Walking in Love and Light vs. Walking as Children of Light
Eph 5:2 "Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us"
Eph 5:8-9 "Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth)"
|
Aspect |
Walking in Love |
Walking as Children of Light |
Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Meaning |
Walking in an intimate relationship with God, considering God's feelings, and loving others as Christ does |
Reflecting God's attributes (light) in daily life, expressing God's nature |
Both originate from God's essence; love is God's internal essence, light is God's outward element |
|
Foundation |
Based on God's internal essence (love) "God is love" (1 John 4:8) |
Based on God's outward element (light) "God is light" (1 John 1:5) |
Love is the source, light is the expression; love can be felt, light can be seen |
|
Method |
1. Living intimately in God's tender love 2. Considering the Father's feelings 3. Loving as Christ loved us 4. Holding truth in love |
1. Being one with God (light) 2. Departing from darkness 3. Bearing the fruit of light (goodness, righteousness, truth) 4. Beyond the realm of right and wrong |
Walking in love is the inner dynamic of children of light; children of light is the outward expression of love |
|
Expression/Fruit |
1. Self-sacrifice for others 2. Building up the Body of Christ 3. Being holy and without blemish before God 4. Loving the Lord in incorruptibility |
1. Goodness (nature) — related to God the Father 2. Righteousness (procedure) — related to God the Son 3. Truth (expression) — related to God the Spirit |
Love's expression brings about life's building up; the fruit of light expresses the nature of the Triune God |
|
Level |
Deeper and more tender than walking according to truth and by grace |
Beyond darkness, entering God's realm of light, transcending simple judgments of right and wrong |
Both represent expressions of mature life in believers, beyond the level of law |
|
Key Scriptures |
Eph 3:17 "That Christ...that you, being rooted and grounded in love" Eph 4:16 "The whole body...builds itself up in love" Eph 1:4 "That we should be...in love...holy" |
John 12:36 "Believe in the light, that you may become sons of light" Matt 5:14 "You are the light of the world" 1 John 1:7 "If we walk in the light as He is in the light..." |
Eph 5:2,8 mentions both "walking in love" and "walking as children of light," showing they complement each other |
|
Ultimate Goal |
Building up the Body of Christ, expressing God, loving the Lord in incorruptibility |
Bearing the fruit of light (goodness, righteousness, truth), expressing God, becoming the reality of daily walk |
Both point to God's expression on earth and the building up of Christ's Body |
Conclusion:
This table compares the biblical concepts of "walking in love" and "walking as children of light," analyzing their meaning, methods, expressions, and interrelationships from multiple perspectives.
From the table, we can see these important connections between the two concepts:
- 1. Same source, different manifestations: Both originate from God's essence—one internal (love) and one external (light)
- 2. Complementary relationship: Walking in love provides the inner dynamic, while walking as children of light is the outward expression
- 3. Expression of the Triune God: The fruit of light (goodness, righteousness, truth) corresponds to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit respectively
- 4. Life level: Both transcend mere law-keeping and represent expressions of mature life in believers
These two aspects together constitute the inner source of God's children's daily walk, enabling us to express the Triune God in practical living and participate in the building up of the Body of Christ.
*Please refer to the July 2024 Anaheim, California, USA training Experiencing, Enjoying and Manifesting Christ (II) Week 23 God’s Children Walk in Love and Light
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