John 8:12 – When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
What does it mean to be a Christian? Per my upbringing, one must believe that Jesus died for your sins and through an acknowledgement of your sin, repentance, and faith in Jesus – you will be saved. It can help to pray something along the lines of The Sinner’s Prayer to guide your prayer of salvation. In other traditions, infant christening is the initial key to one’s salvation journey. In still others, Confirmation is a sacrament that can help to seal one’s faith walk. Finally still, other groups believe that affirmation of salvation happens when a believer is baptized by the Holy Spirit and speaks in tongues. The faith journeys I just described are all parts of the lives of dear friends of mine whose salvation experiences differed greatly. In my own faith journey, these varying messages have at times become muddled and confusing.
At one of our family reunions years back, my cousin’s wife told me that her mother once warned her that all Christian denominations, other than theirs, were going to hell. How anguishing to think that most of your friends would one day be doomed for not coming to salvation with exactly the same experience as you! The above scripture is a favorite of mine in part because of its simplicity. Becoming a follower of Jesus brings light, not just to you, but to those you encounter. It is never our job to judge who is a “true” believer and who doesn’t pass the litmus test of faith. I think we walk on sinking sand when we try to judge the sincerity or correctness of another person’s faith experience. Jesus makes it all very simple. Belief is demonstrated by following the path that Jesus paved for us in his life, death, and resurrection. God’s promise to us in this faith walk is clarity and enlightenment during the dark times. We are never alone. His light illuminates our choices, needs, and shortcomings.
Dear Lord, may we humbly accept your “light” and share it with others. Thank you for this simple instruction to a fruitful life, well-lived. May we ever be students of your teachings so that our hearts will follow the paths you’ve laid down for us.
Blessings to all!
Diana
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