and your Lord. If you surrender yourself and your life to him, THEN you may ask this request of him, to be kept OUT OF that terrible time.
Believers are accused of having an escapist mentality. Well if you've read the passages throughout the Bible describing what those days will be like, you'll realize that they will be days of unprecedented suffering and you too will wish you had done as Jesus said and asked TO ESCAPE those days. In light of this, the wise ARE "escapists." They believe the words of Christ.
But first, he must become your Savior. And first he must become your Lord. Only those who are ...will escape.
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