1 Way Only--Child of Light

Did you know you are a "child of light" if you are a Christian?

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. --Ephesians 5:8-11 (NIV)

Isn't that interesting? Before a person is saved, he or she is in darkness. But when a person becomes a Christian, he or she is made light in the Lord and is a child of light.

How can we tell which things are of light and which are of darkness? Basically, light has to do with anything and everything related to God, Jesus, and things that are good and right. And so the opposite is true for the things of darkness. Darkness is anything and everything related to the devil and things that are bad and wrong. Verse 10 is a very important piece of this scripture. It instructs us to find out what pleases the Lord. Of course, the very best way to do this is to read the Bible. It is God's Word, and the more we learn from the Bible the more we will find out what pleases God. Once we know what pleases God, then we know those very things are of the light. And when we know what does not please God, then we know those things are of the darkness.

Verse 11 commands Christians not to have anything to do with the deeds of darkness. Sometimes having nothing to do with deeds of darkness can be quite a job, especially for a kid. There are lots and lots of things in the world today which are of darkness. For example, did you know that scary movies and books are of the darkness? They aren't good for you, and God doesn't want you to have anything to do with them. Did you know that most of the things associated with Halloween are of the darkness? Witches, ghosts, vampires, hiding behind masks and disguises, and scary and bloody displays are all things which God does not like. He doesn't want you to have anything to do with those things. Music which sings of things like hatred, violence, or doing things against those in authority is of the darkness. God does not want you to listen to it. Illegal drugs and drinking alcohol is something kids should always avoid, because they are of the darkness. Lying, cheating, and stealing are all deeds of darkness. Therefore, you should have nothing to do with any of those things. Any kind of disobedience is something which the devil enjoys and is therefore of the darkness. Always do your best to obey your parents, teachers, and others who have authority over you; this pleases God.

It is very important to learn which things are of light and which are of darkness in order to live in a way which pleases God. Look at another verse from the Bible:

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. --Colossians 1:13 (NIV)

Wow! God rescued us from the darkness. Think about that. Darkness is so awful that God rescued us from it. He sent His only Son to die a horrible death so that our sins could be forgiven and we could be saved from the darkness. That is why it is so very important that we avoid the deeds or things of darkness. Because God loves us so much, He paid the biggest price to save us from it. Here's another verse:

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. --1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

Praise God! If you are a Christian, God has called you out of that terrible darkness into His wonderful light! You are a child of light!