But believers are light because they know the light-they know God.Ģ. The world is dark because people do not know or even acknowledge God. Psalm 14:1 says the fool says in his heart there is no God. They deny the living God by worshiping false gods or denying his existence. They profess to be wise when they are really fools. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. It says,įor although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Romans 1:21-23 describes the world as intellectually darkened in reference to knowing God the Creator. The believer is light because he knows God. Interpretation Question: In what ways is the believer light and the world darkness?ġ. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” In Psalm 27:1, God is called “light” and “salvation.” This is the character and nature of God our Father, and we have his nature. In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. By using the term “children of light,” Paul reminds us that we have our Father’s nature (cf.
There has been a definite character change in the life of every true believer. That is the character of every believer before coming to Christ. It is interesting to consider that he does not say believers were “in” darkness, but they “were” darkness. Here, Paul reminds believers that they were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Live as children of light (Ephesians 5:8) To Live in the Light, Believers Must Remember that Light, Not Darkness, Is Their Natureįor you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. How can believers continually imitate God by living in the light? In this study, we will consider six truths about living in the light.īig Question: How can believers live in the light, as commanded in Ephesians 5:8-14? It says, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”īelievers are in the light because they have been changed intellectually and morally. In Isaiah 5:20, these words refer to both the intellectual and the moral.
NOT ALL THINGS DONE IN THE DARK ARE SHAMEFUL. HOW TO
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. The night is nearly over the day is almost here. In Romans 13:12-14, “light” refers to moral deeds and “darkness” to immoral deeds. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path,” In this reference, “light” refers to intellectual truth as found in God’s Word. Intellectually it represents ignorance and falsehood, whereas morally it connotes evil. The figure of darkness has the same two aspects. To live in light therefore means to live in truth and in holiness. Intellectually it represents truth, whereas morally it represents holiness. In Scripture the figurative use of light has two aspects, the intellectual and the moral.
John MacArthur says this about the figurative use of the word “light”: Here the believers are called to imitate God by walking as children of light. He called the believers to imitate God by living a life of love, and by getting rid of sexual immorality of every sort, including activities, thoughts, and words. Paul is continuing his exhortation to imitate God that began in Ephesians 5:1-7. How can we live in the light while residing in a dark world? This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:8-14) But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 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. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
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