We are contrasting hearts, not just outward actions.  The Lord says that we are the light of the world.  “...A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16)  When we interact and we show love to one another, we allow the Spirit to live through us and our flesh is being held in subjection to that new creation, that new man, created unto righteousness and true holiness, praise God!  Though men might not see it, our Father is being glorified; amen?  Good works under the anointing of the Holy Spirit always glorify God.  Good works are those that originate in God; no good work has ever originated in you.  God is the source.  There is none good but God.  Hallelujah!

We are abiding in Him and allowing Him to express this goodness through us so that our Father would be glorified.  As we look for that fruit of abiding, it’s very important to see that it is produced by the divine rest that comes through our labors to lay down all self-effort:  we labor to daily take up our crosses, deny ourselves, pursue Him, and learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly of heart; amen?  We want to take on that spirit of the Lord Jesus—that gentleness, kindness, and meekness—to where it’s not something that’s pharisaical, but natural.  We have changed.

Just think back for just a moment:  do you remember how ornery you used to be?  Aren’t you thankful that the old man is dead?  Some of you are thinking, “Yes, but I saw him the other day.”  Did you kill him?  Did you chase him down that old man and kill him?  I am crucified with Christ!  It’s on a daily basis that we offer up our will to the will of the Father, that we are constantly, every day, dethroning self and exalting the Lord, putting Him on the throne of our lives; amen?  Those are good things.  No natural man seeks that goodness; no man seeks after God.  There is nothing in you, of you, that, even after being regenerated, initiates seeking after God.  It’s the Spirit of God in you that compels you to get back right whenever you have transgressed:  “I want to get back in the presence of Father.  I don’t like this darkness.”

We, then, are the light of the world, the Scripture says.  Look at Galatians, Chapter 5.  As we look at some of these different passages, the way the Holy Spirit lays it out to us in this list is very precious.  Here He tells us in verse 22 about the fruit of the Spirit, the fruit of abiding in Christ, which produces this: “Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness.” What a character trait faithfulness is!  We are talking about the gentleness of God and the goodness of God but, oh, how necessary it is to be faithful—to continue to abide in Him.  When we fail, we just keep getting back up.