Ephesians 5:8-14 (NIV)
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Paul keeps his emphasis on the transformation that comes to those who trust in Jesus, a transformation that is not the exception, but which is a consistent, incontrovertible characteristic that conclusively shows that a person has moved from death to life. In this section, he paints the contrast as that between darkness and light.
Before they repented and believed in Jesus, the Ephesians had been children of darkness, as are all who have not yet come into the kingdom of God. Their future was condemnation due to their unatoned-for sins, and their present was lived according to the standards of the world and the shifting sands of pagan or popular theology.
But now that they had come to trust in Jesus, all that had changed entirely. Their future was now life and hope, and their present was built on the solid foundation of Jesus and the word of God. And that, of course, made everything different.
Now Paul was urging them to live as the children of light that they had become, and not slide back into the actions and attitudes of those living in the darkness. This life in the light is accomplished by living in such close connection to Jesus through the indwelling Holy Spirit that the fruit of the light spring naturally out of their lives, fruit of goodness (internal alignment with God), righteousness (right actions that spring naturally from that internal alignment), and truth (life lived in accordance with God’s word, which excludes all sin and untruthfulness).
In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:14-16), Jesus told His disciples that they are the light of the world, a light not to be hidden away, but shined forth prominently so that all darkness is driven back and all shadows dispelled. Such light, of necessity, reveals what is hidden in those shadows. But rather than pull back because of that, Paul also encourages the Ephesians to shine brightly, clearly showing the acts and attitudes of darkness all around them for what they are, convicting those lost in sin by the very righteousness and holiness that they display, so that those who are still in the dark can repent and be brought back into the light; so that they can be raised from the dead to eternal life.
Father, it is no secret that those living in the dark hate the light, and will do nearly anything to persuade those who carry the light to keep it hidden, so that their dark hearts and their dark deeds can remain hidden. Sadly, many Christians these days have been persuaded to do just that in order to avoid being called things like intolerant, prejudiced, phobic, or judgmental. Or we have been persuaded to hide our light in order to not make waves, “just go along to get along.” But if we choose to do that, we become useless, and we put ourselves in direct disobedience to your command to shine, and to keep on shining no matter what the consequences. Jesus even told us to not fear other people – the worst that they can do is to kill us, and after that they are powerless – but to fear You and obey Your commands instead (Luke 12:4-5) Help us all, Lord, to live as children of light, and to shine our light brilliantly so that we can bring more people to You. And help us to leave the consequences in Your capable hands. Amen