Transforming the World

“To call them children of light is, in biblical terminology, to say that they have the basic nature of light: that light is their parent and has passed on to them its nature, as any parent does. Now, these people are not perfect and do not live in a perfect world—yet. But they are remarkably different. The difference is not one of a pose they strike, either from time to time or constantly, or of things they do or don’t do—though their behavior too is very different and distinctive. Where the children of light differ is primarily and most importantly on the “inside” of their life. It lies in what they are in their depths.” - Dallas Willard, excerpted from Renovation of the Heart

Ephesians 5:9 teaches that the fruit of light is all that is good, right, and true. It is these attributes that will define and determine those who live as children of light. They will develop goodness, righteousness, and truth in their inner being in ways that will differentiate them from others. 

How do children of light embrace these attributes? They become this way by following the patterns we have discussed previously. They devote themselves to the transformation of their entire being into Christlikeness; that is, they devote every aspect of their lives to sanctification.

Dallas Willard defines sanctification as, “a consciously chosen and sustained relationship of interaction between the Lord and his apprentice, in which the apprentice is able to do, and routinely does, what he or she knows to be right before God because all aspects of his or her person have been substantially transformed. Sanctification applies primarily to the moral and religious life, but extends in some measure to the prudential and practical life (acting wisely) as well.” 

It is this sanctified life—marked by its internal goodness, righteousness, and truthfulness lived in the midst of a dark world—that shines the light of the Gospel in broken places. 

Reflect

Today evaluate your life and consider if there are any ways or desires in you that are not good, right, and true. 

Prayer

Loving Father, help me submit any bad, wrong, and false desires to you. Help me seek, by constant effort and submission, to replace those desires with desires for what is good, right, and true.