Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture from second Corinthians.
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6
In the beginning of creation, God caused the light to shine out of the darkness, but He continues to do the same thing today inside of people’s hearts. Each of us are sinners who are filled up with the blackness of our own iniquities, but although each of us have come short of the glory of God, He offers us a free gift of His mercy and grace. God is ready to look away from our sinful past, and grants us this incredible gift, which can only be found through faith in His only begotten Son Jesus. Through Christ, we have the opportunity to turn away from the person that we once were, in order to become everything that God wants us to become. Many people don’t think about it, but a Saint is just a sinner who repented of their sins. Look at the life of the Apostle Peter for example, who understood that he was a sinner.
“When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Luke 5:8
The Apostle Paul admitted the same thing.
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15
But the gospel teaches us that God can take a sinner, and through faith and repentance, completely transform them into a Saint. God can do a lot with a humble and repentant sinner. He can free them from their past sins, and then fill them up with the light of His Holy Spirit. When this happens, works of righteousness can flow through their hearts just like oil through a lamp. All of a sudden, the darkness of their heart will begin to grow steadily brighter, burning brightly with with the fuel of the Holy Spirit. God calls out to sinners everywhere to turn from the darkness and to walk in the light.
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” 1 Peter 2:9
The Apostle Peter taught that at one time of his life he was walking in sin, but that had all changed when he was converted to the Christian faith.
1 Peter ³ For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: ⁴ Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: ⁵ Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
Before he became a Christian, the Apostle Paul was persecuting the Christian Church.
“And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.” Acts 22:4
“As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.” Acts 8:3
But after he believed the truth, the chief of sinners was converted into a saint.
1 Timothy 1 ¹² And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; ¹³ Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. ¹⁴ And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
In order for anybody to enter into heaven, they will have to go through the same type of conversion.
“And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3
Repentance is the key to becoming a new creature in Christ Jesus, rejecting your past life of sin to begin a new life of holiness in Christ.
2 Corinthians 4 ¹ Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
² But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
Sinners can become Saints, but it all comes down to their willingness to reject what they were, to become something new. The Apostles had gone through this process of transformation and were warning the church to do the same.
Ephesians 4 ¹⁷ This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, ¹⁸ Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: ¹⁹ Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. ²⁰ But ye have not so learned Christ;
²¹ If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: ²² That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
²³ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
²⁴ And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
After this life, people will be in one of two places, eternal life or eternal punishment. God is perfectly righteous and will judge every man according to their works.
Romans 2 ⁵ But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; ⁶ Who will render to every man according to his deeds: ⁷ To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: ⁸ But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, ⁹ Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; ¹⁰ But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: ¹¹ For there is no respect of persons with God.
There are only two types of people in this world today, sinners and repentant sinners. Sometimes people think that a Saint is a special person above all others, but the truth is that they are just a sinner who came to their senses. Each of us are presented with an incredible opportunity through the gospel of Christ Jesus. We can become transformed from the wretch we once were into a man of God.
So you see, just as God causes daylight to shine upon the Earth, he continues to shine in people’s hearts, converting the hearts of sinners, and commanding the light……
……..Out of Darkness
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 