The Bride of Christ Sets the World on Fire

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day Jesus the Light of the World is Transfigured before His Disciples

In our prior posting we presented the bride of Christ as being a light to the world. We also quoted Jesus as stating that He would bring fire to the earth and that this fire would come in the form of division. This is difficult for many Christians to accept as they believe that they should never be an offence to anyone. In believing this they fail to acknowledge the concept of tough love. This kind of love is necessary to bring meaningful change in the hearts of men and results in liberty, justice, freedom, and closeness to God.

Jesus the Light of the World is Transfigured before His Disciples

When I think about this kind of love I think of Marten Luther King. Certainly in King’s day there were insurmountable issues of liberty, justice and freedom for the black people of America. King organized his people and led them toward peaceable demonstration. However, it seemed that every action he took brought new obstacles, resistance and terror his way. Effectively, he brought division between blacks and whites. He was hated by whites for the actions he and his people took to change segregation and discrimination against blacks. He was harassed in his home as his family was terrorized. He was threatened with death unless he stopped his course of action and yet he continued on. Many black people we injured or put in jail for their actions. King stirred the pot for liberty, justice and freedom and he got to see the consequences of these actions as they resulted in violence and hatred from so many who were against them. This is what it means to set the world on fire with the light that God provides. These are the actions of those who are the bride of Christ.

Jesus is the Light of the World

 To quote MLK, I can also add this quote:

“Cowardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’ Expediency asks the question, ‘Is it politic?’ Vanity asks the question, ‘Is it popular?’ But, conscience asks the question, ‘Is it right?’ And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because one’s conscience tells one that it is right.”
~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Looking back on all of this now we can see that these actions resulted in America becoming a better nation and a better people. We can see that the hearts of men have changed over time and the sin of the discrimination that had been passed on from generation to generation is to a large degree, a thing of the past. What is clear now is that the fire was needed to extinguish generational sin. Interestingly, the fire was kindled with the light which we as Christians call the truth.

So take up your torch and be a light to the world. Pray that you set the world on fire for the cause of liberty, justice, freedom and closeness to God.

Amen.

God bless,  

Papa Joe Gordon