Children of Light
Today’s Verse:
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: ~Ephesians 5:8
Do you enjoy having children around you? Children can be fun, entertaining, mischievous, and sometimes perplexing. Paul starts off Ephesians 5 by using children as a metaphor to describe the walk of the Christian life. In vs. 1, he begins by saying, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.” Children are characterized by their need to follow and obey. In vs. 8, he strongly emphasizes that all believers walk as children of light. This morning, let us consider what it means to be children of light.
We see the RELATIONAL.
“For ye were sometimes darkness…” Before we were saved, we were children of darkness and children of disobedience. Our natural inclination was to live in sin and commit deeds of darkness. However, when the light of Jesus Christ shined brightly on our sinful lives, it revealed the darkness we were living in, and our need for salvation. As children of light, we have a new nature. Jesus said we are the “light of the world.” Our light reveals our relationship to God as His children. Light and darkness cannot coexist. Relationally, we are in the light as He is in the light.
We see the REMOVAL.
“Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them.” As children of light, we are to remove ourselves completely from our former works of darkness. This begins by forsaking our past sinful habits. Lying, cheating, bitterness, wrath, anger, envy, jealousy, lustful behavior, covetousness, and evil speech should not be named among us as God’s children. Then, we must forsake associations that will corrupt us through deceit and bad influence. As children of light, let us remove ourselves as far away from the darkness as possible.
We see the REPROVAL.
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.” One of the key ingredients to victory over sin and works of darkness is realizing we must reprove all manner of sin. Our silence on sinful indulgences indicates more of an acceptance than a reproval. As children of light, we must call sin what it is. It is important that we have a disdain towards all manner of sin. We are told in 2 Pet. 2:8 that Lot vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. He became more comfortable every day that he lived with, associated with, and comingled with the men of Sodom. We must prove all things acceptable to the Lord, vs. 10.
We see the RESURRECTIONAL.
“Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light,” vs. 14. The believers at Ephesus needed to awaken out of their indifference to the sin and weights that were pulling them down. They needed to awaken and arise from the dead. They needed to live in the power and fullness of a resurrected life. This includes walking circumspectly or in godly wisdom, buying up the opportunities God gives us to present the gospel, being cognizant of God’s will, and being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, vs. 14-18. In Phil. 2:15, Paul put it this way, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” The more we magnify Christ, the greater His light shines in us.
We are children of light. Let your light shine brightly! Let your light shine a far distance! Let your light shine and lead others out of darkness.
Have an illuminated God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 2 Samuel 16-18