As a Believer in Christ Jesus, you are the Light of the World. However, it is essential for you to understand exactly what that means.
Living in a world that is full of atrocities, you may wonder about the complexities of making a difference. But the possibilities lie within your abilities.
Existence presents us with oppositions like Light and Darkness. If you are identified as the light, you need to know why and what is expected of you. In this article, I hope you find the answers, understand yourself in the Light, and live as the light that you are.
"You Are The Light Of The World" Verse
It is worth noting that the one who called you the light of the world is the Lord Jesus Christ.
The statement, "You are the Light of the World," was made in Matthew 5, where He taught on the mountain what is known today as The Beatitudes of Jesus. He also taught that you are the salt of the Earth.
In Matthew 5:14 (WEB), Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden.”
While many people visually understand the life of Jesus through productions like the Light of the World movie (1951) or modern portrayals, this verse shifts the focus from Jesus being the sole light to you carrying that light today.
"You Are The Light Of The World" Meaning
First things first, look at the second statement in that verse where He said, A city located on a hill can't be hidden.
The mention of a "city" indicates that the "You" is not referring to one person but a group of people with a common interest. When Jesus said, "You are the Light of the World," He wasn't referring to a solitary individual but to the people who were part of His audience.
Today, these people are called the Church of Christ, or the Body of Christ. Individually, you are a light, but as the body, you are collectively the Light of the World.
Theologically, Jesus is the true Light of the World. The church, or Believers in Christ, are part of Him who is the Head of His church (His body).
Here are three things this identity means:
- You are Believers in Christ.
- You are the followers of Christ.
- You are not in darkness.
These are the ones Jesus Christ referred to in His prayer when He said in John 17:16 (WEB), “They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.”
The light of the world in this case refers to those who are in the world but are not given to the worldly lifestyle. They are those sanctified by the word of truth who have the life of Christ in them. Essentially, it means that Believers are Light bearers in a world of darkness.
Why Are You The Light Of The World?
Jesus Christ gave two illustrations regarding this identity. The first was a city located on a hill, and the second was a lighted lamp on a lampstand.
He said in Matthew 5:14–15 (WEB):
“You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house.”
Like a city found on a hill, you cannot be hidden, and like a lamp on a stand, you are to shine in this world. The main point is that because you believe in Christ and follow Him, your life naturally illuminates the darkness around you.
What Is Expected Of You?
Understand that before now, we were in this world of darkness and lived as though we were of this world—until Christ. This new face and declaration is a result of what God has done in Christ Jesus.
Look at what Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Church in Colossae (Colossians) when he heard of their love:
“Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light. [The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins.”
— Colossians 1:12–14 (AMP)
The Kingdom of the Son of His love is the kingdom of light, which is Life. We, the believers who have the forgiveness of our sins, are part of that Kingdom through faith in Christ Jesus.
Returning to what is expected of you as the Light of the World, Jesus said:
“Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.”
— Matthew 5:16 (AMP)
Believers in Christ Jesus are held to a high standard of living regarding morality, honesty, trustworthiness, and good works. Letting your light shine before men can be defined as doing "love work."
This amplified statement of Jesus Christ can be likened to that of Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:12–13 (WEB). It says, “So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.”
Those who work out their salvation are those who possess salvation; the same goes for those who let their light shine.
Just as the command is to work out your salvation because you are saved, the command is to let your light shine because you are the light of the world.
Remember:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.”
— Ephesians 2:8–10 (WEB)
So, what Jesus Christ is saying to you, and what Paul is saying to you as the saved of God, is to walk in good works. As Christ's ambassadors and God's Representatives in the world, you are to love one another, pursue peace with all men, and pursue holiness, without which no one can see the Lord in you.
