15. Neither do men (a) light a (1) candle, and put it under a (2) bushel, but on a (3) candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. (a) Mk.4:21;Lk.8:16;Phil.2:15; (1)lamp;(2)basket(3)lampstand.
16. Let your light so shine before men, (a) that they may see your good works, and (b) glorify your Father which is in heaven. (a)1Pet.2:12;(b) [John 15:8];1Cor.14:25.
"Ye are the light of the World ", describes the essential mission of the Disciple to the World. We are the Condition to meet the world's needs. (Salt). And we have a mission to the World. (Light).
Are light is to Clearly Shine forth into the darkness of human depravity. We are to set our light upon a Candlestick, not hide it under a Basket.
The world, our community, should be able to see that we are Disciples of Christ, and that we do our Lord's work by showing Mercy and Lovingkindness to the depraved of human society. By showing them that there is a better way, that they do not have to die from the Sins of their world and environment, and give forth Charity unto them so that they can see there is a better way.
It is our Mission to lead these people out of the filthy immoral corruptness that this world breeds.
Darkness is the absence of light, and darkness alone cannot dispell light. But the smallest light can dispel the greatest darkness which is Depravity. Depravity comes in many packages, the Biblical terminology for depravity is, "The innate corruption of human nature, due to original sin. But the essence of depravity go much deeper than this definition. Depravity is defined as moral corruption, wickedness, social corruptness, vice, pervertedness,deviance, degeneracy, degradation, immorality, shamelessness, debauchery, dissipation, licentiousness,lewdness, lasciviousness, obscenity, indecency, and libertinism.
These are all the attributes of this sinful wbyorld that we live in. Libertinism, is to be devoid of most moral principles, sence of responsibility and/or sexual restraint. One who ignores or even spurns accepted morals and forms of behavior.
There is no wonder that God gets frustrated with mankind and turns them over to a reprobate mind. (See Rom.1:18-32). Deviance, is the state of departing from usual or accepted standards, especially in social or sexual behavior. Debauchery, is the excessive indulgence in sensual pleasure.
It is know wonder that our Lord, and also the Father Himself, set so much infuses on sexual immorality, some people are more like Brute Beasts, than human beings.
2Pet.2:9-22 says,(read from Bible). But our God is a loving God, a God of Longsuffering and is not willing for any to perish. 2Pet.3:1-9 says (read from Bible).
And this is where our Lord's teachings on us being the "Light of the World" comes into play. Us as Disciples are to go out into this ungodly world and literally pull peaple out of the way of the fire, to show them that God and Jesus love's them and they do not need to perish in a devils hell of everlasting fire and brimstone.
The Lord is not slack, but is Longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
