Watch out
for false prophets. - Matthew 7:15
Jesus
answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you." - Matthew 24:4
"Therefore
keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will
come." - Matthew 24:42
So watch
yourselves. - Luke 17:3
I urge
you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put
obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have
learned. - Romans 16:17
... watch
out or you will be destroyed by each other. - Galatians 5:15b
But watch
yourself, or you also may be tempted. - Galatians 6:1
Watch your
life and doctrine closely. - 1 Timothy 4:16
God alone
is the absolute ruler of all creation (Colossians 1:16, Isaiah 44:24,
John 1:3, Hebrews 1:2). As the Commander in Chief, His total
authority over all that exists is unquestionable (1 Chronicles 29:11,
Philippians 2:9-11, Colossians 2:10). To Him alone all are
accountable (Hebrews 4:13, 1 Peter 4:5). The Apostle Paul places
every person into one of two classifications, denoting their status
in the presence of the Lord. There is no third category, no possible
middle ground; each individual is either part of the Sons of Light
(Day) or of the Sons of Darkness (Night). To be a "son of"
is to designate your nature, your natural descent. Yet in Adam's
fallen race all begin this life as Sons of Darkness, inexorably bound
for the destruction that await all who are in rebellion against their
Commander and Lord (Romans 3:10-12). Only by Divine intervention are
any transformed, given a new and unchangeable nature. Through
irrevocable adoption those made sons of light do not merely act as
such, they have become one.
Ephesians
2:1-11 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2
in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world
and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at
work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them
at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and
following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature
objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is
rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in
transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised
us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in
Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the
incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in
Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith
- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- 9 not by
works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in
advance for us to do. (NIV)
A little
later Paul directly employs the phrase, for believers, "Live as
children of light". Because of who they are, the believer lives
in a whole new way, seeking to please the Lord, a complete contrast
to those who live in darkness.
Ephesians
5:8-11 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in
all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases
the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,
but rather expose them.
In his
letter to the Thessalonian church, Paul expands upon what it means to
be children of light, intentionally intertwining military imagery.2
Believers are far more than helpless children playing in view of the
Father; we're divinely empowered members of the Lord's army, capable
and responsible to serve under His command.
1
Thessalonians 5:1-12 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren,
you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you
yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just
like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, "Peace and
safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like
labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. 4 But
you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you
like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are
not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as others
do, but let us be alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep do their
sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. 8 But
since awe are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the
breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of
salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining
salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that
whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. 11
Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you
also are doing. (NASU)
Those of
darkness fear the Lord's return, worrying lest they should be
discovered in their shameful ways or being found complacently
absorbed in the pursuit of self. Imagine the reaction of their
Commander, when He returns to find insubordinate troops, reveling in
drunkenness and filth, perverting justice, preying on the weak and
defenseless, and concerned only for themselves and personal gain. His
justified rage and punishment for those offenders will be fearsome
indeed. (See also Mark 13:34-38).
Matthew
25:30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness,
where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' (NIV)
False
watchmen have always shown themselves by their deeds, their focus is
on self rather than their duty to their Commander-in-Chief. The
prophet Isaiah warns of such:
Isaiah
56:10-12 Israel's watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they
are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they
love to sleep. 11 They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never
have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn
to their own way, each seeks his own gain. 12 "Come," each
one cries, "let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And
tomorrow will be like today, or even far better." (NIV)
Faithful
watchmen for the King, children of light, live everyday doing exactly
that - watching! They will not be taken by surprise at the Lord's
return; they seek and desire it daily. Every believer is a watchman,
all with various degrees of responsibility. In the least, all are
called to be watching for the Lord's return and living in light of
that inevitability. All are called to warn those in darkness that
their day of judgment awaits unless they repent and seek the mercy of
their Lord.
Isaiah
62:6-7 I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will
never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give
yourselves no rest, 7 and give him no rest till he establishes
Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth. (NIV)
How can
they remain silent? How can children of the light do anything other
than that which pleases their Lord? A watchman, while serving out of
love, serves as if his life depends upon it. They owe their life
fully to the one who gave it to them!
Ezekiel
3:16-21 At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me: 17
"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel;
so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18 When I say
to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or
speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his
life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you
accountable for his blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked man and
he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will
die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself. 20 "Again,
when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and
I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not
warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will
not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 21
But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin,
he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved
yourself." (NIV) 1
Ezekiel
33:1-9 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 "Son of man, speak to
your countrymen and say to them: 'When I bring the sword against a
land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him
their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming against the land and
blows the trumpet to warn the people, 4 then if anyone hears the
trumpet but does not take warning and the sword comes and takes his
life, his blood will be on his own head. 5 Since he heard the sound
of the trumpet but did not take warning, his blood will be on his own
head. If he had taken warning, he would have saved himself. 6 But if
the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to
warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of
them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold
the watchman accountable for his blood.' 7 "Son of man, I have
made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak
and give them warning from me. 8 When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked
man, you will surely die,' and you do not speak out to dissuade him
from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold
you accountable for his blood. 9 But if you do warn the wicked man to
turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin,
but you will have saved yourself. (NIV) 1
While all
believers are watchman, God has called and equipped some for specific
leadership and responsibility in His army. Some are privileged to be
friend of other believers, called to watch over them as brothers and
sisters (i.e. James 5:19-20, Galatians 6:1-2). Others are parents
specifically called to watch over their children. Some are called to
shepherd and safeguard the local church. These too are fellow
watchmen, given specific duty for their Chief (see also Acts 20:28).
Submission to their just authority is tantamount to submission to
their Lord. How can any watchman be diligent in watching if he or she
fails to recognize the lines
of authority God has instituted?
Hebrews
13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep
watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that
their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no
advantage to you. (NIV)
But - and
this is very important - all watchmen are accountable first and
foremost to their Commander-in-Chief. No watchmen can use the excuse
that they were only following orders to justify any misdeeds. Our
written orders were given from the top. No command of leadership,
from a true watchman, is ever to be in contradiction or addition to
this sure Word of our Lord. As children of the light we are called to discern.
Ephesians
5:8-20 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in
all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases
the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,
but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what
the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light
becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible.
This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you." 15 Be very careful, then, how you
live - not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every
opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be
foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not get drunk
on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the
Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual
songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always
giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV)
Believers
live in the light of our Lord - both now and for eternity! (See also
1 John 1:5-7 and Revelation 21:22-27) |
END NOTES.
1.
The one who lives in sin is the one who dies because of it. Only the
false watchman, the one who does not do what His Lord commands, is
the one who reaps the destruction he has sown. Any who turn away from
the Lord, while seeming to start well, have shown that they were not
sons of light - for all who God graciously saves will persevere, not
give up, and overcome the world.
Ezekiel
18:20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not
share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of
the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to
him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him. (NIV)
Galatians
6:7-9 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he
sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that
nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit,
from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in
doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do
not give up. (NIV)
1 John
5:4-5 For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the
victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that
overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of
God. (NIV)
2.
The military imagery that Paul uses is directly tied to being in one
of two camps, light or darkness. The armor of God is provided for
this spiritual battle, where we fight the ideas and standards of the
opposition, all while seeking the salvation and rescue of those who
are caught in the deception that has enslaved them to the wrong side.
Ephesians
6:10-18 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11
Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against
the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and
blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the
powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in
the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so
that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your
ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm
then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the
breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted
with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In
addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can
extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet
of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers
and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying
for all the saints. (NIV)
Romans
13:11-14 And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has
come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is
nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over;
the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and
put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the
daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and
debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe
yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to
gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (NIV)
1 John
2:9-11 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is
still in the darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother lives in the
light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. 11 But
whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the
darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness
has blinded him. (NIV)
What a
strange battle, in the eyes of the world, where the sons of light
follow the example of our Commander in loving those who hate and
oppose us.
Romans
5:6-8 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless,
Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a
righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to
die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we
were still sinners, Christ died for us. (NIV) |