WAKEFUL WALKING IN LIGHT AND LOVE.
Ephesians 5:1-14.
I). Walking in Love and Light.
Ephesians 5:1-9.
When we are ‘imitators’ of God as ‘beloved children,’ we will ‘walk in love’ (agape) toward one another (cf. EPHESIANS 5:1-2). Our model of love is the Lord Jesus Christ, who ‘loved us and gave Himself for us.’ His love was a sacrificial love, and His sacrifice acceptable to God.
Now, love is not to be confused with lust: but mankind has turned the beautiful gift of God into something quite ugly (EPHESIANS 5:3-4). These kinds of covetous thoughts, coarse words, and unwholesome deeds rather represent the selfish and self-indulgent gratification of a life that ‘works all uncleanness with greediness’ (cf. Ephesians 4:19). But remember, ‘we have not so learned Christ’ (cf. Ephesians 4:20).
The Greek word for “fornication” gives rise to our English word, ‘pornography.’ The word that KJV translates “uncleanness” speaks of impurity. These arise from the “covetousness” that lies at the heart of the matter (cf. Exodus 20:17; Colossians 3:5).
The antidote to all this is the “giving of thanks” to God for His good gift, and using it appropriately (EPHESIANS 5:4). This is what is “becoming” of saints (EPHESIANS 5:3).
At this point, the Apostle reminds us of the line of demarcation that should exist between Christians and the world (EPHESIANS 5:5). “For this you know,” he says, and goes on to remind us that those whose habit and lifestyle is continually given over to sexual licence (for example) have no part in “the kingdom of Christ and of God” (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Revelation 22:15; Revelation 21:8). Sin, any sin, is abhorrent to God, and He ‘expects better things’ of His children: ‘things that accompany salvation’ (cf. Hebrews 6:9).
Further, the wrath of God is against “the children of disobedience” (EPHESIANS 5:6). That is to say, those people who ‘walk according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience’ (cf. Ephesians 2:2). It is they, the ungodly, who are ‘like the chaff that the wind blows away;’ sinners who ‘shall not stand in the congregation of the righteous’ (cf. Psalm 1:4-5).
This is a truth that is denied by some, so “let no man deceive you” (EPHESIANS 5:6). God has only one way whereby He can forgive sin (cf. John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Outside of Christ there is no forgiveness; in Him alone can we say, ‘there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared’ (cf. Psalm 130:4).
So, it is perfectly clear that it would be totally inappropriate for those who are citizens of the Lord’s kingdom to participate in the evil deeds of the disobedient (EPHESIANS 5:7). This does not mean that we totally shun the people, or else we would have to go out of this world, but that we avoid the evil (cf. John 17:15; 1 Corinthians 5:9-10).
Paul contrasts what we once were (darkness) with what we now are (light in the Lord), and instructs us to “walk as children of light” (EPHESIANS 5:8). If we live accordingly, and operate from the perspective of our native environment (the light), we will not be assimilated to the world around us. We are to walk IN the light (cf. 1 John 1:7), for the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ (cf. Galatians 5:22-23) IS the fruit of light (EPHESIANS 5:9).
II). Awake Thou Sleeper!
Ephesians 5:8-14.
A. Paul contrasts what believers once were (darkness) with what we now are (light in the Lord) (Ephesians 5:8).
i) We are to walk IN the light (1 John 1:7), for the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ (Galatians 5:22-23) IS the fruit of light (cf. Ephesians 5:9);
ii) We HAVE the light of life (John 8:12), because the promise was and is “Christ SHALL give you light” (Ephesians 5:14);
iii) We need to recognise that there is a sense in which we ARE the light (Matthew 5:14; Acts 13:47): We are “now light in the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8).
We are to live accordingly “as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8), operating from the perspective of our native environment (the light). This will inform both our style of life - “discerning what is acceptable to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10); and the kind of company we keep - “having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11).
It is light that overcomes darkness, not vice versa (John 1:5): so we are not to be assimilated to the world around us, but rather to influence it for the better by living out our lives in “all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:9).
LIVE by the light, and you will expose the darkness (Ephesians 5:11-12). This does not involve us self-righteously criticising others, but simply BEING WHO WE ARE: “light in the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8). It is possible that even the very darkness (which our souls once were) might yield to the intrusion of light (Ephesians 5:13).
B. Ephesians 5:14 might be translated: “Arouse, sleeper, and rise up from among the dead, and Christ will (shine upon, give light to, enlighten) you.”
i) Perhaps sleepers sleep because they are sleepy. Still, we have to arouse with the bugle call, the alarm clock that warns us not to be late. Get yourself up and off to work while you still have a job to go to.
ii) Perhaps the sleeper is sick. To such Jesus says, ‘ARISE, take up your bed and walk’ (John 5:8). At the word of Jesus, that which was broken is mended. Jesus subsequently went on to use the same verb of the Father ‘raising’ the dead (John 5:21).
iii) Perhaps we are just sick of life, sick of sin, sick of self. To such Jesus says, ‘Your sins are forgiven you’ (Matthew 9:2) - for which is easier to say, ‘Sins are forgiven you’ or ‘ARISE and walk’? (Matthew 9:5).
iv) The sleeper here in Ephesians 5:14 is envisaged as in a worse state than these: it is the sleep of death. This is literal physical death, as explained by Jesus (John 11:11-14) - but over this, too, Jesus has the last word: ‘I go that I may AWAKE him out of sleep.’ Jesus called Lazarus by name, ‘and he that was dead came forth’ (John 11:43-44).
v) There is still another, yet worse, kind of sleep. It is to be ‘dead in trespasses and sins’ (Ephesians 2:1). For such Christ is still standing outside the tomb of their life, just as surely as he stood outside the tomb of Lazarus: and still He graciously calls, “Awake, you sleeper!” (Ephesians 5:14). If we refuse, it is our own fault: and beyond this there is only the prospect of ‘the second death’ (Revelation 2:11; Revelation 20:14).
‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me’ (Revelation 3:20).
C. Ephesians 5:14 also resolves the tension between darkness and light which is thematic of Ephesians 5:8-14: “Christ shall give you light.”
i) This first calls us ‘out of darkness into His marvellous light’ (1 Peter 2:9).
ii) Then it informs us as we walk with Him: what shall I do, how am I to do it, how am I to understand this? Answer: “Christ shall give you light” (Ephesians 5:14).
