In Ephesians 5:1-4, Paul is asking us to imitate God and then he gives a short list of things we should be staying away from if we are to be imitators of God and children of the Light.
In Ephesians 5:5, he reminds us that those who are not imitators of God are not worthy of his kingdom.
In Ephesians 5:6-10, Paul is asking us to stay away from things that are not of God because it brings about the wrath of God on those who are disobedient.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works
of darkness, but rather reprove them. [v11]
We should not be condoning these things, but rather we should let it be known as a fault, to shed the light on it. However, if we are being imitators of God this light will be shed in love and not in a fit of self-righteousness and arrogance. The idea though, is not to leave it alone but to point it out.
For it is a shame even to speak of those things
which are done of them in secret. But all things
that are reproved are made manifest by the light:
for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. [v 12, 13]
I have found that one of the hardest things to do is to see someone going down the wrong path and to tell them that what they are doing is wrong, not only in love, but also in a way where their defenses does not immediately spring up to choke you.
I find a lot of Christians today subscribe to a do-it-yourself faith and have thus become unteachable. You cannot teach them nor can you comfort them, they take it and they smile and then they go about doing their own thing. We've become suspicious of each other and untrusting of the brothers and sisters that God has placed in our lives. In doing so we do not have people who can hold us accountable of our wrongs.
We are children of light, we are imitators of God, let us put away these suspicions and let us start walking as children of light, loving each other as Christ has taught us to love.
Comments (1)
this is so great!! thank you!