To be walking in
the light is to live an open and transparent life. It is a life of integrity.
As Christians we are called to set examples so that we can reflect the goodness
of God. In these verses Paul gave instructions to us believers, what we need to
do to live such a life. As opposed to
those children of darkness, believers are children of light, hence we are to
walk in the light.
Paul dealt with
conducts that promote immorality such as fornication, and sexual uncleanness and
greed or lust. Believers are to avoid such lifestyles. And knowing that dialogue
could also lead to immorality, he told them to avoid filthy or vulgar talk, to
avoid foolish, godless and meaningless talk and even vulgar jesting. He advocated
that Christians should give thanks instead of all those nonsensical talk. Notice
in verse 5 that Paul told believers not to covet. He was most likely referring
to coveting unlawful sex. It’s true that harboring such a desire is a form of
idolatry. Here Paul also gave reasons why such conduct should not be cherished.
Firstly, it’s because it does not fit the character of a person whom God has
set apart. Secondly, it’s because those who live such a conduct habitually have
no part in the Kingdom of God. It shows that they have not come under the reign
of Christ.
In verse 6, Paul
shows an avenue that one could be enticed and deceived into immoral conduct, by
misleading teaching. He calls it vain words here. He tells us that there are
people who would charm and tempt believers into sexual immorality by suggesting
that God would pass over such sins and not judge it. There are people who could
stretch the grace of God to a point that licentious living is encouraged. Contrary
to that, Paul tells us that God’s wrath is upon the children of disobedience
who practice such conduct.
Believers are also
told not to participate in the lifestyle of those children of disobedience. Why
so? That’s because believers are no longer children of darkness but children of
light. In fact Paul said that we believers are light. We are lamps bearing God’s
light in the world today, to provide direction to true and pure living. Living
a life of immoral conducts would be contrary to our new nature.
Verses 8-10 is a
command for believers not to participate in the work of darkness, but to walk
as children of light. The standard we should measure our conduct with, is God’s
Word and not human standards. Verse 10
said that our goal is to please the Lord. As we live a lifestyle to please the
Lord, fruits that reflect goodness, righteousness and truth will be produced.
In
verse 11, we are told not to participate in the unfruitful works of darkness,
but rather expose them. It suggests that we cannot be hermits and withdrawing from
the world, but we are to courageously live holy and truthful lives of integrity,
in the midst of the evil world. In living lives opposite to what’s evil and
wrong, we will expose the work of evil. We will reveal how wrong and shameful the
conducts of darkness are. In verse 14, Paul quoted Isaiah 60:1-2 as a call to
Christians to wake up and rise from their past life of darkness and death, and
begin to shine God’s light. Here we are given the promise of the light of Christ
to be effective witnesses to the world.
We
are called to be lights of the world. We are lit lamps not to be placed under a
cover but on a lampstand to give light to the world. Let’s trust that as we courageously
function as lights in the world, the oil of the Holy Spirit will continue to fill
our lamps.
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