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NASB | Matthew 5:16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 5:16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven. |
Subject: Light and Good Works |
Bible Note: Hello Firedup! I'm sure there are many passage in Scripture that speak of our life in Christ as being illuminating. One passage that comes to mind is Phil 2:14-16: "Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. But you'll notice that even in this context the gospel ("word of life") is included. So, while "light" sometimes refers to "life," in careful Bible study you must see what a word means in the passage in which it is used. So, in the context of Matt 5, it is God's people who have the gospel light. To the extent that we have the gospel light, we ARE the light of the world. We are to tell men the gospel that they may see our good works for what they really are, that is, wrought in God, not in us, that the Father may be glorified. (John 3:21) Somewhere in your Christian life you'll come across the concept of word and deed. You can't have one without the other. Good works without the gospel still leaves men lost. Good News without good deeds is hypocrisy. Peace, |