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So we were in the middle of Paul’s exhortation to the believers in that day. And we left off talking about the people who walk by the flesh and with Paul saying
Ephesians 5.8-
Milk
November 17th 2019
Ephesians 5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
The Greek word translated partakers is summetokos and it means, co-participants with them. So if the world is fornicating don’t join in with it. Make good sense for a believer.
And then he writes our text for today, saying:
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Alright, back to verse 8.
This section is Paul leading the believers in that day by giving them instructions on how to live the Christian life amidst a host of unfriendly forces surrounding their walk.
Imagine Las Vegas at its height and lacking any believers, and then suddenly some convert to Christ out of that crowd, and all of their friends and family and influences remain in the world.
Well for the Christians in Pagan Asia Minor in that day it was far worse.
And so it makes really good sense to instruct believer in that day to refrain from doing what their pagan friends and associates continue to do – which is simply feeding their flesh.
So Paul has launched into an avoid and replace mode for his reader – and for us. Even in our day, it makes sense that if we were formerly addicted to heroin we would avoid hanging out with heroin users.
That being said, however, I must make this point clear: When the Holy Spirit is present with us, and God’s laws are present long enough on our hearts and minds, such associations with our former life have little to no attraction at all. And this is important.
Paul was writing to the weakest of Saints in that day and the information is sound. But after a while the Son or Daughter of God may have the liberty to associate with friends (as a means to reach them) without having to worry about going back to their own vomit (as it were).
May the Spirit guide.
So after telling them not to be “co-participantes with them” (of the world), he adds:
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Last week we noted that the first point Paul mentions is to cease from lying, and that the Father of Lies and the Prince of Darkeness are two titles that work hand in hand with each other.
Here, Paul admits that in their former lives – like us in our former lives – we were SOMETIMES darkness – meaning we participates in works of darkness, which in the end are all forms of deception.
Name the sin, and if you think you will discover that it is a form of deception – any one or type:
From pride to murder – all of it dark deception – and that was the world in which we lived, even if we think we were “good” which is another deception.
But now Paul brings his reader to the reality of their new identity. And he says in the full verse:
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
We WERE, but now we ARE.
Remember this. In Christ we are NOT what we were – not at all. How could we be if or since He had us new creatures? How could we be the same if or since he has given us a new heart? How could my former man live and break if he was crucified with Christ, put to death, buried with Christ and risen to new life?
But wait! (we say) that may be true in my heart and mind, but what about my flesh! I still do what my new person in Christ would never do!
What is it that does it? Is it you or is it the flesh that covers and houses the new you?
Paul is the one who answers this for us in Romans 7 and you’ve heard it before but it is impressive as he, Paul, and apostle, says of Himself!
Roman 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
When we die, our flesh will go to the grave and all that it is about will remain there dead. Until that time, as long as we remain alive, the flesh remains an active part of our existences. And it will do what we, as Christians, are not really fond of it doing. And so the Christian walk is all about renewing our minds and learning to feed the Spirit while starving the flesh.
Paul goes so far as to say that with his mind he serves the law of God but in and with and from his flesh he serves the Law of Sin.
Flesh reform is a joke. You can put lipstick on a pig and it is still a pig. The flesh will NEVER ever conform to the will of God for it is carnal. Only the mind, the heart, renewed in the Spirit has the capacity and ability to conform to the things of God.
Therefore, with the regenerated and renewed Mind we serve the Law of God. Fleshly appeals to religion are just another form of feeding and nurturing the flesh – and so we have to be mindful of how we worship God – is it in Spirit and truth or is it in and through the flesh and its ways.
When the flesh is involved in the worship of God, the flesh is being empowered not dismissed and ignored – forget this fact, and a person can in effect be worshipping God at a Christian concert and committing adultery in the car outside. Why?
It’s all fleshly appeals to a Spiritual God. Paul breaks it down here and describes our state in another way. When we were in the flesh and ways of the world, he calls it darkness. In Christ he calls it light – which it representational of all things God and the dark representing non-God.
Light
Dark
Spirit
Flesh
Truth
Lies
Eternality
Temporal
Open
Hidden
Love
Self
Life-Giving
Death-Making
So, Paul says, referring to where we came from
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, (and then he adds) “but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light”
How did we become light in the Lord? Jesus said it best in John 12:46 when he said
“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”
This was to the Nation of Israel who prior to His arrival on earth “walked in darkness.” This description is given back in Isaiah 9 where we read at verse 2
Isaiah 9:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
In Matthew 4:16 this passage is recited and applied to the Children of Israel who were beginning to see the Great Light given them.
Later, Jesus said to those Jews about his presence with them:
John 12:36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.
Once Jesus was rejected of his own, and put to death, he appeared to Paul, as a bright light, and later Paul said before King Agrippa the following about his conversion and what the Lord of Light said to him which was:
(In Acts 26:16) “. . . rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
That was Paul’s call on those Gentiles of that Day – and so here to the Gentile Church he affirms this victory in their lives, saying in our text (once again)
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, (and then he adds) “but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light”
Jesus speaking to his own said some words that apply to all who are his then and now in John 8:2
“I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
And so as believers we are forced to ask ourselves – who do we follow? Is it him? If we do we shall not walk in darkness but shall have the Light OF light.
Paul wrote, speaking of the children of the world in Romans 1:21
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
This speaks to the idea that though we are part of the dark fallen world we all possess the life of Christ in us to some extent but over the course of time can turn to utter darkness.
This is confirmed by Paul in Ephesians 4:17
(which we have covered and which says)
“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”
So we see a degradation occurring when people, who have had their understanding darkened, begin the downward spiral into spiritual darkeness. Remember this because there is a reverse order that occurs for children of light which we will discover momentarily.
That all have the “life of Christ”is confirmed by John 1:4 which says, describing Jesus coming into the world
“In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”
For those who believe, it appears that light is given to that life within, and we begin to see and hear and understand and grow.
We read in 2nd Corinthians 4:6
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Adding to this we read 2nd Corinthians 3:17-18:
“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
1st Thessalonians 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
And then Titus takes us on this redirection upward into the light when he says:
Titus 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
Peter adds to this, saying:
1st Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
And then John the Beloved says in His first epistle
1st John 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
Finally, the Lord Jesus teaches something really interesting in Luke 6 where in the parable an unjust steward is commended (we covered this when we were there) but he says in that place:
“for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.”
I find that fascinating – that Jesus Himself says that in their generation the children of the world are wiser than the children of Light.”
How? Why? They apply their knowledge based in the fallen world where children of Light are lacking in such.
Here back in Ephesians Paul confirms that the believers then are “light in the Lord.” That is confirmed upon all who believe.
And then he encourages them saying
Walk (then) as children of light.
And adds at verse nine a simple explanation of what this looks like saying:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
In other words, since the Holy Spirit produces goodness, righteousness, and truth, then that is what we as temples filled with the Holy Spirit will exhibit in their lives – all “goodness, and righteousness and truth.”
All goodness (agathosune) = virtue
All righteousness (dee kai o-sune) = justice
and All truth (alethei) = truth, without fault.
Verse 10
“Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Its an awkward statement as it means by testing and trying out what is acceptable to the Lord. Several scholars interpret the meaning differently.
Let’s let scripture assist us in our interpretation as Paul wrote something similar in
Romans 12:2 which says
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
1st Thessalonians 5:21 uses the same Greek work and says “Prove (test or try) all things; hold fast that which is good.”
Built-in to this premise there appears to be the idea that a believer is to test (prove) all things placed before them and to hold the good things close to themselves.
This says to me that it is okay for a Christian to test things – beliefs, ideas, beliefs – whatever, and to see if such bears the fruit of the Spirit, which is love and joy and peace and temperance and longsuffering – and when it does, keep it, and when it doesn’t discard it.
I have used this method in part in my analysis of certain traditions and doctrines that have been presented to me over the years and have discovered that when embraced they DO NOT produce the fruit of the Spirit in my life. Instead they produce things scripture does not subscribe to the Spirit – like pride, fear, judgment, wrath, anger, impatience, and the like.
So take a tradition in to your mind, test or prove it – see what sort of fruit it produces in you. No matter how well supported by man and tradition, discard it if the fruit of it produces things that are NOT fruit of the Spirit and ESPECIALLY if the presence of it produces things that are antithetical to the fruit of the Spirit.
Let me give you an example from my own life. Years ago when I was LDS I embraced LDS doctrine of God – that he was once a man and that I too could become a God like Him.
The end result was arrogance, pride, and feeling like I was on my way to being a God unlike most of the world around me.
It caused me to receive the rest of the LDS teachings which included the idea that this is heaven on earth, that I was to advance in material things here as a means to prove I could manage them there, and on and on and on. I looked up to others who “had it all together” in the material world and all of these things seems to sort of add up in the fruit of my overall person which I could summarize today as:
“God was once like me, and I will someday be like Him. So God . . . not a big deal.”
When Jesus moved in to my life and brought me low, and showed me who I was in God Almightys eyes, I could see that the test of Mormon doctrine relative to the make-up of God, was not only not worth holding to, but was creating in me something that was antithetical to the Fruit of the Spirit.
Once I became a Christian I embraced for a season the idea of the Calvinist God. That God was a being who knowing all things from beginning to the end was a creator who decided to create the human race, knowing that we would fall into a sinful state, and then in the face of this universal state of depravity, also decides the few whom He will save from an eternal state of literal flaming punishment and also the majority whom He chooses to not save.
When I allowed that God in my test to take hold and reside in my soul, the fruit of it was NOT love for others, not patience, not joy or longsuffering but a sense of
Entitlement.
Arrogance (again)
More humility before God himself than the LDS view provided, but still arrogance toward the lost and corrupt human beings around me.
Again, there was an automatic us verses them mentality built-in to the belief. Testing all things, I discovered this, and realized that this view of God and His plan of Salvation was in error, and there was no reason to hold fast to it – no matter what tradition or Calvin said.
Once I came to see God as love, as loving us so much he gave us His only begotten Son to save the world from eternal pain, I was able to not only rejoice in Him BUT I was also to, by the fruit of the Spirit, love and deal with all others patiently – seeing them as my equal and having as much love from God as myself.
So, we have it laid out before us as believers to test all things and to hold fast to what is good, and what IS, in fact, approved of the Lord.
I personally see nothing wrong with Christians testing things that are considered wrong by the rest of the Christian world either – if they are honest and open with God about the results.
Pornography, experienced openly and with God at the helm will never produce the fruit of the Spirit but almost automatically brings with it a death to the Spirit. And any regenerated Christian knows this saddening and sorrow of the Spirit such presents.
Take anything of the flesh and you will readily discover that if it is harmful or bad you will know.
When I was LDS I had zero issue with using substances – like hydrocodone or even methadone my friend and I took from his sick brother.
But once Christ moved in and made a house, ripping out enough of my former man to make a difference, I cannot tolerate the presence of almost any pharmikaia – I’ve tested and tried it – but it proved antithetical to the fruit of the Spirit – so out it went.
It’s up to the individual – between you and the Spirit. Trust the Spirit, trust God in your life, you WILL know what helps you as a believer and follower of the King of Righteousness – and what does not matter.
Notice how Paul puts the next line:
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Here is the caveat to what I just said as Paul makes it clear to the believers then that they should have Not Fellowship with the “unfruitful works of darkness, but to rather reprove them.”
Have no joint participation with the unfruitful works of darkness – which to me means do not unite intimately with others or their dark works but to instead reprove such – which best means shine a light on such.
Paul better explains this when he says in 1st Corinthians 5 beginning at verse 9, (which I am going to read from the Revised as it says:
1st Corinthians 5:9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral men;
10 not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.
11 But rather I wrote to you not to associate with any one who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber–not even to eat with such a one.
12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?
So what Paul is meaning is do not associate with carnal Christians – why? Again, in that day, the Bride had to be one, it had to be pure, and all enemies to these were to be refused. Perhaps there would be no greater enemy to unity of the Bride than internal corruption.
And so as an apostle Paul says this.
Present day, we might see the influence of such a Christian as a potential negative and something potentially detrimental to another individuals walk, but the threat to such breaking up the Body is not the same as it posed in that day in breaking up the Bride.
In other words, these instructions had a REAL place and PURPOSE in that day and age of the nascent bride. I believe that love for the sinner today combined with the Holy Spirit working, will do the job in bringing a true Christian around to their senses as it is the Goodness of God that leads to repentance.
Nevertheless, the advice remains simple wisdom today, does it not? Stay away from anyone who has the potential to bring you down – not matter who they are. In that day, Paul says not only stay away from them, but he adds, “But rather reprove them.”
We read that word reprove in the King James and we might think it is a license to “call people out” with words. But the term reprove is better translated, “expose,” as in “shine a light into the darkness” by action rather than words.
We know that this exposure of light to the darkness comes by our influence, example and love and not by words not only from the Greek but because of the next verse where Paul writes:
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
If it is a shame to “even to speak of those things which the fleshly of in secret,” then that tacitly has Paul saying not to verbally address the acts.
It is believed that Paul is specifically speaking of idolaters and their ritualistic practices going on around Asia minor but perhaps it’s just a reference to any sort of fleshly endeavor.
I think there is something to the next line where he adds, “which are done of them in secret.”
To me Paul, since Paul has told the Bride to refrain from silly conversations and jestering among themselves then he would certainly not want them knowing or worse yet communicating with each other the practices that were done privately or secretly among the children of the world in that day.
Keep out of all of it, and keep your minds on thanksgiving, was the directive. And again, these are apostolically driven directives. They paint a very somber, sober attitude and manor of the Christians in that day.
And in this we have to make an admittance. If we are to take the Bible and what it says, from the mouths of these Apostles, and if we are to live as they describe, then nobody should listen to me as a pastor – ever.
Why?
Because these words are written to a bride that is waiting to be saved at the second coming of Christ. And she is to be holy. Seriously holy. We cannot get around these apostolic directives – there is just no excuse.
Listen again to a quick summary of what the Apostle to the Gentiles said to them:
“put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”
“put away falsehood, let every one speak the truth with his neighbor”
“If you get angry do not sin”
“do not let the sun go down on your anger”
“give no opportunity to the devil.”
“Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need.”
“Let no evil talk come out of your mouths,”
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God
“Let all bitterness, Wrath, Anger, clamor, slander and all malice go.
Be kind to one another,
Tenderhearted
forgiving one another,
Then in Chapter five Paul adds to the list, saying:
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But fornication and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is fitting among saints.
Let there be no filthiness,
nor silly talk
nor levity (which are not fitting)
but instead let there be thanksgiving.
Be SURE of this, that no fornicator or impure man, or one who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Therefore do not associate with them
walk as children of light
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness
but instead expose them.
it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret;
AND THEN HE CONTINUES AND SAYS AT VERSE 15
Look carefully then how you walk
not as unwise men but as wise
making the most of the time,
Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery;
but be filled with the Spirit,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart,
always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
These words, and thousands more here in the New Testament, paint a VERY clear picture to the Saints in those days – conform completely – or you will not be part of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Even Jesus, in speaking to the seven churches of Asia minor told them repeatedly to repents of their every failure or they would not be saved.
To the Church at Pergamum, he said from heaven, then:
Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice immorality.
15 So you also have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
16 Repent then. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
To the actual literal church at Philadelphia, after complementing them said
“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”
I cannot stress the import of proper context for these instructions to the Bride in that day. She was to be holy.
In other places Paul said:
1st Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Now, listen to a few key phrases that I omitted in that laundry list of demands Paul put on the believer in that day:
He wrote to them:
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God (in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.) That was to them then – and that day of redemption was approaching.
He also said
Be SURE of this, that no fornicator or impure man, or one who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (And then he added)
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
That word comes is in the present indicative, which means it is now actually happening
“the wrath of God is now actually happening upon the sons of disobedience.”
If I am wrong, run from CAMPUS and these teachings, because I see the faith in a completely different age, one that is post His Parousia, one that is post His second coming to them. But even more importantly that this, the faith, and the people in it, should meet these New Testament descriptions, and believers ought to be the most stoic, unworldly, Amish-like, souls on the face of the earth awaiting his arrival.
Go out and find a church that actually approaches the New Testament with such devotion because if I am wrong they are right, and His bride must be holy for Him when He comes to take her.
Think on these things – test all of them – and hold fast to what is good.
Questions/Comments
Prayer
12
11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness
12a
. . . but instead expose them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret;
13 but when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light.
14 Therefore it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.”
13
14a
not as unwise men
because the days are evil.
13a
14
15 Look carefully then how you walk,
but as wise,
16 making the most of the time,
15
17 Therefore do not be foolish
15a
, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
16
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery;
16a
but be filled with the Spirit,
19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart,
20 always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
