Jun 28, 2020. Ephesians 5:8-10

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WALKING IN THE LIGHT. Ephesians 5:8-10. 06/28/20. AM. #25

Ephesians 5:8-10 [New King James Version (NKJV)]

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

  • From Darkness to Light
    • The foundation of the Gospel is that all are born in sin
      • Psalm 51:4-6 we are conceived as sinners
      • Romans 3:23 no one is righteous
      • John 3:19 sin is called DARKNESS in Bible (men love darkness more than they love light)
    • Jesus was sent into the world as light to dispel darkness
      • John 8:12 Jesus is the light of the world
      • Matthew 4:16 when Jesus came, the peoples saw a great light (Isaiah 9:2-7)
    • II Peter 1:19 the light of Jesus shone into the darkness when he came to earth in his incarnation
    • Those who receive Christ as their savior and Lord have moved from light to darkness (Jn. 3:16)
      • Without Christ all remain in darkness (Jn. 15:5)
      • Psalm 18:28 it is God who sends forth the light so that our darkened souls can be illuminated
        • We had not sought the light on our own
        • God initiates the illumination of our souls
    • Colossians 1:9-18 by redeeming the lost, God through his son, Jesus, has moved the redeemed from darkness to light
  • Walk in the Light
    • Moving from darkness to light does not eliminate the darkness in the redeemed (flesh and worldliness exist)
      • Romans 7 a battle ensues between fleshly desires and spiritual ones (James 1:15; 4:1-4, Ephesians 5:18)
      • Ephesians 4:22-24 a believer must choose moment by moment whether to follow flesh or Spirit
    • Three changes occur at point of salvation: (1) eternal move from darkness to light  (2) the light is available to empower saints to serve God  (3) upon death, all darkness is completely eliminated as we are transformed (Romans 8:30)
    • The choice to live and walk in the light is not automatic
      • Often great struggles arise within us (Romans 7)
      • Often we slip back into sin (I John 1)
    • God commands us to walk in the light (live as one saved)
      • AWARENESS – we are to let our lights shine in the world as a testimony for God (Mt. 5:14-16)
        • There is a divine purpose to our lives
        • Ephesians 6 we are soldiers of the cross
      • ILLUMINATION – we are to allow the light of the Word to illumine us (Lk. 11:33-36; Rm. 10:17)
        • Luke compares illumination to the eye: as a bad eyes doesn’t allow light in, so a carnal saint refuses to be enlightened
        • Pursuing light is up to the believer
      • CALLING – we are called to a royal priesthood as the chosen people of God (1 Pet. 2:9-10)
      • RESULTS – the works of light can be seen in a spiritual believer (James 1:22, 2:18-26; I John 2:9-11)
  • Bearing fruit of being in the light
    • Evidence of moving from darkness to light should be seen
      • Galatians 5:20-21 lists 9 traits of the fruit of the Spirit
      • Ephesians 5 summarizes fruit using 3 traits
    • Those who walk in the light display 3 qualities:
      • GOODNESS – doing what is physically and spiritually beneficial to others (charity, kindness, testimony, comfort, wise counsel, support…)
      • RIGHTEOUSNESS – doing what is just and honest
      • TRUTH – upholding God’s truth in a lying world
        • Bold testimony opposing darkness
        • Not fearful to proclaim the truth of God
    • By walking in the light we PROVE that we are saved

Key verse:

Colossians 1:9-18 New King James Version (NKJV)

9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.