"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Mathew 5:14-16
What makes us a light within this dark world? Seriously, a light is a light all the time. At work, at home, while out to eat, and while in fellowship with other believers. Are you really a light in your daily actions, or merely playing church? Dear friend we can claim to be Christan, know a lot of the Bible and still be but darkness within the darkness! It is all about our walk. Our interactions with others throughout the day reveal the truth. Walks reveal once born from twice born! The basics, I mean the very essentials if you will of a life in Christ can simply be described within these below actions, or fruits. Divine love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I'm not concerned with your scriptural knowledge! Satan and the demons know scripture, even better than most of us! Bible knowledge does not make you a new creation or a born twice one! Instead, friend, do you have the above-mentioned fruit within your life and are you growing in them? Do you forgive others? Do you show mercy? Do you love the brethren? Do you love the lost? Are you walking in these actions or fruits around the unsaved and your family? If yes, then truly you are a light. If no, then you are but a candle that has never been lit. One who is in dire need of repentance and faith in Christ and His finished work on that old cross.
"If someone says, "I love God,” and yet he hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen." 1 John 4:20
".. if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14
"…Judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” James 2:13
"Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15
To be a light within this world "you must be born again." It is impossible to live a Holy life pleasing to God without being born again! It cannot be done! You see Christ cleanses us from our sins, purifying us so that God's Holy Spirit can move into us! It is the Holy Spirit indwelling a person that makes them a light within this darkened world alone! It is no longer a matter of trying but being”‚with Him within us. Without Him inside of you however, you are merely darkness within the darkness, no matter how much scripture you know. No matter how many times you go to church a week, or how much you tithe, or how many times you point out possible false prophets! You are still just darkness within a darkened world. See without the Holy Spirit there is no inner holiness pouring out of a person, revealing Christ! Without the Holy Spirit there is no inward light pouring out of a person revealing Christ! Without the Holy Spirit there are no fruits within a person revealing Christ! You see we are lights, because He lives within us! Making us lights within our daily walk, by His being inside us! We are new creations through Christ Jesus and the proof, the very proof of this is that we have been indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God Almighty, and that we walk the walk, because He truly lives within us! Unlit candles can talk the talk, but they cannot walk it. It can only be walked through the empowering of the Holy Spirit!
This is why "Peter said, [and I say today,] "repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on urging them, saying, be saved from this perverse generation!" Acts 2:39-40
Without repentance and faith in Christ finished work on that old cross which brings forth a second birthing within your life. You cannot be part of the "chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (Peter 2:9) Without the Holy Spirit dear friend you have no light within you to share with others only darkness. An unlit candle my preach, and teach, and even prophecy. However, without a second birthing through repentance and faith in Christ, and that repentance and faith in Christ bringing forth the Holy Spirit to come live within you. You are just an unlit candle. Still in dire need of Christ and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit! One cannot be a light within this world without the Holy Spirit taking up residence within them! Does the Holy Spirit of the living God live within you friend? We cannot reflect the imagine of Christ through our actions to the world around us if in fact He does not live within us through God's Holy Spirit.