Title: Fruit of Light / Ephesians 5:3-14
Content: Fruit of Light / Ephesians 5:3-14
In the previous lesson, I talked about ‘the one who imitates God’.
In order to imitate God, we must see and learn from God. Jesus once said to Philip, who asked to show him God: In John 14:9, he says, “Philip, I have been with you for so long, and you do not know me? He who has seen me has seen the Father, so why show him the Father?” That's right. Those who have seen Jesus Christ have seen God the Father.
The disciples in Jesus' day had the opportunity to see and learn from Jesus, but how can we see and learn from Jesus today? Actually, there are several things to see. It's not just about seeing with your eyes. Taste with your tongue, touch with your hands, and smell with your nose.
To know whether this is sugar or salt, no matter how good your eyes are, you cannot tell. You have to taste it with your tongue to know it. In order to know whether this is hydrochloric acid or ammonia water, it is impossible to tell by looking at it for a hundred days. So, what can you look for? You have to taste the smell with your nose to know.
In this way, we can see God, and that is our spiritual eyes. Eyes of faith. Since God is a Spirit, we can see and feel it with our spirit eyes. Moreover, we are grateful that we can see God with our own eyes. In John 1:1, it says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” In other words, we were able to meet Jesus through the words of the Bible, and we were able to meet God through Jesus Christ.
Therefore, in order to see, learn, and imitate Jesus Christ, we must see, learn, and live the Word of the Bible. This is the way to imitate Jesus Christ and the secret to imitate God. In order for the Word to become flesh and to meet the Lord who dwells among us, we must learn the Word of the Bible, meditate on it, understand it, and live as we receive grace.
1. There is something that needs to be cut off.
Verse 3 says, “Fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, shall not even call its name among you, for it is fitting for saints.” Those who believe in Jesus will naturally cut off sexual immorality, all unclean things, and greed. In other words, if you say you go to church, but you still have greed and lewdness, dirty words and actions, then you are not truly a believer in Jesus. And in verse 4, it says, “There is no need for filthiness, foolish speech, or mockery. You can tell a person's character or level of faith by looking at what he says. Even though they say they are saints, they still do not give up on the shabby and foolish words and actions of the people of the world.
Why can't you get rid of the shabby and vulgar language? It is because they do not have true faith. Why do they complain and complain? It is because they did not receive grace due to the elements of unbelief. And still full of selfishness and envy. In other words, because they were still in the flesh.
Ladies and gentlemen, those who believe in Jesus, that is, those who realize that they are a great sinner, repent and receive God's great grace and love, must always be thankful. And since he desperately realized that he was a sinner, he had no choice but to respect and love others.
Why did all the Israelites die in the wilderness? We did not thank God for His grace, complained about the environment, and complained about the people. In the end, we could not enter into the welfare of Canaan because of God's wrath, and we were all destroyed in the wilderness. You can see that there are a lot of people in the church who end up with members of the wilderness.
Verse 5 says that such people are like idolaters. What does it mean? It is like an unbeliever. Here it is said that unless we repent, we have no inheritance in Christ and the kingdom of God. It means you can't go to heaven.
And in verse 6 it says that anyone who deceives with empty words or lies is the son of disobedience. In other words, they are the children of Satan. Satan is the father of lies.
These people like to talk in vain. good at bullshit. In other words, they are the ones who pretend to be true and say things that do not exist. They do not hesitate to frame others or deceive others with lies. They said that their end was the wrath of God. If you do not repent, you will be punished in eternal hell.
Therefore, believers in Jesus must cast away even the appearance of shabby and lowly words or actions. Lies and vain words must not come out of your mouth.
2. You must not even participate in such events.
Verse 7 says, “Therefore, do not become partakers of them.” Do not sympathize with such people and do not go to such places. Of course, if we are Christians, we must stop speaking and doing dirty and evil things. If you are a saint, you must be cut off. This is because the devil is not the one who rules, but the Lord rules, and he is the one who is led by the Holy Spirit.
However, there is one thing to watch out for. Even if I do not say or do dirty things, I do not want to participate in such events. Why? Because it is easy to get stained and easy to become an accomplice with them. There is an old saying that goes, 'Don't go where crows crow'. What is it? because it gets wet.
Psalm 1:1 says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers.” Blessed are the saints. Blessed are the true saints, and the blessed are not only in words and deeds, but also in agreeing with or not getting along with such people.
3. We must act like children of light.
Verse 8 says, “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” Light is necessarily luminous. At the same time, light dispels darkness. Light and darkness cannot coexist.
According to James 4, just as bitter and sweet water cannot come out of a single spring, praise and curses cannot come out of the mouth of the saints, unclean and godly words cannot come out, and thanksgiving and murmuring cannot come out of one mouth. I did. And the fig tree cannot bear olives, and the vine cannot bear figs.
Previously, we all liked darkness and dwelt in darkness, like the Ephesians.
But now I have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, I have become a new person as a child of light, and I have received power through faith so I can act like children of light. Faith is evidenced by works, and works are manifested as the fruit of the light.
In verse 9, the first fruit of the light is ‘truth’. “Goodness” refers to a meek disposition based on the love of Christ. And secondly, it was called ‘righteousness’. “Righteousness” refers to all the deeds shown through faith and obedience. In other words, it refers to a life that is pleasing to God and approved as right.
Therefore, the good and the righteous rejoice in doing the will of God. It doesn't lean left or right. Never deviate from the Word. And thirdly, it was called ‘sincerity’. Even if there is goodness and righteousness, if there is no truth, it is hypocrisy. It is like a flower on a dead tree.
The reason God forsook Esau and chose Jacob was because he saw the true repentance of Jacob. In fact, he has never harmed anyone. I have never deceived anyone. In a word, he is a virtuous gentleman. But he was not true to God, but Jacob was true.
Even now, God is not looking for people who are smart and capable, but He is looking for people who are sincere. The beautiful light of Christ is always manifested in ‘goodness’, ‘righteousness’ and ‘truth’. I hope that God will glorify God by bearing many fruits of light, fruits of repentance, and beautiful fruits, and we hope that they will become good evangelists who come to the Lord by seeing our deeds.
4. Light acts as a guide.
Verse 11 says, “Do not partake of unfruitful darkness, but rather reprove it.” Children of light do not tolerate injustice. However, if you remain calm despite knowing injustice, it is the same as following or sympathizing with darkness. In such a case, especially the clergy should teach right away and rebuke and correct what is to be reproached. That's right. The light is to show the right path and play the role of a guide.
Love without reproof destroys children. But the ministers who rebuke should do it with love, and the believers who receive it should receive it humbly. Then it will be a blessing. However, there is one thing to be careful about, and it is in Proverbs 9:8. It says, “Do not rebuke the scornful; fear that he may hate you; rebuke the wise, and he will love you.”
Even the children of light are not perfect. So sometimes I get rebuked. When we hear rebuke, we hope that we will be able to appreciate and love him, knowing that it is a blessing and the way of life. This is what a truly humble Christian looks like.
Finally, now we must rise to shine.
Verse 14 says, “Therefore he says, Awake, you who sleep, and rise from the dead, and I will give you light.”
You must rise to receive the light, and you must rise to shine the light of Christ. We must rise from the dead. We must wake up from the sleep of unbelief. You have to get up from your lazy and indolent seat. You have to get up from your sleep without praying. And we must rise from every uncleanness, wickedness, deceit, and unrighteousness. Only when we rise can we receive the light of Christ and shine.
Dear saints, As children of light, I hope you will bear the beautiful fruit of light.
I hope that you will become blessed saints who please God by bearing all kinds of ‘goodness’, ‘righteousness’, and ‘truthfulness’.
And I hope that the darkness will fade away and the light will come wherever you go. And I pray in the name of the Lord that injustice will pass away and righteousness and peace will come.