Introduction
We’re well into the second half of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians where he’s teaching us how to live as God’s people. The first half — chapters 1 to 3 — was about what we’re to believe about God and about our salvation and our God’s great plan for creation which is to unite all things together under Christ. And he’s beginning to work out his plan for creation in the church where he’s uniting together lots of different kinds of people, but he’s making us one in Christ.
That was in chapters 1 to 3 and it was all about what we’re to believe. From chapter 4 onwards, he’s teaching us about what we’re to do and how we’re to live. And so, in last week’s passage we read that we must no longer live as the Gentiles do. That is to say, we must no longer live as our unbelieving neighbours do. We mustn’t be like them. And so, we should put off falsehood and speak truthfully to one another. We must take care that we don’t sin when we’re angry; and we mustn’t let the sun go down on our anger. In other words, we should deal with it quickly and not let it fester. And instead of stealing, we should work hard. And instead of spending all that we earn on ourselves, we should be generous towards others. And we mustn’t let unwholesome talk come from our mouths. Instead we should build each other up by what we say. And instead of being bitter and angry and instead of brawling and slandering other people and instead of being malicious, we should be kind and compassionate and we should forgive one another just as God forgives us. In other words, we should imitate God. And we should imitate the Lord Jesus and live a life of love.
And so, there are certain practices and behaviours which we mustn’t do. And there are certain practices and behaviours which we should do. And Paul continues in the same way in today’s passage. Here are some things we mustn’t do and here are some things we must do. But to prevent this from sounding just like a list of dos and don’ts, let me remind you of some of the things Paul has written about already. Back in chapter 2 he wrote that once we were dead in our transgressions and sins, but now God has made us alive with Christ and he has raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms. So, we were spiritually dead. And when we were spiritually dead, we followed the ways of the unbelieving world and of the devil and we gratified our own sinful desires. That’s the way we were. But now — because of God’s grace and mercy and love — we’ve been raised up with Christ to live a new kind of life. In other words, God has changed us. When we become believers, God changes us. He changes us. We were dead, but now we’re alive.
And then at the beginning of chapter 4 he wrote that he’s urging us to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. So, believers have received a call. God calls us out of the unbelieving world and into the church. So, once we belonged to the unbelieving world; now we belong in the church with God’s people. In other words, when we become believers, God changes us. He makes us members of his church.
And then last week we were thinking about how, when we become believers, we, as it were, take off our old, sinful humanity which we inherited from Adam and we put on a new, Christlike humanity. Or I used the image of an uniform. So, we take off our old, sinful uniform and we put on the new uniform of Christlikeness or the uniform of a godly life. In other words, God changes us.
So, God has raised us with Christ to live a new life. God has called us into his church. God has enabled us to put on the new humanity. Later on in today’s passage, he says that we were once darkness, but now we are light. Paul is saying each time that God has changed us. And since God has changed us, then our behaviour should change. Since we are different from what we once were, then our behaviour should be different from what it once was. Because we’ve been raised up with Christ to live a new life, then we should live a new life. Because we’ve been called into the church, then we should do what’s fitting for members of the church. Because we’ve taken off our old, sinful humanity and put on the new, Christlike humanity, then we should become more and more like Christ in what we say and do and think. Because we’re no longer darkness, but light in the Lord, then we should live as children of light. When Paul lists all the dos and don’ts, he’s assuming that he’s writing to people who have already been changed by God. God has changed who we are. He has changed what we are. And so, our behaviour, and the things we do, should reflect that change which God has accomplished in us. Just as we might tell someone who is acting childishly that they need to act their age, so Paul is saying to Christians that they need to behave like Christ.
Verse 3
Having said that, let’s turn to verse 3 where Paul tells his readers — and that includes us — that among us there must not be even a hint of sexuality immorality or any kind of impurity or of greed.
When he refers to sexual immorality, he’s referring to any kind of sexual activity which takes place outside of marriage. When he refers to impurity, he probably has in mind sinful thoughts and desires and inclinations. So, think of the Sermon on the Mount where the Lord Jesus made clear that the seventh commandment forbidding adultery embraces not only what we do but also what we think. It’s not only about sinful deeds, but it’s about sinful desires as well.
Of course, unlawful sexual activity was rife in the ancient world and all kinds of sexual activity was tolerated in the Roman world. And it’s the same today, isn’t it? But God calls his people to live differently from the world around us and to keep ourselves pure. And he calls on us to keep ourselves pure, not because sex is wrong or dirty, but because it is so precious and it needs to be protected and not degraded. Tim Keller, the American preacher who died not so long ago, used the illustration of the curator of an art gallery who is given the Mona Lisa for her gallery. And, of course, the curator will arrange all kinds of security and she’ll draw up lots of rules before putting the Mona Lisa on display. But she arranges all the security and she draws up lots of rules not because she hates the Mona Lisa and thinks it’s a bad painting. She has all the security and the rules because she loves the Mona Lisa and realised how precious it is and how valuable it is and she doesn’t want it spoiled once it goes on display. And in a similar way, God doesn’t want us to ruin his precious gift to us of sex. And so, he tells us how to keep it safe and secure and how to enjoy it in the proper setting.
But then Paul also mentions greed. He says that there mustn’t be a hint of greed among us. Some Christians focus a lot on what Paul says about sex and they always make sure to teach their young people about God’s will for them regarding sex. However, those same Christians might have a blind spot when it comes to what Paul says about greed and they don’t think twice about buying more and more and more stuff for themselves. However, God forbids not only sexual immorality and impurity, but also greed. They’re related, of course, because they’re about what we want for ourselves. The immoral and impure person wants to fulfil their own sinful desires for sex. The greedy person wants to fulfil their own sinful desires for more and more stuff. But the Christian is to imitate Christ our Saviour who lived a life of love and who gave himself up for us. And instead of thinking about ourselves and what we want for ourselves, we’re to think about what Christ wants and we’re to think about loving and serving other people.
And so, how many packages are delivered to your home each week? How much of your disposable income do you spend on yourself? Has greed got a hold of you? Or have unholy sexual desires got a hold of you? If they have, then you need to get rid of them, because Paul says that these things — sexuality immorality and impurity and greed — are improper for God’s holy people. And, of course, notice that Paul is making the same point again. He’s saying that God has changed us and he’s made us his holy people. And since God has changed us, then we need to get rid of any behaviour or desires which do not match what we have become.
Verse 4
Paul goes on in verse 4 to write about our speech. He says that there should not be among us obscenity and foolish talk or coarse joking.
So, Christianity embraces the whole of our lives and it’s not only about what we do and think, but it’s also about what we say. And so, there should be among us no obscene or shameful speech. And there should be no foolish talk. And Christianity should even affect our humour, because Paul forbids any coarse or crude joking. And so, we must put a little draw bridge outside our mouths and whenever we think of anything shameful or foolish or crude to say, we should draw up the bridge to cover our mouths so that none of these things get out and become part of our conversation.
And instead of using our mouths to say things which are obscene or foolish or crude, we should use our mouths to give thanks. Do you see that at the end of verse 4? We should continually give thanks to God for his kindness to us and we should use our lips to praise him. Some people may think to themselves that it would better for us to say as little as possible in case we say something obscene or foolish or crude. But Paul doesn’t tell us to say nothing. He tells us to speak. Use your mouth. But use your mouth to give thanks to God.
Verses 5 to 7
In verse 5, Paul gives us a reason for what he’s been telling us. He says, ‘For this you can be sure….’ So, here’s something that is certain. He’s saying: There’s no doubt about what I’m about to tell you. No immoral person, no impure person, no greedy person — such a person is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Now, when he refers to the person who is immoral or impure or greedy, he’s referring to the person who hasn’t taken off their old, sinful humanity which they inherited from Adam. In other words, he’s referring to unbelievers. He’s referring to people who have not yet been changed by God. He’s talking about people who have not yet inherited the free gift of eternal life which God gives to everyone who believes in Christ for salvation. Paul is saying to his Christian readers that people who do not believe and who do these things naturally will not inherit eternal life.
But that’s not you. That’s what Paul is saying to his readers. That’s not you. You’re not like them. You’re not like them, because God has changed you and he’s enabled you to take off that old, sinful humanity and to put on the new, Christlike humanity. And now that you have been made new, now that God has changed you, you mustn’t behave like those people who are immoral and impure and greedy. You mustn’t do what they’re doing, because God has changed you.
And then Paul adds in verse 6 that they’re to let no-one deceive them with empty words. So, perhaps there were people who were saying that it doesn’t matter what you do or how you live. After all, that’s what people say in our day, isn’t it? We have people who say that it doesn’t matter what you do or how you live. They say: There’s nothing wrong with this way of life; and there’s nothing wrong with that way of life. These things don’t matter and God wouldn’t dream of condemning a person for doing this or for doing that. That’s what people say in our day. Switch on the TV. Pick up and read a magazine or a book. Read through your social media feed. Listen to your friends and colleagues. And they’ll all say the same thing: It’s doesn’t matter what you do or how you live.
But it does matter, says Paul. So, don’t listen to their empty words. Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming on all who remain disobedient. And therefore don’t be partners with them. Don’t join them. Don’t copy their sinful behaviour and their speech. You’re not to be like them.
Of course, the good news of the gospel is that the immoral person, the impure person, the greedy person, the disobedient person can be saved from God’s wrath if they turn from their sins in repentance and turn with faith to the Saviour. Whoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation is justified: pardoned and accepted by God. God pardons them for all that they have done wrong and he accepts them as righteous in his sight so that even though they may have done everything wrong, God regards them as if they’ve done everything right. God is able to justify sinners like this, because of Christ who gave up his life on the cross to pay for all that we have done wrong; and he covers his believing people with his own perfect goodness. And so, the wrath of God is coming on the disobedient. It really is. But the way to escape God’s wrath is by trusting in his Son for salvation.
Verses 8 to 14
In verse 8, Paul says to us that we were once darkness, but now we are light in the Lord. So, he’s once again referring to our conversion and to the way God changes who or what we are when we believe in Christ for salvation. Before we believed in Christ, we were darkness. Now that we believe in Christ, we are light in the Lord.
In the Bible, light is associated with God and with all that is good. And in the Bible, darkness is associated with the devil and with all that is evil and wrong. And what’s interesting here is that Paul doesn’t say about his readers that they used to be in the darkness. He doesn’t say they were in darkness. He says they were darkness.
And that’s important. Very often people will blame their environment and the circumstances of their life for the things they do. Why do they do what they do? It’s because of where they live and the people who live around them. If they lived somewhere else, then they would do better. But because of where they live, and the people around them, or they way they were brought up, they do wrong.
And, of course, there’s some truth to that. But it’s not the whole truth. Before Martin Luther, the great reformer, believed the gospel, he thought that if he entered a monastery and cut himself off from the world and all its temptations, then he would be able to do what is right and to please God. He believed at that time that the problem was his environment and where he lived and all the temptations that were around him out in the world. But he soon discovered that the problem wasn’t out there, in the world. It was inside him in his heart. The problem was not that he was living in a dark and sinful place. The problem was that the darkness was inside him. His heart was full of sinful thoughts and desires and inclinations.
And Paul says to Christians: You were once darkness. It was there, inside you. But now, you’re light. And how did we become light? We became light in the Lord. Do you see that in verse 8. Paul is referring to the way that believers are now united with Christ. We now belong to him. We no longer belong to the darkness, but to the light. And if people could see inside our hearts, they’d see that instead of being a place of darkness and sin, the darkness has gone. It’s gone because of Christ.
And, therefore, says Paul at the end of verse 8: Walk as children of light. That is to say: since you now belong to the light and not to the darkness, since sin doesn’t belong in your life any more, then live like those who belong to the light. But what does that mean? Just look at the next verse, because in verse 9 Paul tells us what the fruit of the light is or what the light produces in our lives. He says: ‘For the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth.’ By goodness he means something like kindness or generosity. By righteousness he means doing what is right. And truth means telling the truth and being trustworthy so that people will believe what we say.
I’m sure you noticed what happens if you leave something out on the lawn. Perhaps you leave a box or a bag of compost on the lawn for a few days. And then, when you move it, the grass underneath has become brown. It’s become brown, because the light wasn’t able to get at it. The grass needs the light because the light enables the grass to grow and flourish. And now that the Lord Jesus has taken away our darkness and now that his light is in our lives, then these virtues should begin to grow and to flourish in our lives and instead of being mean and unkind, we’ll go about doing good to all. Instead of doing what’s wrong, we’ll do what’s right. And instead of telling lies and being unreliable, people will trust us.
That’s the way we’re to be, now that Christ has made us light. So, live as children of the light. And Paul adds in verse 10: find out what pleases the Lord. The word translated ‘find out’ really mean ‘approve’. So, we’re to approve of the things that please the Lord. We’re to delight in them and we’re to delight in doing them, because what we’re doing pleases him.
And in verse 11 Paul tells us to have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. And he goes on to say: ‘For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible.’ So, we’re not to have anything to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness. The fruitless deeds of darkness are the sinful things unbelievers do. Because the darkness is still in them, they do evil. And we’re not to do what they do. Instead, says, Paul, we’re to expose them.
It’s the very nature of light to uncover what’s hidden in the darkness. You go into a dark room and you can’t see anything. So, what do you do? You switch on the light. There’s an electricity cut late at night and all the lights go out. You can’t see a thing. But then someone lights a candle or turns on a torch. And what a relief! Now you can see each other and you can see the furniture so you won’t bump into it. Light uncovers what’s there and it exposes whatever was hidden in the darkness. And that’s what Paul wants Christians to do: to uncover and expose whatever is in the dark. And how do we do that?
One way is through the preaching of God’s word, because through the preaching of God’s word, sinful men and women and boys and girls are convicted of their sin. They discover that they’re sinners and that what they have been doing is wrong and displeases the Lord. They hear God’s word — his commandments and his laws — and they realise that they are in the wrong. And so, they humble themselves before God and ask for mercy. We see this in the book of Acts, don’t we? On the day of Pentecost, after Peter preached to the crowds in Jerusalem, the people were cut to the heart and asked, ‘What shall we do?’ Or Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica and reminded them how they received his preaching with power and with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. We hear the preaching of God’s word which uncovers our sin; our sin and guilt is exposed.
But Paul perhaps means something else. If we live the way God wants us to live, if we live as children of light, then by the sheer goodness of our lives, we will uncover and expose the sin of those who are still in the dark. Whenever people see the goodness of our lives — lives transformed by the power of God — some will realise the darkness and fruitlessness of their own lives. And so, do you remember how the Lord said that we should let our light shine before men so that they may see what? Your good deeds. And then, he said, they will glorify your Father in heaven. Or the Apostle Peter talks about believing wives winning over to the faith their unbelieving husbands without words. How can that happen? It can happen when they see the purity and reverence of your lives; and they are won over to faith in Christ. Or again, the Apostle Peter urges us to live such good lives among our unbelieving neighbours that they may see our good deeds and glorify God.
This is what Paul is talking about in these verses. We’re to live as children of light, doing what is good and right and true. And God is able to use the light of our lives to convince our unbelieving neighbours of their own darkness.
Conclusion
That’s as far as we can get today. But let’s remember that we’re always dependent on the Lord. He’s the one who changed us when we first believed. In fact, we only believed because he enabled us to believe. But he then changed us: he changed our dark hearts and made us light in the Lord. And we must depend on him for the help we need to live as children of the light and to do what is fitting for God’s holy people.
That’s one reason why chuch is important, because God uses what do we here in church on Sundays to renew us in his image more and more and to help us to live as children of the light. And every day we’re to look to him in prayer for the help and strength we need to honour him in our daily in all that we do and think and say.
Sermons and Stuff 