WALK IN THE LIGHT

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. WALK as CHILDREN of LIGHT” – Ephesians 5:8

Believers are not only to shine as light but to WALK IN THE LIGHT as Children of Light: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. WALK as CHILDREN of LIGHT” (Eph.5:8). How interesting this is! It doesn’t simply say you were in the darkness; it says you were darkness, but now, you’re light. Now, you can also declare with audacity, as Jesus did, “As long as I’m in the world, I’m the light of the world!” (Jh.9:5). Ephesians 5 deals with the themes of: walking in Love (vv.1-7); walking in Light (vv.8-14); and walking in Wisdom (vv.15-21). And Wisdom itself is Light!

To walk as children of Light is to follow Jesus (Jh.8:12). This implies at least three things:

Trusting Him as Saviour and Obeying Him as Lord: You wouldn’t follow someone you cannot trust, who doesn’t know the way, and who has no track record of being dependable. Do you trust Jesus and obey Him? Do you trust His many claims about Himself? Do you trust the apostolic witness to Jesus? Do you trust that He died for your sins and was raised from the dead? Do you trust His promise to come again in power and glory and to judge the living and the dead? And does your trust translate into obedience to His commands?

Separation from Sin and impurity: “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints, neither filthiness, nor foolish taking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting…” (vv.3-4). Verse 7 says, “Therefore do not be partakers with them” (v.7). Separation does not mean total withdrawal from the world like ascetics, but separation from the world’s ways. This includes separation from unbelievers who live ungodly lifestyles, as well as professing believers who celebrate their sin (vv.9-13). We are to cut off and refuse to return to our vomit (2Pet.2:22).

Active denunciation of darkness: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (v.11). Sons of light do not passively tolerate evil; they actively expose darkness: “for whatever makes manifest is light” (v.13b). We can have friendships with non-Christians without engaging in their ungodly behaviour or approving it, for God may work through us to win them to Jesus. But we must be willing to rebuke professing Christians who engage impenitently in sin. This may even mean withdrawing from them if they sin obstinately while still claiming the name of Jesus. When we partner with professing Christians who approve of sin, we implicitly make the gospel a license for ungodliness and confuse the world about the true nature of biblical faith.

There are immense benefits to walking in the Light. Three of these are God’s presence, protection, and guidance. The Old Testament picture of the pillar of fire and cloud is symbolic of Jesus as Light of the world: “The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night” (Exo.13:21). Throughout Israel’s sojourn in the wilderness, the cloud hovered over the tabernacle. Likewise, the Lord is with us, especially as we take the gospel to the ends of the earth (Mt.28:19-20; Heb.13:5).

The cloud and fire also protected Israel from Pharaoh’s advancing army and from the fierce desert sun by day and the dark, cold nights. Jesus is our Shelter from the coming wrath of God and from enemies that wage war against our souls. The cloud guided Israel through the harsh, untracked wilderness, charting their course to the Promised Land (Num.9:17-23). Now, the Lord guides us through His Word, His Spirit, and wise counsel of mature believers. He gives us the Light of Wisdom in trials as we ask Him in prayer (Jam.1:3-5). As believers, we are called to walk in the light, just as Jesus Himself is in the Light, living with every area of our lives exposed to God (1Jh.1:7).