Gospel of Matthew Chapter 5 Vs. 16

 Salt and Light

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

“Let your light so shine” as a godly life gives convincing testimony of the saving power of God. That brings Him glory (1Pet. 2:12).

In (verse 4 of John chapter l), it tells us who this Light is. John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” You see, Jesus has brought the Christians out of the darkness and into His marvelous Light.

First John 1:6-7 tells it all.

1Jhn. 1:6-7 “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:” “But 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.”

We are commanded to go out, and let this Light shine brightly, and win the world to Jesus. We should be a Light set on a hill, so that those in darkness (spiritual) might see the Light and be saved. Let people see the good works caused by this great Light being ever present in our lives.

that they may... The purpose of all good works among men is to glorify the heavenly Father (John 14:12-15; 15:7-8; Tit. 2:14; Rev. 4:11).

Fifteen Things that Glorify God:

1. Physical healing (Mat. 9:8; 15:31; Luke 5:25-26; 13:13; Acts 4:21)

2. Physical resurrection (John 11:4)

3. Christ’s work of redemption (John 13:3-32)

4. Answered prayer (John 14:13)

5. Bearing much fruit (John 15:8)

6. Completing God’s work (John 17:4)

7. Salvation of Gentiles (Acts 13:48)

8. Miracles among Gentiles (Acts 21:20)

9. Gifts ministered properly (1Pet. 4:10-11)

10. Offering praise (Psm. 50:23)

11. Good works (Mat. 5:16; 1Pet. 2:12)

12. Martyrdoms (John 21:19)

13. Clean bodies (1Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19-20)

14. Christian profession (2Cor. 9:13)

15. Liberality (2Cor. 9:13)

and glorify your... With much fruit.

Twelve Great Lessons of

1. God is the husbandman (John 15:1).

2. Christ is the vine (John 15:1, 15:5).

3. Believers are the branches in Christ (John 15:2, 15:5).

4. Every fruitless branch "in me" is cut off, withered, gathered with other dead branches and cast into the fire and burned (John 15:2, 15:6).

5. Every fruitful branch "in me" is purged that it might be more fruitful (John 15:2, 15:5).

6. Every branch "in me" is clean (pure in heart by the Word if walking in the light, John 15:3; Mat. 5:8; Eph. 5:26; John 3:5; Jas. 1:18; 1Pet. 1:23; 1Jhn. 1:7).

7. Branches must "abide in" Christ and Christ in them to produce fruit (John 15:4-5).

8. The branch is helpless to produce fruit of itself (John 15:4-5).

9. Christ is helpless to produce fruit through the branch unless it remains in Him (John 15:4-6).

10. Branches must abide in Christ or be cut off and burned (John 15:6).

11. Branches must not only remain in Christ but must have His words abiding in them or prayers will not be answered (John 15:7).

12. God can only be glorified by the branches when they remain in Christ and produce much fruit (John 15:8).