The Church as Light in a Dark World

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, 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 do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

(Philippians 2:12-15)

A major role that the church plays in the nations where God places them is to demonstrate the righteousness of God to them. In the above passage, the apostle Paul tells us that the church is meant to shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. In other words, God expects the church to live according to His standards in the midst of this world, which heaven views as a perverse society.

Scripture describes those in the world as being darkness and those in the kingdom as being light in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8). Just as light is a direct contrast to darkness, so the righteous conduct of the church directly contrasts the sinful conduct of unbelievers on earth. Scripture couldn't be clearer when it instructs the church not to allow sin to be named among them, as is fitting for saints (Ephesians 5:3-4).

I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore "Put away from yourselves the evil person."

(1 Corinthians 5:9-13)

What should the church do if some saints become involved in sinful practices and refuse to repent? In the above passage, the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul counsels the church on how to address such issues, instructing the church not to tolerate sinful behaviour. He lists examples including sexual immorality, covetousness, idolatry, reviling, drunkenness, and extortion.

The Holy Spirit's counsel to the church is to ostracize fellow Christians who choose to practice sin by refusing to have fellowship with them. However, they should not count them as enemies but rather admonish them as brothers in the Lord, thereby shaming them into repentance of their sin (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15). There are numerous reasons why the church is not to tolerate sin within its midst, and one reason is so that it can be used of the Lord to shine as His light in this world where sin is prevalent.

You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonour God through breaking the law? For "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," as it is written.

(Romans 2:23-24)

When sin is tolerated in the church, it has a direct negative impact on society in general. In the above passage, the apostle Paul rebuked the Jews who were walking in disobedience to God's laws, saying that their lifestyles had the effect of blaspheming the name of God in the world. This same principle applies to the church: when Christians walk in disobedience to the laws of God, they too blaspheme the name of God on earth.

It is impossible for the Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin if the world can clearly see sin in the church. If the church does not purge sin from within its midst, it will have little or no impact on the morality of the world around it, and the world will continue to spiral downward in moral decline.

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honourable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--

(1 Peter 2:11-15)

When the church walks in righteousness, it does have an impact on the societies in which they live. Through the apostle Peter, the Holy Spirit informs us that when the church conducts itself honourably among the nations, even though some may speak against the saints as evildoers, by continuing to do good, their conduct will eventually have the effect of silencing those in the world who would advocate lawless behaviour.

One reason the conduct of the church has this effect on unbelievers is that their consciences begin to convict them of their sinful behaviour when they observe the righteous behaviour of the church. Everyone has a conscience, but not everyone listens to their conscience. However, there are many in the world who do listen to their consciences, and when sufficiently convicted—even though they may be unbelievers—they eventually begin to pressure those advocating lawlessness to abandon their course of action.

Our Lord Jesus demonstrated this truth when He was on earth. You will recall the incident when our Lord Jesus was confronted with the mob that wanted to stone the woman they had deliberately entrapped in the sin of adultery. In response to their accusations, our Lord said very little, but His actions ultimately had the effect of silencing them as their consciences began to take effect. The scriptural account tells us that the oldest, being convicted by their consciences, left first, and finally the youngest also gave up and left when they realized they no longer had the support of their leaders (John 8:3-11).

If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience' sake. But if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols," do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience' sake; for "The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness." "Conscience," I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience?

(1 Corinthians 10:27-29)

It is important for the church to walk in righteousness in this world. All too often, however, the church compromises on righteousness, and the reason given is that they do not want to offend people in the world. Sadly, when the church does compromise, they become complicit in the overall decline of morality in the societies in which they live.

The Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul explains this concept in the passage above. In this example, He teaches us that if a believer is presented with food that has been offered to idols, the saint must refuse to eat it. The reason given is so that the unbeliever's conscience can then convict him of the sinfulness of eating food offered to idols. However, if the believer chooses to eat the food presented so that he doesn't offend the unbeliever, he effectively weakens that unbeliever's conscience because he thus endorses the unbeliever's actions.

This same principle applies to every aspect of sinful practices that the world indulges in. When Christians compromise godly principles, it encourages moral decline in societies because unbelievers' consciences are further weakened. However, when Christians refuse to compromise their godly lifestyles, it has a positive effect on morality in society because the consciences of unbelievers are strengthened, thus convicting them of their sinful practices.

Michael E.B. Maher

The Church and the State

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