Light in the Darkness – Ephesians 5:1-14

Someone has said that the most precious light is the one that visits you in your darkest hour (Mehmet Murat Ilman). But light may also be something you want to avoid. Jesus said, “People loved darkness because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). The believer has been made light and lights others, according to Paul, but was at one time darkness.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:1–14, ESV)

Here is the new standard for Christians.  We are to love God the way He has loved us.  And we are to love others the way Christ has loved us.  And the watchword in all this is “sacrifice.”  Just as the sacrificed animal was put on the altar and burned, with fragrant incense accompanying, so that a fragrant aroma arose, so Jesus gave Himself as an offering on our behalf, proving His love for us once and for all.  And in imitation of the Father’s love and Jesus’ love, we love back, we “walk” in love, we conduct our whole lives by this virtue. We don’t have the ability to do this on our own.  So we come to God moment by moment, day by day, to experience His love for us that changes us, and we seek to learn from Him what it means to love others the same way.

Holiness and righteousness can be summed up in one word – love. Imitating God means imitating His love as expressed in Christ’s sacrificial giving of himself to redeem us. Love is not self-centered, but other-centered. Sexual immorality and impurity and covetousness (wanting what others have because you are not satisfied with what God has given you) are hallmarks of unloving, un-saint-like behavior. Saints (all true believers are saints, holy ones, set apart to God as His own) have come to worship God, not themselves.  Being given over to immorality, which is often accompanied by filthy and foolish talk and crude joking, is actually idolatry, making our internal urges god.

Though we are saved by faith, the faith that saves is evidenced by a life transformed to love, a life of other-centeredness. If a person’s life is characterized by immorality or covetousness, they have not been born again and have no inheritance in Christ’s kingdom. They may only expect God’s wrath. No one who really knows God will continue in immorality.  They cannot say they have an inheritance in the kingdom of God if they practice such things.  Instead, they are under God’s wrath.  So true Christians must not partner with them, must not participate in their ways.

The reason we can’t participate in the immorality and idolatry of others is that we are no longer in darkness but we are light in the Lord.  Christ has shined on us and is transforming us, our lives bearing the fruit of being light, which is goodness, rightness and trueness. The light exposes the darkness in us and as it becomes visible we acknowledge the darkness to God and He cleanses us and forgives us and helps us to walk as light.  Our lives then also shine a light into the lives of others, exposing their darkness.  They either respond with feelings of guilt, making them hate us, or repentance, drawing them to us. So not only must we not take part in darkness, we must expose it. We must expose it in ourselves and for what it is in others. Though the deeds of the darkness are shameful, when exposed by the light there is the opportunity for cleansing. This is what Jesus did for us, what the Christian hymn says, shining into our lives and raising us from the darkness of spiritual death.

Discussion Questions

1. Who is the most loving person you have met?
2. Could Paul mean that any believer who commits the sin of sexual immorality or covets loses their salvation? Why or why not?
3. How would you describe the selfishness that inhabits sexual immorality?
4. When we partner with God we end up imitating Him. How does partnering with those who walk in darkness affect us?
5. How has your life exposed darkness in others?
6. Are you okay with God exposing darkness in you with His light?  Why or why not?