“Light In The Darkness ” [Reflections on Robert Law's Book, The Tests of Life - A Study Of The First Epistle Of John, Edinburgh, T&T Clark, 1909, (1 John 1:5-2:29)]

When John (who wrote of ‘Christ as light’)
Got old, he still had lots of fight –
It seems some folks there of his age
Were strutting ’round as on a stage.

One thing they claimed that they could do
Was, “Walk in light” and still be rude,
Obnoxious, greedy, proud, and vain –
For they were “Christians” (’least in name).

So John, in “Letter-one”, said, “No –
I see you strut through life just so –
But here’s three tests to see if you
Can “Walk in light” – in Jesus’ view:

“Test one – ‘What is your attitude
To sin and righteousness?’ – you’re rude,
Obnoxious, greedy, vain, and proud –
How’s that in Jesus’ light allowed?

“Test two – ‘Check out how much you love’ –
You strut through life with push and shove –
‘It’s dog eat dog’; ‘Survival, man’,
You say, abusing those you can.

“Test three – ‘Is Christ, in your belief,
The highest and the best we see?’
Or do you stomp him in the dirt
As if He were some kind of jerk?

“You claim to be ‘Enlightened ones’
It’s time that you awoke there, chums –
Obey; and love; call spade a spade –
God’s light in darkness, Jesus made.

Thanks Lord for this.

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