“Children of Light, Children of the Day” — 1 Thessalonians 5:5

May 6, 2025/Le Ann Trees/
Photo Credit: swissmediavision / iStock.com

Photo Credit: swissmediavision / iStock.com

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For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. — 1 Thessalonians 5:5

One especially scary aspect of being in the dark is that you can’t see where you are, what’s around you, or what might be coming at you. Darkness has no distinction, no color, no warmth, no comfort. And that’s where Satan wants us to be—unable to see, unable to know, anxious, fearful, and filled with confusion.

The light, however, exposes everything hiding in the dark and makes scary things appear as they truly are so we can know how to protect ourselves and others. The Bible tells us the source of this protecting light is God himself. The light of God not only protects God’s children from evil but is also a distinguishing characteristic of being a Christian.

God is light.

Light is so essential for life that God spoke light into existence on the first day of creation:

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. (Gen. 1:3-4)

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. (John 1:9-10)

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17)

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)

God’s word is a light to us.

Without God’s word, we might be tempted to think that certain things are good that are actually evil. God’s word exposes all evil and shines light on his truth and goodness:

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Ps. 119:105)

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. (Ps. 119:130)

So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” (John 12:35-36a)

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17)

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Cor. 4:6)

God’s children are the light of the world.

Just as God is light, his children are also to be light:

“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 a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way , let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:14-16)

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. (Eph. 5:8)

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

If we find ourselves preferring darkness over the light, we need to check our hearts.

In this life the Spirit and the flesh continue to battle against each other, and it can happen that we may be tempted to use the darkness to indulge and hide our sinful desires. In doing so, we are putting ourselves in harm’s way. When we prefer the darkness over the light, this signals that our heart isn’t right with God. Yet, God doesn’t need the light to see. He knows everything about us, including all the things we want to keep hidden. We must continually guard our thoughts and desires by staying in the light of God’s truth, for as our Lord teaches, this is where we continue in uprightness:

Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” (John 11:9-10)

We should be sobered by the knowledge that there is no darkness in God (1 John 1:5), and we should always seek to image Christ Jesus in this way. May we run from the darkness of sin and evil and throw ourselves into the light of our Savior’s love. We never have to fear the dark because the light of Jesus “shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).

Believers are called to shine the light of God upon a world enveloped in spiritual darkness.

As we gather with fellow believers to worship our Lord, we know his light is with us, for he is with us:

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matt. 18:20)

Believers are “children of the light, children of the day” (1 Thess. 5:5). As God’s light-filled children we bear witness to the sure hope of the gospel as we share biblical truth to a fallen world, shining forth goodness, beauty, and joy in our relationships, and showing love and grace to others as God has shown love and grace to us in Christ.

This article is adapted from “Children of Light, Children of the Day” from Beautiful Christian Life’s March 2023 monthly newsletter, “Light and Darkness.”