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Institute in Basic Life Principles

Command 19 : Choose the Narrow Way | Day 128

Walk in the Light!

Scripture gives a clear distinction between the path of the righteous and the path of the wicked. “The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble" (Proverbs 4:18-19). If we are unsure of how to find the narrow way that leads to life, we should begin by looking for the "lighted" path.

The way of life is illuminated with the words of God: "My son, attend to my words ... . Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:20-23; see Psalm 119:104-105).

If we are stumbling in a particular area of our lives, we should ask ourselves if it is because we have left the well-lit narrow path.

Walking in the light requires that we confess our faults one to another, and pray one for another, that we may be healed. (See James 5:16.) This must be done with discretion, because we are not to cause others to mentally picture the details of sin. Scripture states, “It is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret” (Ephesians 5:12).

This kind of walking in the light allows us to enjoy rich fellowship with other believers. “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (I John 1:7).

If we are trying to cover our sin, we have wandered off the path of life, because in God there "is no darkness at all” (I John 1:5).

The vital importance of maintaining a clear conscience is evident in the testimony of a wife and daughter of a respected church leader who were being tormented by lewd and immoral dreams. They would tell the father about them and he would pray for them, but the dreams continued and became even more evil. Both the wife and daughter felt defeated in their walk with the Lord.

Finally, the father confessed that he had been looking at pornography on the Internet at work and was failing at maintaining his moral standards. He wept as he realized the pain and danger that his family was experiencing because of his "secret pleasures." As soon as he confessed his failures, his wife and daughter stopped having these terrible dreams, and he was able to regain moral freedom. Scripture promises, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

One of Satan's greatest deceptions is to convince us that our secret failures will not affect anyone else. This is not the case, though, because as believers we are all joined together in the Body of Christ. “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it" (I Corinthians 12:26). When a man marries, he and his wife become one flesh. Therefore, what he does secretly affects his wife and exposes his children to destruction. Let's recognize this truth and humble ourselves with true repentance and confession so that we can experience the fellowship and victory of walking in the light.

“Enter ye in at the strait gate ... Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

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Contributing writer: Bill Gothard