Your light and also your works

What does this well known passage mean to you?
Matthew 5
14“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.
15No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.
16In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
 
What does this well known passage mean to you?
Matthew 5
14“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.
15No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.
16In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

To me it means that as Jesus is living within me, i am to bring the light of His love and ways to the world. When God gives us talents, we are not supposed to hide them away...never to be seen, we are supposed to use them for His glory. And then allow people to see (not in a loud, self centered, give me glory way) the things that God is asking me to do. Like maybe God wants for me to pay for someones groceries...nothing quiet about that...but if my attitude of my heart is about pleasing the Father, and not just doing it to gain glory for myself, then i obey....i just do not announce it on the loud speaker.
 
What does this well known passage mean to you?
Matthew 5
14“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.
15No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.
16In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

This "light" was first given to man in the beginning, before anything was created!

Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

The "life" that was in the Word (Jesus Christ) was "the light of men". Men were living in the Word, that was in the beginning. This was Christ's Church being in Christ! Men were not the light, they were simply "reflecting" that light, as only God is light!
As men we are looking into the mirror and we are reflecting the light of God to this dark world. As the palmist said, the spirit of man is the "candle" "lamp" of the Lord. The Lord has lit our candle, and God has set his Church upon his Holy hill, lamp stand for all to see. No matter how hard darkness tries, it can not extinguish this light. Light shined in darkness, and the darkness could not comprehend it!


Eph 5:8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

Joh 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
Joh 1:7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.
Joh 1:8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
Joh 1:9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

Pro_20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

Psa 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
 
Great, I agree, the light that we are to shine is the light, Christ, within us.
Now, there is one part many are confused about, it's in the last bit of the quoted versus.
Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works...
Many people get this wrong, according to me, they seem to put too much focus on the works here. It is clear, your good works cannot be if the light does not shine, Let your light shine is a prerequisite for good works to be seen.
This should be clear.
 
Great, I agree, the light that we are to shine is the light, Christ, within us.
Now, there is one part many are confused about, it's in the last bit of the quoted versus.
Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works...
Many people get this wrong, according to me, they seem to put too much focus on the works here. It is clear, your good works cannot be if the light does not shine, Let your light shine is a prerequisite for good works to be seen.
This should be clear.
I agree totally. Without the light we can do nothing, as Jesus is the Glory of the Father who is that light. It is Jesus himself that is continuing to work through his Church, in the same way the Father worked through the Son. If we have the light, we have everything! Light works.
 
Great, I agree, the light that we are to shine is the light, Christ, within us.
Now, there is one part many are confused about, it's in the last bit of the quoted versus.
Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works...
Many people get this wrong, according to me, they seem to put too much focus on the works here. It is clear, your good works cannot be if the light does not shine, Let your light shine is a prerequisite for good works to be seen.
This should be clear.

Another thought is that we can take this one step further.....in order to have the light to shine we must accept the free gift of salvation and the free gift of righteousness. So this passage of scripture applies only to born again believers. To do what God has called us to do we must have His equipment. For just as Jesus said it is the Father within us HE does the works. Nothing can be done on our own. We must be engrafted into the vine
 
And to all that, I'll say Amen.
The focus is on the light - His light. As human that is what we are chasing after, otherwise, men will not see the good works destines for you, and following on that, out Father in heaven will not be glorified.
 
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

If "darkness" has works, so does light. The word "armour" refers to a tool, an instrument used as a weapon or do a work. Light works by piercing darkness, and for exposing darkness. Destroying the works of darkness using this tool is a work.
 
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