The Fruit of Light
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But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Here we can see that Paul implores us to abstain and be on watch for what three things?
Sexual Immorality
Impurity
Covetousness
And to walk as “Children of Light”
Do not name these things among you =
Paul is not hypocritical, by naming them and saying him not to name them. Look at it like “not being heard/taking place among you”
He wants us to know that these sins should be absent from our bodies. Both as a congregation and as individuals in Christ.
These sins functionally replace God in our hearts as our own false gods.
sexual immortality, impurity, covetousness
At that time the Ephesians sexual sins and their idolatry were wrapped up together, in their banquets and gatherings and parties.
SEXUAL IMMORALITY
greek word is Pornei, referring to all forms of sexual immorality including lustful thoughts, imagery, videos and so on.
This is ultimately idolatry in our hearts, and pervasive in our culture.
Bible is pro-marriage: explain covenant, ask about instance of covenantal marriage (Adam and Eve, Ruth and Boaz, etc.))
Covenant Marriage is scriptural
GREED
Greed is most certainly idolatry
Ask for examples of greed
Greed is the focus of the final commandment to be not covetous.
It also breaks the first commandment to have no other Gods because of idolatry
With greed, we desire more than God.
- Money, power, fame, we use this to fill the place of God
Jesus says in Luke 12:15
And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Greed is sneaky
It is the air breathed in our culture. In the current world it can be so easily overlooked.
Do you recognize that you have greed?
Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:6
But godliness with contentment is great gain,
Greed tries to ultimately fill that desire for God with passing and meaningless things in this life because our riches are stored up in heaven, while what is of this world will fade away and be pointless in death. Greed is completely unneeded because Proverbs 11:4 says
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.
and continuing in 1 Timothy 6:7
for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.
IMPURITY/CRUDE LANGUAGE
foul and sexual, flippant joking has been around for a long time
it is very prevalent in the youth today and especially on social media
I see a lot of the youth today just openly posting about the most vile sexual sins with jokes and mockery. They bring their own sins into the light! The wicked cannot stay silent and even boast in their sin. In Psalm 10:2-4
In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul,
and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord.
In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him;
all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
As Christians we should not use language that is shameful or disgraceful
Our vocabulary should revolve around thanksgiving! Our words should cultivate gratitude to God for immeasurable mercy and the undeserved gift of His Son, Christ Jesus.
Our thanksgiving is an antidote to sin, for it is impossible for us to both give thanks to God and sin at the same time. Mark 8:36
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
The foolish man then, in opposition to thanksgiving fills his heart with all forms of immorality and covetousness. He sees his thanks towards himself and not towards God. He can have no room for thanks.
Believers have a God far more satisfying than these wicked things of the world. A God who is worthy of thanksgiving and has given us His kingdom.
THE FRUIT OF LIGHT
it is not that we should not befriend unbelievers, but to not mix among them.
We are children of God, no longer sons of disobedience but those who walk in the Light of Christ. We are equipped with God’s word
We are Children of Light, but we must continually walk in the Light. Although we have been regenerated in Christ, we are in constant sanctification through the gifts of Christ and the spirit and must continue to follow the path of the Lord and not the path of the world.
A part of this call is to expose the darkness to Light, we are called to give glory to God and share His Word throughout the world.
If we know that God is good, right and true then we should be so too.
Discerning what is pleasing to the Lord through His scriptures is important, we cannot walk in Light if we are not trained in the special revelation of God through his Word.
We must please the Lord and not the world, as you can never please those who walk in the darkness as their greed and envy will ever hunger for more, in replacement of the good of God. We are not to be counted among them!
You will be mocked.
for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
This passage was probably an old baptism hymn sung by the apostles and early church father, as well as borrowing from passages in Isaiah and Jonah. As born again believers in light we must “rise and shine” to the Gospel
This entails waking up to the injustices of the world
Trafficking, Assault, murder, abuse and all injustice must be brought to light by the transforming Gospel.
NOW READ Ephesians 5:15-21
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 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 your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
We see then that we should be wise because of our walking in Light.
we are to expose darkness and live a holy life.
We accomplish this by praying constantly and trusting in the Lord to grant us wisdom, discernment, gentleness, and courage.
A wise person cannot follow the light and walk in these statues if He is not sober
being intoxicated by alcohol can hinder these Godly fruits, and we see Paul says Ephesians 5:18
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
we are to directly be filled with the Spirit, which brings us joy not in temporary, brief pleasure of alcohol or drugs of any kind, but can let us be joyous in the Holy Spirit and a God unchanging who makes us strong and a brave witness to God’s grace.
The Holy Spirit promotes and grants us self control.
Paul desires for the entire congregation to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
The entire congregation needs constant edification and a filling of the Holy Spirit.
No one lives a life of constant joy, and thanksgiving and love. This is required from the Spirit.
We will go more into depth on the necessity of self control in the spirit with this in covenantal marriage next week.
THANKSGIVING
we see for those who bear the Fruit of Light, that our joy will produce gladness and worship in our hearts towards God. With renewed worship and renewed relationships.
What three forms of worship to God do we see here?
song
thanks
submitting
Paul lists many types of songlike worship in Ephesians 5:19
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,
I believe that this can show us that God is infinitely varied in His beauty and meets us in various ways. Also for life’s different seasons of suffering and joy and sadness and gladness.
We address one another and God— we sing in a horizontal and vertical sense— To others as ministers and brothers and sisters, bolstering the Word of God and praise to Him among us, while also directly giving thanks to God.
We see the next result of the spirit is plain and clear Thanksgiving.
We should thank God continuously not just corporately in worship but at all times for the blessings of our daily life.
What are ways that you can neglect thanks to God?
complaining for more
pouting, murmuring?
Spirit filled believers are thankful people, not complaining.
When we consider God’s mercies and gifts, how can we not live with gratitude towards the Lord?
What we finally see is submitting here at the end.
later on in Ephesians we will talk about how we should submit in marriage, and to parents and our vocation, we must first submit to God and the Church.
The spirit leads us to community and fellowship with believers, where we can demonstrate our acts of love given to us by the Spirit.
The spirit enables us to do what is not of our sin nature, that chiefly being love and submission to others and God.
The Holy Spirit is a humble spirit full of meekness and the gentleness of Christ.
Even Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:19
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.
Christians should submit to one another “in the fear of Christ”, out of reverence for our Lord. This is because Christ is God.
God is superior to all and yet even Christ submitted to the father and humbled himself before man, who need not be humbled for he is God and superior.
It does not mean we stand in terror of Christ, but in awe because he is the King and Judge. Standing in awe of His holiness and forgiveness
Next week we will begin to see how we can submit in love to others, specifically in marriage and how that can tie in to God.