Pretense is Darkness...walk in the light pt 3

https://billrandles.wordpress.com/2019/01/23/pretense-is-darkness-the-light-pt-3/ ^ | 01-23-19 | Bill Randles

[pastorbillrandles]

In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. (Luke 12:1-3)

We have been discussing the biblical themes of ‘darknes’s and ‘light’.

God is Light and in him is no darkness at all. To come unto God is to come into the light, for He is light and in his light we see light. His is the light of exposure, we see what we are and abhor what we see. We see also the true nature of this world and of our sin, as we draw near to God.

The Light of God is the light of Reality, ie the reality of the Spiritual world. The only condition required for sinful man to fellowship with the infinitely Holy God is the willingness to come into the light and remain there.

The choice for man is simple, ‘Light’ or ‘Darkness’. Salvation is coming into the light and allowing the light to come into our souls.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. (John 3:19-21)

The condemnation of sinful man is that they refused the light that came unto them from God. They hated the light and would not allow themselves to truly come into the light, and to be seen as they truly were. They preferred shadows, that they might hold onto the evil that they love.

In the opening scripture passage, we see one form of darkness being warned about; hypocrisy.What is hypocrisy? It is play acting, pretending to be something we are not, and pretending not to be something which we truly are.

Jesus warns us that hypocrisy is shortsighted, because ultimately everything will be seen for what it really is. We will all be fully known as we are , not as we pretend to be.

In the case of the Pharisees, they pretended to be fervant lovers of God. The Pharisees were the ‘separated ones’ the true worshippers and guides to the simple. They loved to be seen as pious and devout.

But when they actually met God, in the person of Jesus Christ, they hated and opposed him. When given the chance, they killed him.

Jesus, the true light of God, has a way of stripping away the pretense of those who encounter him. By their reaction to him they reveal their true antipathy to God. He is like a touchstone, who reveals the secrets of men’s hearts.Sooner or later the fake devotion, and pretended worship fell away, and their true selves were revealed.

This is why reality is the best policy for every believer. Just drop all pretense,(It is hard to keep that up anyway) and pray to God to allow you to be willing to be known just as you are, Corem Deo, that is, ‘in the sight of God’.

This is one way, along with the confession of sin, to come into the light of God. We are known, and seen, by him with whom we have to do.

The problem with pretense is that it is always playing to the wrong audience. Who do we fear? Or Regard? Who are we trying to impress?

We actually live to please an audience of one, “The Father who sees in secret…”. It is darkness to try to appear before man, to pretend to something or to try to conceal what we really are. God sees everything. We may as well make a commitment to be real and to be willing to be known for who we really are, nothing more or nothing less. This too is living in the Light.