In the Sermon On the Mount, Jesus said, "there are 2 roads, paths, gates.."
Later in Matthew 25 He said, "there were sheep & goats." In the OT, Joshua said, "choose you today whom you will serve."
At MT Carmel (1 Kings 18:20) Elijah asked, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If Yahweh is God, follow Him, but if Baal, follow him.¨
Since the beginning of time, we have known there are only 2 choices we can make in the matter of our lives. It is interesting that in our day, we answer weakly or we, like the people on Mt Carmel, "say not a word.¨
Paul writes to the church at Ephesus (and us) to cause God’s people to live like God’s people. Our TEXT tonight is Paul’s attempt to give some distinction, separation, and even some division to people of God and people of Satan.
This passage seems to have 3 natural thoughts to it;
1) THE CAUTION: If you’d ask me I’d say it was Paul’s background that was the driving force behind offering his reader so many cautions, warnings, and alerts. He KNEW how easy it was to be duped. Watch.
a. Don’t Be Played; the deceiver will use arguments which make no sense. The disobedient don’t care.
b. Don’t Become Partners; In V7 He is saying don’t join up with them" because they are walking in the darkness and are doing all that doesn’t please Jehovah God. They will attempt to make you a co-conspirator and instigator with them.
c. Don’t Be Participator; In vers 11 the Scripture says, "don’t even ’mention’ what they do." IN our understanding, it say "don’t even dabble around with them." On occasion, our propensity is to "try it once and see", Paul says, be forewarned, this is dangerous.
In racing there are a series of flags. Green means go. Red means stop. Checkered means "you’re through or finished." Yellow means "exercise caution, there is danger on the track and you can get hurt". This is exactly what Paul is saying, "Be cautious, danger is close."
2)THE CHANGE; Verse 5 tells us you were once, but now you are...." Notice he didn’t say you were once "in" the darkness and now you are "in" the light. Once again, we see the contrast of darkness and light. The darkness was resident IN and WITHIN each one of us. This darkness represents the darkness of sin, selfishness, and Satan.
The statement, "You were once darkness" speaks about our change, our conversion, and salvation experience.
"Walk as Children of Light" tells us to "let our lights shine before men that they may see our Father". Our Lord had much to say about "light" and the Apostle Paul followed His example.
Paul teaches us in all of his writings about the change that comes from meeting Jesus. Acts 9 chronicles his change. 2 Corinthians 5:17 pictures the change in each of us.
3) THE CLARITY
A few weeks ago, in 1 John we saw that our "Actions actually Convey" who we are. In other words, we show people our faith by our actions. It seems that James teaches us this truth. Paul shows us some characteristics in our life if we are indeed children of light.
a. First, we’ll display goodness. Someone has defined goodness as love in action and it is no surprise that this quality is one of the listed fruits of the spirit.
b. Next, Paul says we’ll demonstrate righteousness which means that we’ll be made right before God.
c. When we add together these two qualities the resulting person is one who is committed to TRUTH and thus walks in the light and clearly sees the world.
As Children of light we’ve been brought from darkness to light, death to life, sin to sinning less. Today I read a Child of God is not SINLESS, but rather sins less and less.
