Ephesians 5:5-14

In the first few verses in chapter five, Paul tells us to walk as dear children of God; to walk in love as Christ did. He then mandates that fornication, uncleanness and covetousness must not even be named among Christians. We should be so sensitive to sin that even the discussion of such things should shock us. We must not allow our senses to become numb to these sins and somehow treat them as something normal (see verse six). But frequently we let ourselves be entertained by these evil deeds rather then fleeing from them.

5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

• Paul makes it clear that those who continue in these sins will have no part in the eternal kingdom of God. This is not to say that those who once participated in these sins and were then justified by the righteousness of Christ are somehow excluded from true redemption. Note that in 1 Corinthians 6:11 Paul reminds the church that many of them once walked in these ways "And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." However, this does mean that those who continue in these things, even if they have an appearance of spirituality, cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

• The term unclean person refers to any impure lust. This word differs from fornication , only as the whole class differs from a single department.

• This is not the kind of idolatry that is frequently addressed in scripture. This kind is equated with covetousness where one places an immoderate gain of material wealth before God.

6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.

• Despite the attempts at wisdom that the perishing hurl at us, we must be trained to see through their deception and stand firm on that which we know; the judgment of God comes on the disobedient. In this verse, the word comes can be taken to mean is coming now or will be coming. I believe that both understandings of the word fit with the rest of scripture. God pours out many judgments against the sinfulness of man (i.e. wars, sickness, disasters, etc.) but His final wrath will be carried out in the last day.

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

• Having spoken of unbelievers, and warned the Ephesians not to become partakers of their crimes and their destruction, he argues still further, that they ought to differ greatly from the life and conduct of those men. It is interesting that Paul states here that we were not simply in darkness but rather we were darkness and that now we are light. Darkness is the name here given to the whole nature of man before regeneration; for where the brightness of God does not shine, there is nothing but fearful darkness.

• Just as we learned that the book of Ephesians can be divided into two parts, indicatives and imperatives, so to this verse has both in the same verse. Indicative: once your were darkness; now you are light. Imperative: walk as children of light.
  • We are now light; we are not becoming light.
  • We do not physically emanate light; we reflect God's attributes.
  • This light should be clearly visible.

9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),

10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

• In some manuscripts, the word Spirit is replaced with the word light. Although with the word light there is better consistency, which word is not important for Paul's meaning is the same; we are children of the light and our lives should bear this fruit.

• The structure of this verse reveals that Paul tells us to walk as light all the while growing in our understanding of what is acceptable to the Lord. Hebrews 5:12-14 teaches that the mature are able to distinguish good from evil through constant use (living lives of obedience and pursuing God's Word.) We do not determine what is acceptable to the Lord by whether our consciences are at peace or whether I feel good about the situation. Our consciences are being renewed and are not the source of truth but rather, they must be trained by the Word.

11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.

• It is impossible for darkness to quench light. If something is truly generating light, the darker the world gets, the greater the impact upon the darkness by the light. If we are able to live amongst the darkness and there is no apparent difference between our lives and theirs then we are not emanating light. It is not enough for the darkness to "know where I stand" or "where I am coming from". As we truly live lives of light, evil deeds will be exposed and conflict very well may arise. We should be greatly concerned if it didn't. But this doesn't mean that we are all investigative reporters prying into other's business looking for anything that resembles evil.

14 Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." (NKJ)

As we emanate this light from God, we should pray that God will open the eyes of the unbelievers so that they too can see their sinfulness and call on the Lord Jesus and be saved.