SERMON: "Imitate God in Light" (Eph. 5:7–14)
Imitate God in Light (Eph. 5:7–14)
Series: Ephesians: Building the Church Text: Ephesians 5:7–14
By: Shaun Marksbury Date: May
7, 2023
Venue: Living Water Baptist Church Occasion: PM Service
I.
Introduction
Light illuminates
Scripture, both literally and metaphorically.
Beginning in Genesis 1, we read about a mysterious light without the sun
(vv. 3–5, comp. vv. 16–19). Perhaps this
light depicts God, who is our light and salvation (Psa. 27:1). Perhaps it portrays the Messiah, which Scripture
described as “a light of the nations” (Isa. 49:6).
The Apostle John
latched on to this description of the Christ.
When he begins speaking about Jesus, he labels Him as “the Light of men”
(Jn 1:4). A few verses later, he further
says Jesus is “the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every
man” (v. 9). His gospel records Jesus as
likewise identifying Himself as light (Jn 12:36).
Later, John also
says that “God is Light,” having no darkness (1 John 1:5). In John’s apocalypse, he describes a
mysterious light in the eternal state, in the new Jerusalem. He records that there will no longer be a sun,
but the Lord Jesus Christ will provide the light (Isa. 60:19; Rev. 21:23). With John’s inspired description, the light
of the Lord bookends the Bible.
God is light, and
the first verse of this chapter says, “Therefore be imitators of God.” As such, it’s interesting here that we talk
also about the behavior of believers in terms of light, as we are the “beloved
children” of the light (Cf. 1 Thess. 5:5).
Just as we are to imitate God in love, now we follow the path that the
Lord Jesus Christ illuminates for us. As
such, we’ll see in these verses a command to walk within the light (vv. 7–10)
and to walk shining the light (vv. 11–14).
II.
Walk Within the Light (vv. 7–10)
Therefore do not be partakers with them;
for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as
children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and
righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
The “therefore”
connects us to what came before in this chapter. With that, read two commands in this passage —
one negative (“do not be partakers with them”) and one positive (“walk as
children of Light”). These commands,
like all in Scripture, are based on our current state before God. We must be able to distinguish and discern in
our minds who the they are, who the we are, and what it means to
please the Lord of Light. Let’s start by
considering the command with the first couple of verses.
A.
Walk in the Light by Distinguishing (vv. 7–8)
Therefore do not be partakers with them;
for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as
children of Light
Paul starts by
speaking of one who partners or associates with others; the word “partaker”
means “having a share with another in some possession or relationship.”[1] We
should not become partakers with those who don’t love the Lord and others,
those who are sons of disobedience, those who deceive believers with empty
words. We are to avoid those who are
marked by immorality, and we are certainly not to enter partnership with them
(1 Cor. 5:9; 2 Cor. 6:14). The Lord says
here not to be partners because sometimes we are.
Now, it doesn’t
seem possible to avoid all associations and participations with people. For instance, Paul bought meat offered to
idols, doing so without asking questions for conscience’s sake and believing
that everything in the earth is the Lord’s (1 Cor. 10:25–27). He met believers who had trouble with this
practice, some who might have argued that he not only defiles his body with
unholy meat, but that he funds ongoing idolatry with his money. Obviously, he saw a difference, having
previously argued that the only way of achieving complete disassociation would be
to leave this world (1 Cor. 5:10)! Such
an understanding helps us as we struggle with how companies in the marketplace might
spend our dollars, investing in groups and organizations we would rather not —
ultimately, everyone uses money in a way dishonoring to the Lord, and we would
have to leave the world to avoid all associations.
Still, there are
issues that are more immediate in their morality, such as our active engagement
with unbelievers. This would be a
partnership, such as two people agreeing to commit fornication or fraud. Elsewhere, we encounter these words: “Do not
be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and
lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14). The sad reality is that sometimes believers
engage in activities that leave no difference between them and unbelievers.
We’re supposed to
be partakers in the promise of Christ (Eph. 3:6), and part of that promise is
transformation. Therefore, he says, “you
were formerly darkness.” This
is a reminder of who believers were, past tense. It’s both an admonishment not to engage
with the sons of disobedience as well as a reminder of the grace of God.
Remember that all
people are born into this world not knowing Christ and loving the darkness (John
3:19–21). This darkness is a power and
domain in this world, ruled by Satan (Luke 22:53; Col. 1:13). To put it in terms we previously read,
unbelievers following the course of this darkness follow the course of the
devil (Eph. 2:2). As such, everyone
should take note that the Lord has reserved a dark land for those comprising
the kingdom of darkness (Matt. 8:12; 2 Pet. 2:17).
However, Christ has
converted Christians from darkness into light.
He says here, “you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the
Lord.” Whereas darkness marked the old
man that was put off in the gospel, He made us light to put on in the new man
(cf. Eph. 4:22, 24). He, “the Lord,” provides
us a light alien to us, belonging to Him.
He has brought us from darkness into His light.
And so, He commands
us to “walk as children of light.” This
is the logical extension of being light.
Those who claim to be of the light and walk in darkness lie, don’t
practice the truth, and disrupt their fellowship (1 John 1:5–7). So, Christians must be able to distinguish
light from darkness.
We need to know the
difference between who we were outside of Christ and who we are now. We also need to know how to walk as children
of light. Another word for
distinguishing is discerning, bringing us to the next point.
B.
Walk in the Light by Discerning (vv. 9–10)
(for the fruit of the Light consists in
all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to
the Lord.
We see here more
explanation as to the previous verse, how we can walk as children of light. First, we need to discern the fruit of
light. The KJV improperly renders this
“fruit of the Spirit,” but perhaps these are parallel thoughts (cf. Gal. 5:22). Since “God is Light” (1 John 1:5), having
light manifest in our actions is the natural fruit of our relationship with
Him. As like spawns like, light should
bear the fruit of light.
We can discern the
fruit of the light because it consists of “all” that sums Christian
morality. First, it exists in “all
goodness.” The Lord’s goodness is
present in His is generosity toward His people (Neh. 9:25, 35). Similarly, this would include the love of the
previous verses, in contrast to the evil practices that do not love (Eph. 5:1–6). Our “good works” have been prepared by God and
therefore come from the light (cf. Eph. 2:10).
Second, the fruit
of the light exists in all righteousness.
This would be that which the Lord has declared right in His Word,
biblical justice before the Holy God.
True righteousness is found in the active and passive obedience of
Christ. This righteousness, as Scripture
demonstrates and defines it, should be also performed by His people (Mic. 6:8).
Third, the fruit of
the light exists in all truth. Paul
already said the “truth is in Jesus” (Eph. 4:21). So, this is true theology, belief that Jesus
is Lord and Savior and the grace of the gospel.
This would also be, horizontally speaking, truth-telling in one’s
interactions (cf. 4:25). Because the
devil can twist truth, though, we must be careful to note that the truth that
sanctifies is only the truth of the Word of God (John 17:17).
Biblical
discernment helps us to understand this fruit.
Fruit grows naturally on the vine — sometimes slowly, always green at
first. However, it comes, and it grants
us assurance that we are indeed children of the light. As we continue to grow and mature, we may
come to discover deficiencies in the fruit of goodness, righteousness, and
truth; that is the Lord preparing us for a greater harvest next year. So, we need to discern the fruit of light.
This helps us to
discern the will of the Lord (v. 10), which we will talk more about next time,
Lord willing. We read here that we’re
“trying to learn,” which means testing, proving, or discerning. Such work is only possible through the transformation
and renewal of the mind (Rom. 12:1–2). Discernment
isn’t a mystical experience by which we sense what is right and wrong,
but an experience that comes through prayerful, biblical learning. We, through a sometimes slow investigation,
learn what is in general keeping with goodness, righteousness, and truth. We should care to bear the fruit of being
well-pleasing, ultimately remembering that God is well-pleased with Jesus
Christ (Matt. 3:17; Mark 1:11).
As we walk in the
light, we will find that we are a light in the dark world. We reflect the light of the Son much as the
moon does at night. We are, in fact,
commanded to do this, bringing us to the next point.
III.
Walk Shining the Light (vv. 11–14)
Do not participate in the unfruitful
deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to
speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are
exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, and
arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
There’s an
untranslated “and” that starts v. 11, linking this to the command in verse
eight. We’re commanded to walk as
children of light, and we’re commanded both to avoid sin and to do
good. We will learn this helps the
advancement of the kingdom in this world.
Let’s start by reading that commission.
A.
The Commission to Shine the Light (vv. 11–12)
Do not participate in the unfruitful
deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to
speak of the things which are done by them in secret.
Once again, we see
that we’re not to participate, this time with certain deeds. He calls them “unfruitful deeds of darkness,”
contrasting what he said in verse nine to the fruit of the light. Remember in Galatians 5:19, he contrasted the
works of the flesh to the works of the Spirit (cf. v. 22). Here, he doesn’t just contrast fruit to
unfruitful, or light to darkness, but both. There’s no life given by darkness; it only
yields death.
Still, refusing to
participate in darkness can be costly.
Employers may require their employees to affirm certain lifestyles and
decisions that the Bible condemns. Christian employees may think that simply
keeping quiet about their opposition to these sins is sufficient, but lack
of participation will be enough light to expose those walking in darkness and
cause offense. Thus, Christians who live
a consistently biblical life may face loses in advancement opportunities,
friendships, and even jobs — and that’s to say nothing of divisions in
families.
There’s more to the
command that we’ve already intimated.
The believer isn’t commanded simply to withdraw from participation, but
to also expose the darkness to the light.
This is a good work within the believer that will allow truth to
permeate the sinful recesses of his heart, exposing any darkness there to the
truth of God’s Word. It’s also similarly
exposing others to this light. Christians
who don’t learn to engage in good deeds become unfruitful (Titus 3:14), and, as
we’ve seen, we’re commanded to avoid unfruitful deeds.
This exposure
doesn’t mean simply to talk about them (see Eph. 5:12). We’re not required to go from home to home,
looking for any wrong to bring before the attention of others. Christians are commanded to live a
quiet and peaceable life (1 Thess. 4:17; 1 Tim. 2:2), a counterbalance for this
command. Indeed, even that will
serve to expose sin.
If we do discover a
sin that cannot be overlooked, though, then we have a duty to approach that
person about it. If we’re dealing with
believers who spurn reproof and continue in sin, we are to rebuke them in the
presence of the whole church (1 Tim. 5:20); Matthew 18:15–20 gives us the
process for church discipline. If
Christians are engaging in pagan practices or in sexual vice, then we should
correct them. If we neglect exposing the
darkness, then we are failing to be light.
Why? He says, “for it is disgraceful” or shameful
what the “sons of disobedience” are doing.
So, when sins arise of a heinous variety, such as adultery, murder, etc.,
the proper desire is to discuss these deeds with some propriety, avoiding
salacious details. In fact, Christians
should not indulge a morbid curiosity concerning such sin.
That’s only part of
the disgrace, though. The real shame comes
for the perpetrator of the sin — if exposed, even fellow pagans may scold
him. This exposure is good for the
church as well as for the world around us, and it keeps us free from even a
hint of impropriety.
Some have read this
command differently, that we’re never to even mention such things. However, the next verse makes it clear that isn’t
the case. In fact, there’s a conversion
process that takes place, bringing us to the next point.
B.
The Conversion through Shining the Light (vv.
13–14)
But all things become visible when they
are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, and
arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Light exposes what’s
hidden, and God’s Word reveals the darkness of the human heart. As such, Jesus said, “For everyone who does
evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds
will be exposed. But he who practices
the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having
been wrought in God” (John 3:20–21).
Because of Jesus’s words to the Pharisees, He says they now have “no
excuse for their sin” (John 15:22). The
revelation can come now or later; “And there is no creature hidden from His
sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we
have to do” (Heb. 4:13).
This isn’t just a
warning, though. He says, “for everything
that becomes visible is light.” Jesus is the light of the world (John 12:46)
and He makes His disciples light (Matt. 5:14).
The light of the Lord transforms (cf. 2 Cor. 4:6), which is why it’s
important to bring the deeds of darkness into the light.
This is talking
about salvation, so the deeds being exposed are mainly for the goal of bringing
the lost to Christ. So, we read, “For
this reason, it says.” Many OT passages
include this call for awakening to the dawn, including Isaiah 60:1–2 — “Arise,
shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon
you. For behold, darkness will cover the
earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you and His
glory will appear upon you.” It’s not
clear if Paul intended to quote that psalm, or whether it’s “a fragment of an
early Christian hymn that was originally associated with baptism.”[2]
Still, we have a
marvelous image of salvation. At that
point, the Messiah will shine like the morning, as in Zacharias’s prophecy — “Because
of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit
us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide
our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:78–79). The sleeper awakes from spiritual death and
arises from the dead because of the Light of Christ.
This reaffirms that
this work is not our own. We don’t just
drag that which is hidden into sight out of some self-satisfied sense of
justice. Rather, we expose the darkness
to the light of Christ for the sake of saving lost souls. Indeed, it reminds us that the light isn’t
our own or some disembodied, abstract idea of truth, but that of Jesus Christ
our Lord.
IV.
Conclusion
Jesus Christ is the
light that illuminates the heart of man.
Still, He shares His light with believers, turning those who were once
darkness into light. As we expose the
world to His Word, we are sharing in that work, perhaps even seeing those who
worked the deeds of darkness become light.
May we nevermore engage in darkness with them but instead walk in the
purity of His light.
[1] William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press,
2000), 958.
[2] Peter Thomas O’Brien, The Letter to the Ephesians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary
(Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1999), 374.