Ephesians 5:7-14 – Do not Participate in the Darkness

Key Scriptures: Ephesians 5:7-14, 1 John 1:5, Proverbs 4:23

Chapter 5 of Ephesians starts with, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” This one address and one instruction in this verse. The address is to the beloved children. The instruction is to imitate God. Naturally, as the children of a father, the children are expected to heed to the instruction and walk in the footsteps of our heavenly Father. For the next 14 verses, Paul uses the contrast: light and darkness. The light consists of goodness, righteousness, and truth (v. 9). However, darkness is the very absence of all those things who God is. Therefore, the instruction is: Do not participate with what the darkness does, for those are unfruitful and God will come upon them with his fury and anger (v. 6, 7, 11).

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)

We hear and read this simple instruction. This concept is not difficult to understand. There is no middle ground, so you either do the will of the Father, or you are in darkness. However, due to our sinful flesh, this instruction poses a significant challenge for us Christians. Because we were formerly in darkness (v. 8), our old man has left a deep imprint in our body, desire, and thoughts. Satan uses the habits and relationships while we were in darkness to whisper and taunt us. However, as children of light, we are to prove (examine) what is pleasing our heavenly Father (v. 10).

God has left us His will through the Scripture so that we may read and grow in our wisdom and discernment. God gave us His Spirit who intercedes for us, so that we may come to our Father any time and any place in our prayer. Examining and learning also means that we have to know our old man. Where are my weaknesses? What are my lusts? When do these lusts manifest immensely when the opportunity presents itself? What are the trickeries, lies, and strategies of Satan to fall in darkness? We ought to examine ourselves carefully and daily. A superficial survey of ourselves and contentment will lead us into unguarded hearts. However, does not God warn us that our hearts are deceptive above all else and desperately sick (Jer 17:9)? Hence, God instructs us,

Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

The work of exposing our sins is the most fundamental duty of a Christian. We are to discern and expose the sinful actions and words that proceeds from our hearts. Moreover, we are to diagnose our hearts from its sinful inclinations of thoughts, desires, and comforts. However, God does not end His instruction right there. God says in verse 11,

Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;

Whose sins are we exposing? We read in verse 12,

for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

God speaks of those who are in darkness. Those who cannot comprehend the light (Jn 1:5). People who have not received the light of the Gospel. By His good and perfect will, He has chosen us Christians as the only people on earth with this mission: to go and expose the darkness with the light of Christ. Yet, we have grown to be accustomed to the sins we are surrounded by. Why? Because we are accustomed with allowing sins to exist inside the church and in our private lives. If we are unable to hate sins in the body of Christ, how can we expose the sins of those who are in darkness? This does not mean that we have to get our household together in perfection before we proclaim the Gospel to the godless. Our duty is in both – as we learn to please God, we also preach the Gospel. So, let us be diligent in our work so that we do not become a light under a basket (Mt. 5:15). And may we preach the good news to those who are lost with the hearts that are grieved and filled with affection, just as how our heavenly Father longs to reach those who are lost as the prodigal son and the lost sheep (Lk. 14).