Light and Life: a Theology of Identity

If there were a couple words to describe week 4 they would be:  awesomegrowthwithGod — all shoved together because I feel as though I have been yanked through a intricate mess of thoughts/ideas/beliefs/truths in a limited amount of time.

 

Ephesians 5:9 was the verse that instigated my journey:  for it´s the light that brings a rich harvest of every kind of goodness, righteousness, and truth. 

 

On a biological basis the sun is the source of life.   Plants caputure light from the sun and turn it into storable energy, which allows plants to grow and bear fruit.  The transformed energy stored in plants is then consumed by plant eating organisms.  The chain of consumption grows longer and more circular as other biological organisms eat the plant eating organisms. 

 

Eventually all biologically living organisms die.  Their bodies break down, become one with the earth, and serve as the nutrient rich soil for plants.  And whaa-LA!  We have the circle of life with the sun functioning as the energy source.

 

The sun´s light is imperative for biological survival.  Without the energy source, living things would cease to exist as we know it.  Paul uses this concept to exemplify the human identity as a creation of God.  As a creation of God, we are more than just biological beings.  We believe that part of us lives on despite the physical reality of death and decay.

 

As God´s people, we have been saved from destruction.  All have been given life by belief in God´s unfailing covenant of love — aka belief in God´s son, Christ Jesus.  Just as in the Old Testament when people cancelled their sins with sacrifice, Jesus is the ultimate/perfect/innocent sacrifice that justifies our sins.  We are made right with God when we accept Jesus´ sacrifice.  Our God is a just God who deserves and demands glory as an all powerful God.  Sacrifice is necessary to justify sin (Ephesians 5:2 + the book of Leviticus).

 

Like plants, for us to bear fruit we must be open to our energy source.  Paul charges us as people of light:  You yourselves used to be in the darkness, but since you have become the Lord´s people, you are in the light.  So must live like people who belong to the light, for it is the light that brings a rich harvest of every kind of goodness, righteousness, and truth.  Ephesians 5:8-9. 

 

So if we want to partake in this awesome covenant of love…if we want to belong to the One who created us…if we want to claim our true identity as children of God — we have to be in constant contact with our true source of life:  God. 

 

Our life in God is the life that will go on even when our beautifully complex bodies break down and become one with the earth.  Christ´s light shines for all, and we are called to open our leaves in faith and accept our relationship with God

 

Without God (our engery source) we die.  When our time comes to biologically become one with the earth, the being that goes on will also die.  So we have a choice:  reject our relationship with God or pursue God in faith.  The first brings death; the second, a life of growth.

 

Claiming life with God is simple:  accept and obey God´s commandments.  The first being to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength, and the second to love your neighbor as you love yourself(Deuteronomy 6:5 + Luke 10:27).    Jesus said, ¨Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me.  My Father will love those who love me; I too will love them and reveqal myself to them,¨  John 14:21.  When we obey God´s commandments, we glorify God.

 

Key thoughts:  life with God, our energy source = life.  the way we have life is via our relationship and love for God.  we acknowledge/claim our God as an all powerful God worthy of all praise and worship via our obedience.  when we pursue God and love God, we are blessed and bear great fruit.  the fruit we bear for God glorifies God. When we glorify God, we are whole.  When we glorify God, we become who we were made to be.  When we glorify God, all is as it should be.