“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:”
Ephesians 5:8 [KJV]
I was walking down an unfamiliar path after sunset. It was too dark to see if there were any tripping hazards ahead, such as uneven ground, rocks or fallen twigs. I moved slowly and carefully, taking small steps and putting my hand out to feel for the bushes that marked the side of the path.
Then I remembered something. My phone has a torch app. All the time I had been inching along, fearful of what hazards the darkness might conceal, I had held in my hand a tool that would light my path. Pretty silly, huh?
The Bible tells us to “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7). But how many of us are groping our way through the darkness, tripping over hazards, when instead we could be walking confidently in the light Christ and His Word gives? The word ‘light’ appears over 300 times in the Scriptures. The Lord is described as “my light and my salvation” (Psalm 27:1); Jesus called Himself “the light of the world” (John 8:12, 9:5); the Scriptures are praised as “a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105); and Christians are described as “the children of light” (1 Thessalonians 5:5). While there are many wonderful truths and pictures in the Bible on this theme, there was one phrase that stood out to me recently: “Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).
We are called children of light because we are children of God. “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5b). Light speaks of God’s righteousness, goodness, holiness and truth. If God is light, then everything associated with Him is also light. As mentioned previously, this includes His Son, the Lord Jesus, who is called “the light of the world” (John 8:12), His gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4), His kingdom (Colossians 1:13), and His children (Matthew 5:16). But if light exists, then darkness does too. Becoming a Christian is described as God calling “us out of darkness and into His marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9b). Matthew 4:16 declares that Jesus is the Messiah, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophesy; “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.” Because of what Christ has done for us, Paul can confidently exhort us to “walk as children of light.” If you are a Christian, you are a child of light, and therefore should walk as one.
What does it mean to walk? It’s something that our salvation through faith in Christ qualifies us to do, but also something we must learn and develop. There are several long-distance hiking trails nearby where I live, and sometimes I walk a short distance and ‘people watch’ those who are travelling longer distances. Two characteristics about those people stand out to me. Firstly, they know where they are going. Secondly, they keep moving. They don’t sprint or dawdle or stop for long breaks, they just keep making progress, one foot after the next. We also know where we are going (John 14:2), and we are called to grow in maturity. As our faith deepens, may Proverbs 4:18 be true of our walk: “the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day”. Keep going, keep growing. There will be obstacles and trials along the way, and there might even be times when you fall flat on your face, but “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
How do we walk? Ephesians 5:10 tells us we should walk, “proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.” We know what proving something means. As children, we might have been convinced that a sibling stole our lollies, but perhaps a parent said to us, “can you prove it?” Proving means finding evidence to show something is true, or, in the context of Ephesians, that some action is acceptable to God. Don’t settle for being usure whether God wants you to do something or not, or for something that makes you feel good. Test whatever decision you are faced with against the God’s Word and the Holy Spirit’s leading. If you don’t know what the Bible says, or something somebody says doesn’t sound quite right, search the Scriptures to see “whether those things” are so (Acts 17:11). Is the issue about following a Biblical command, or is it an area of individual free choice? If you’re going to claim it’s the latter, make sure you’ve come to that conclusion after thorough personal research, because Christ says, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). It’s not just our actions, but our thoughts too that need to be yielded to God. May the prayer of the Psalmist be our prayer too: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
Ephesians 5:11 explains that walking as children of light requires us to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” Some of these works of darkness are listed in verses 3-4 of the chapter, including fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking and jesting. These are specific examples of things God does not accept, and no Christian should ever allow in their life either. Additionally, it includes not partnering with people associated with darkness and disobedience to God’s commands. If you are around people (even Christians) who say nasty things about ‘friends’ behind their backs, accept music and media with ungodly themes, or who value physical beauty over spiritual beauty, you’ll end up absorbing some of their ideas and ways. As Proverbs tells us, “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul” (Proverbs 22:24-26). I recently read an article by a Christian author who highlighted the rise of a-morality in books, films and other media content. A-morality is the lack of distinction between right and wrong. We all understand that nobody is perfect, but sin in a real person or a fictional character should be ultimately confronted, not excused away as a trauma response, or somehow justifiable by the context. For example, the Bible never gives us permission to be mean to someone because they were mean to us (Matthew 5:44b). Unless we test ideas against the Word of God, we will grow desensitised to God’s will. We need to know the Bible, accept what God says, and then walk in the light of His ways.
As we commit to knowing what God wants of us, proving what is acceptable to Him, and rejecting the unfruitful works of darkness, then, by His grace, we will know the truth of Ephesians 5:8, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light”.
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