JULY 6 / JULY 13, 2014
WALKING AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT
INTRODUCTION:
1. Paul began the practical section of this epistle (Ch. 4-6) by calling upon the Ephesian believers to walk worthy of their Christian vocation. (Ch. 4:1) What exactly does this mean?
a) It means taking up those Christian virtues which promote unity and peace in the church. (Ch. 4:1-6)
b) It means using Christian gifts for their given purpose, each member of the body doing his part in seeing the church attain to its high goal. (Ch. 4:13; see Verses 7-16)
c) It means turning, as renewed men, from the old life of sin, putting it off as a filthy garment, and putting on Christ’s righteousness, and becoming followers of God. (Ch. 4:17-5:2)
2. Now, concerning those abominations that must be put off with the old man, the Apostle now once again stresses the absolute necessity of their removal. Christians are children of light and there can be no concord between light and darkness.
I. A SOLEMN WARNING IS HERE REPEATED AGAIN DUE TO THE DEADLY NATURE OF THE SINS HERE LISTED. (VRS 3-6; CH. 4:17-19) The Apostle had already implied the deadlines of these abominations (Ch. 4:17-19), because the conscience becomes seared and the heart is hardened, thus the sinner loses all sense of remorse or guilt. Such a state is the anteroom to hell itself. In this second warning, however, we are not left to draw our conclusion from implication merely, but he tells us plainly that those who indulge in such things are excluded from the Kingdom of Christ.
A. THE BLACK LIST OF SINS THAT MUST BE ERADICATED. (VERSES 3, 4) This is not to imply that any sin is to be tolerated. Believers are to avoid all sin at all time. However, some sins more than others imperil the soul, and invite the wrath of God.
1. At the top of the list are sins of sexual uncleanness.
a) Fornication. Strictly speaking, this means sexual relationships between unmarried people. This was common among the heathen at Ephesus.
b) Uncleanness. This includes every kind of sexual immorality.
2. Next on the list is the sin of covetousness. (Note also the previous warning, Ch. 4:19)
a) That this sin is in both of these texts joined fast to sexual sins is not meant to indicate its nature, but simply to show how detestable it is in the eyes of God.
b) Covetousness can mean sexual lust, (Ex. 20:17b), but here, as in Col. 3:5, it seems to be singled out from the list.
c) Many who live morally clean lives would never imagine that their lust for material things is also an abominable sin in God’s sight. Covetousness is detestable to God precisely because it lies at the root of every kind of evil known to man. (I Tim. 6:6-11)
d) Covetousness can most certainly destroy one’s soul. (Matt. 6:19-24; Mark 8:36, 37; Luke 12:15-21)
3. Then he names filthiness. This refers to all obscenity, that which is disgusting or revolting in vile actions and speech, and imaginations.
a) We are living in a time when the vilest of vile is being displayed and promoted by Hollywood, T. V. networks, filthy publications, internet pornography, etc.
b) We see how poor souls are becoming addicted and given over to vile affections, and therefore, we know that the danger is not here overstated.
4. Let us take the Apostle’s words of warning most seriously: “Let it not be once named among you.” This goes for the entire list, let none of these things even be mentioned, or discussed.
B. THE CONSEQUENCES WHICH THE PRACTICE OF THESE ABOMINABLE SINS WILL BRING JUSTIFIES THE RADICALNESS OF THE WARNING. (VERSES 5, 6) It is important to note that Paul is not saying that there is no salvation for such sinners. The truth is, many have been delivered from the grip of even these abominations. (I Cor. 6:9-11) However, the nature of these sins is such that men become so enslaved by their own lust that they become past feeling, having given themselves over, and thus, become hardened. (Ch. 4:19)
1. Those who indulge in these abominations are excluded from heaven, and remain the children of wrath. (Verses 5, 6)
a) This they knew. “This ye know.” How did they know this? They knew it, because they had learned Christian doctrine. (Ch. 4:20, 21)
b) This they knew because they saw in the Old Testament Scriptures, which were expounded to them by the Apostle, that adultery and sexual perversion were capital offences.
c) They knew that covetousness is idolatry, and none can enter heaven who worship other gods before Jehovah.
2. What a two-edged sword this is.
a) No inheritance with the saints, i.e. no heaven.
b) Then, the wrath of God besides. “The wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience.” (Verse 6)
II. CHRISTIANS ARE CHILDREN OF LIGHT, THE FRUIT OF WHICH IS OPPOSITE THE WORKS OF DARKNESS. (VERSES 7-10)
A. DISASSOCIATION WITH WORKS OF DARKNESS AND THOSE WHO PRACTICE THEM IS MANDATORY. (VERSE 7)
1. First, there is no concord between light and darkness. (II Cor. 6:14)
2. Second, to partake with them in sin will be to share in their judgment also. (II Pet. 2:2, 3)
B. THE NECESSITY OF THE BELIEVER’S SEPARATION IS ENFORCED BY HIS OWN CONVERSION. (VS. 8)
1. “Darkness” stands for ignorance, the understanding darkened. (Ch. 4:18)
2. “Light” on the other hand, stand for knowledge. “Ye are light in the Lord,” that is, in virtue of union with Him.
3. The result of such a transformation should be obvious. “Walk as children of light.” (See Col. 1:9-13)
C. THE INEVITABLE EFFECT OF DIVINE ILLUMINATION IS THAT IT DISALLOWS PARTICIPATION IN SIN. (VERSE 9)
1. The fruit of light is opposite the unfruitful works of darkness.
a) Here, the fruit of the Spirit is literally the fruit of light. (The Greek word is photos (light)).
b) The fruits of light are goodness (moral goodness), righteousness (adhering to right rule), truth (true religion itself).
2. Light, of necessity, dispels darkness. (Matt. 5:14-16) Christians once were darkness, but now we are light.
D. BELIEVERS, AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT, ARE PROVING WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE LORD. (VERSE 10)
1. The word, proving means trying, or putting to the test. (See Rom. 12:2)
2. The ultimate standard for what is right or wrong, worthy or unworthy, is whether it is acceptable (or, well pleasing) to the Lord.
3. “The Lord” is the Lord Jesus Christ, who is here recognized as Lord of the conscience. His will is the ultimate and final test for what is right or wrong.
4. The criterion is not expedience, or practicality, or gratification, but rather, is it well pleasing to Christ?
III. OUR CHRISTIAN DUTY AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT IN A DARK AND DECAYING WORLD IS ONE OF NONCONFORMITY AND REPROOF. (VERSES 11-14) This does not mean that our existence in this world is to be one of absolute disassociation with children of darkness. “For then,” said Paul, “ye must go out of the world.” (I Cor. 5:10) One may have the necessary interactions in the world without forming a common bond with those who walk contrary to God’s righteous standards.
A. THE DUTY OF CHRISTIANS IN REFERENCE TO WORKS OF DARKNESS IS TWOFOLD. (VERSE 11)
1. The first duty is to have no fellowship, i.e. no communion, with the unfruitful works of darkness. (II Cor. 6:14-18)
a) “Unfruitful” does not merely mean barren, or worthless, but positively evil.
b) There can be no commonality between light and that which is evil and dark.
c) Darkness speaks of ignorance of God. Light speaks of knowledge of God. We who know God and what He approves must not have fellowship with what He disapproves.
2. The second duty if to reprove the unfruitful (EVIL) works of darkness.
a) Reprove does not merely mean to admonish or rebuke, but rather, to convince by evidence; it is the effect of illumination, by which the light exposes the true nature of a thing.
b) Thus, it is as we let our lights shine that the works of darkness are exposed and reproved.
B. WORKS OF DARKNESS MUST BE EXPOSED AND REPROVED BECAUSE OF THE UNSPEAKABLE SHAME ASSOCIATED WITH THEM. (VERSE 12)
1. All sins are works of darkness, because they spring from darkness.
2. All sins are not however, equally shameful. “For it is a shame even to speak of those things that are done in secret.”
C. AN IMPORTANT REASON WHY WE OUGHT TO EXPOSE SIN AS THE EVIL THAT IT IS, IS THAT SINNERS CAN BE AWAKENED AND SAVED OUT OF THEIR DARKNESS. (VERSES 13, 14)
1. Sin must be reproved (Verse 11), because it is shameful (Verse 12). Therefore let the dark secrets be manifest so that they might be corrected. (Verse 13)
2. The word of God is light, it is efficacious light.
3. God, by the light of His Word, awakens the sleepers in darkness, even from the sleep of death. (Verse 14; Isa. 9:2;26:19; 60:1)
4. It is the Light that awakens the dead, and also makes them light.
D. CHILDREN OF LIGHT MUST MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY OCCASION FOR ILLUMINATING. (VS. 15-17)
1. The holy walk of the believer may be a means of grace to others. (Verse 15; I Pet. 2:12)
a) It is only as we walk circumspectly that we reprove sin by manifestation. Circumspect = upright, righteous, blameless.
b) It is in this way of walking that we walk “not as fools, but as wise.”
2. Abounding evil makes it imperative that believers seize upon every opportunity for doing good. (Verse 16)
a) To redeem is to buy back. We are to acquire by purchase occasions for doing good.
b) We must not waste or abuse our time, this we know, but more than that, we are to make opportunities by taking time from our busy schedules. (Gal. 6:10)
c) We are to be instant in season.
E. SUCH AN ATTITUDE REQUIRES UNDERSTANDING AND DISCERNMENT. (VERSE 17)
IV. THE BELIEVER’S SOURCE OF EXHILARATION IS DIVINE, AND THE EXPRESSION OF IT WILL BE WHOLESOME AND UPLIFTING. (VERSES 18-20)
A. THOSE WITH RIGHT DISCERNMENT WILL NOT SEEK EXCITEMENT AS THE HEATHEN DO. (VS. 18)
1. “Be not drunk…wherein is excess,” that is riotous living. The word is asotia, excesses, revelings, etc.
2. The believer’s constant source of wholesome exhilaration, joy and inspiration is the Holy Spirit.
B. THE BELIEVER’S JOY IS EXPRESSED NOT IN REVELINGS, BUT IN HOLY SINGING. (VERSE 19)
1. The Holy Spirit puts a song in our hearts, and it will find its voice.
2. This singing is meant for mutual joy and edification. “Speaking to yourselves…” Yet, we sing unto the Lord.í
C. THE BELIEVER’S JOY EXPRESSES ITSELF IN THANKSGIVING TO GOD. (VERSE 20)
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