Walking in the Light of Holiness

Walking in the Light of Holiness
by Diana Winters

According to the pattern of 1 John 1:1–5, I testify to what I have heard, what I have seen, and what I have touched of the eternal life God has given me. I’m not sure I can connect all the pieces clearly yet. But I do know that at the root of it all are these words: “God is light; in him is no darkness at all.” I do understand that it is God’s express purpose, by whatever means possible, to rid us of the darkness in every part of our lives, and to walk with us forever in the blinding light of His glory.

Four things I have noticed among people who walk in the light of holiness:

1. They live at ease with the paradoxes of the Christian life. From their simple lives come profound insights. They are painfully aware of their weaknesses but have no problem with self–esteem. They lean as invalids on the Word of God but stride out to lead in spiritual battle. They enter fully into the turbulent emotions of life but have calm trust for the future.

2. They are generally unaware of the qualities they have. Much like those who are fearless (which these folk typically are!), they don’t have to fight fear—they just don’t have any. It’s like when my son, Luke, at age 5, had his first skiing lesson. The instructor showed him how to position the skis in order to stop or slow down. Luke’s response was, “Why?” (stop or slow down, that is).

Much like those who are humble (which these folk typically are), they just do what needs to be done, without even thinking about it.

I watched a high–ranking Salvation Army officer at a public event recently. As he happened to walk past the corps kitchen, he saw an expanding puddle of water spreading out from under one of the sinks. He simply went to look for a mop and got to work cleaning up the water. He was just intent on doing what needed to be done.

Much like Moses. He spent time with God, and only begged for his people and to see God’s face. All God showed him was the light of His BACK, and Moses came down the mountain with no idea that his face was gleaming until the people told him so. But even then, he never said, “I’m going back up the mountain to work on my gleam.” There is no record of Moses begging God, “Oh please, oh please come and give me some more gleam for my face!” He just spent time with God. THEN he was filled with light.

3. They are the most “feet–on–the–ground” people I have ever met. They are not dreamy–eyed, “have–to–spiritualize–everything” people. They know when a song on the radio is a sign from God, and when it’s just a song on the radio.

Much like my Grandma Veta Dearin. She had a continuous, intimate conversation with Jesus, and an uncanny capacity to meet practical needs. I think it is partly because she very matter–of–factly obeyed any of God’s leadings. Sometimes, she would suddenly announce she had an appointment on the corner of Main Street and 5th Avenue at 7 p.m. It didn’t bother her that she had no idea with whom or why. Sure enough … every time … someone would show up who needed help in some way. Somehow she knew which person was the one she was there for, and who were just the passersby. She used to laugh hard (I don’t think she ever laughed softly) and say, “I can’t even SPELL sanctification! I just know my Jesus.”

4. They have their “Ifs” and “Thens” straight. They don’t stress and strain to grow fruit of the Spirit, any more than an apple tree strains to produce apples. They know that IF they put their roots down deep into God’s Word, drink from the living water Jesus promised to give them, keep their faces turned towards the light of God—THEN God will do the growing of the fruit just fine. And the pruning. (See John 15.) But they are OK with that.

Five things I have found in 1 John, and Ephesians (my companions of late):

1. Since Jesus brings eternal life, and He is with me now, it is better called ETERNAL LIVING. I am not waiting for eternal life while I try to figure out what to do in the meantime. I am living eternally now; breathing eternal air.

2. To be holy is to BECOME MY WHOLE TRUE SELF—in the company of my Creator. It is to be EMPOWERED to complete my purpose on earth. My Granddad Lyell Rader told me, “The alternative to holiness is ‘halfliness.’ Why would anyone want to live that way?” God made us to be COMPLETE in Him.

3. There is such a thing as complete JOY, and it is the power that carried Jesus Himself through the crucifixion and the horror of its anticipation. Joy, and all that is in Jesus, He gives in perfection. Perfect peace. Perfect love. Perfect hope. Perfect confidence. Perfect trust.

4. There always seems to be LIGHT when God is around. Light was His first creation, and heaven will need no sun or moon because of God’s light there. Jesus called Himself “light of the world.” He lights my life path with His Word. So if anything in my life makes me prefer to stay undiscovered in the darkness, I know it is not from God. Ephesians 5:8–10 says that I myself used to be darkness. Now I want to live as a child of the light.

5. All of this is somehow crucial to my RELATIONSHIP with all of you (my church family) and leads to relationship with the triune God Himself!
So once again (as Ephesians tells us), we see that we are all in this together, aren’t we? I cannot grow in God without you, my friends. And we will not grow together to holy maturity without God. “If we walk in the light, as Christ is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all our sins.”

Diana Winters is a soldier (member) of the Salvation Army’s Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., Corps. She has been a missionary to Africa and is married to Dr. David Winters; they have four children, two adopted from Russia.