Use The Right Name

[Christ4Ever]

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light Ephesians 5:8 CSB

It’s a paradox of the Christian life: the more we grow in our relationship to God, the more we recognize our own sinfulness.

That’s not all bad. We should be amazed at God’s grace, His willingness to save rebellious human beings through faith in Jesus. But once we are saved—once we’re much-loved sons of God by the work of the Son of God—let’s not obsess over our failings. When we sin, let’s just confess to God, ask His forgiveness, and move on in His grace. The backward look is a poor use of our time and energy.

Famed nineteenth-century preacher Charles Spurgeon found encouragement in the fifth verse of Genesis: “God called the light ‘day,’ and He called the darkness ‘night.’ Evening came and then morning: the first day.” Both darkness and light, Spurgeon noted, were called “by the name that is given to the light alone!” Though we find both darkness and light in ourselves, we shouldn’t think of ourselves as sinners but as saints—because we possess some degree of God’s holiness.

Saints on earth still have darkness inside, but the day will come when we are completely light in God’s presence. Until that time, emphasize the grace He’s given you. Call yourself by the right name: “Light in the Lord.”

Prayer: Thank You for saving me, Lord. Increase Your light in my life every day.

 

[Dylan569]

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light Ephesians 5:8 CSB

It’s a paradox of the Christian life: the more we grow in our relationship to God, the more we recognize our own sinfulness.

That’s not all bad. We should be amazed at God’s grace, His willingness to save rebellious human beings through faith in Jesus. But once we are saved—once we’re much-loved sons of God by the work of the Son of God—let’s not obsess over our failings. When we sin, let’s just confess to God, ask His forgiveness, and move on in His grace. The backward look is a poor use of our time and energy.

Famed nineteenth-century preacher Charles Spurgeon found encouragement in the fifth verse of Genesis: “God called the light ‘day,’ and He called the darkness ‘night.’ Evening came and then morning: the first day.” Both darkness and light, Spurgeon noted, were called “by the name that is given to the light alone!” Though we find both darkness and light in ourselves, we shouldn’t think of ourselves as sinners but as saints—because we possess some degree of God’s holiness.

Saints on earth still have darkness inside, but the day will come when we are completely light in God’s presence. Until that time, emphasize the grace He’s given you. Call yourself by the right name: “Light in the Lord.”

Prayer: Thank You for saving me, Lord. Increase Your light in my life every day.

It sounds like Martin Luther and Charles Spurgeon had a similar view, as I read your OP-

Luther calls Christians “simultaneously saint and sinner” because he redefines “saint” as a forgiven sinner. We are called saints not because we change into something different but because our relationship with God changes as a result of God’s grace. Luther said: “The saints are sinners, too, but they are forgiven and absolved.”

 

[Christ4Ever]

Hello @Dylan569
Thank-you for your input. It made me go back to Spurgeon's Devotional which part of this was taken from, and which I will share with you here. I do believe in context of his devotional that you and he are in agreement, but then again maybe not To be honest I don't know much about Martin Luther's perspective, so I won't be commenting on that.

Light Natural and Spiritual II

"And the evening and the morning were the first day." Genesis 1:5

The evening was "darkness" and the morning was "light," and yet the two together are called by the name that is given to the light alone! This is somewhat remarkable, but it has an exact analogy in spiritual experience. In every believer there is darkness and light, and yet he is not to be named a sinner because there is sin in him, but he is to be named a saint because he possesses some degree of holiness. This will be a most comforting thought to those who are mourning their infirmities, and who ask, "Can I be a child of God while there is so much darkness in me?" Yes; for you, like the day, take not your name from the evening, but from the morning; and you are spoken of in the word of God as if you were even now perfectly holy as you will be soon. You are called the child of light, though there is darkness in you still. You are named after what is the predominating quality in the sight of God, which will one day be the only principle remaining. Observe that the evening comes first. Naturally we are darkness first in order of time, and the gloom is often first in our mournful apprehension, driving us to cry out in deep humiliation, "God be merciful to me, a sinner." The place of the morning is second, it dawns when grace overcomes nature. It is a blessed aphorism of John Bunyan, "That which is last, lasts forever." That which is first, yields in due season to the last; but nothing comes after the last. So that though you are naturally darkness, when once you become light in the Lord, there is no evening to follow; "thy sun shall no more go down." The first day in this life is an evening and a morning; but the second day, when we shall be with God, forever, shall be a day with no evening, but one, sacred, high, eternal noon.

Charles Spurgeon

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
\o/
<><
P.S. What did you take from the devotional, or was your reply all you received from it?

 

[Dylan569]

"In every believer there is darkness and light, and yet he is not to be named a sinner because there is sin in him, but he is to be named a saint because he possesses some degree of holiness." That line from Spurgeon I found to be a comfort. It seems that some believers, myself included, can go through times where that remaining bit of 'original sin' that is in us, can disturb us and depress us, and such words as from Spurgeon are truly a comfort.

My favorite, 'go to' Study Bible is the Study Bible published by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, a conservative Lutheran group. I'm an old fashioned Particular Baptist, so of course there are areas I do not agree with, but the Bible has so many excellent helps.

To get a feel for the thoughts of Martin Luther, you can read his commentary on Genesis chapters 1-4 here:

https://www.wolfmueller.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Genesis1-4Study.pdf

Luther's commentary on Galatians is excellent:

Penelope: Or Love’s Labour Lost, vol. 3 | Project Gutenberg

www.gutenberg.org

Of course his book Bondage of the Will is a real eye-opener to think about the beliefs coming from the Protestant Reformation as opposed to the Church of Rome.

TrueCovenanter.com: The Bondage of the Will

Luther's Lectures on Romans can be read online also:

https://www.scribd.com/document/202039920/Luther-Lectures-on-Romans

For any who wish to know a bit of Luther's beliefs, check out his remarks in those commentaries, of some of your favorite or key verses. I suppose we all do that, with any new Bible translation, commentary, etc., we check the verses we think of great importance to us.