Read Ephesians 5:8-14

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).

Reality check: your identity in Christ is light in the Lord. In the eyes of God, your identity does not waver. Yesterday’s sinfulness cannot alter who you are in Christ. Today’s shame cannot redefine your identity. Tomorrow’s failures cannot diminish your standing. In Christ, you are a child of light! That is the reality of being a Christian. And what a wonderful reality that is!

Do you believe that reality? It can be hard to believe, can’t it? — especially after stumbling in the darkness. I can already hear your question: How can I be light in the Lord and yet still stumble in the darkness? This is because our day-to-day experiences, which Paul refers to as the walk, do not determine your identity. Your identity is found solely on the solid rock of Christ. And because of who you are in Christ, your daily experiences ought to flow out from your identity in Him.

This same theological concept is taught by Paul in the Book of Romans, but instead of using the contrast of light and darkness, he uses the contrast of life and death.

“For the death that [Jesus] died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.” (Romans 6:10–12).

Did you notice the similarities? In Christ, you are already dead to sin and alive to God! Nothing can change that. Your dead, sinful body does not and cannot determine your aliveness to God. In Christ, you are identified as alive from the dead! As such, Paul calls Christians to live in an outflow of that identity: Do not let sin reign!

Our life in Christ must be put in this biblical and proper order. Walking alive to God flows from trusting God about our identity as resurrected beings. In the same manner, walking as children of light flows from trusting God regarding our identity as light in the Lord. Beloved, this makes all the difference in the Christian experience! For if you live day by day trying to become light, you will only find discouragement. You cannot make yourself light anymore than the moon can claim to be the sun. Instead, you must trust that God has unconditionally made you light, and through trusting that truth, you are empowered to walk accordingly.

A subtle, but most dramatic difference this makes in your Christian experience! The first path leads to a lot of trying in yourself followed by failure. The second path leads to a lot of trusting in God followed by victory and power. Take the second path, Christian! Stop trying. Start trusting. For you are already light in Christ and you may, therefore, live as the light of God!

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’” (John 8:12).