Lord’s Day, Vol. 8 No. 24

Now Are Ye Light

Ephesians 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are yelight in the Lord: walk as children of light:

The life of the Christian begins when God pronounces us new creatures in Christ. We experience the peace and mercy of God as the Apostle Paul articulates well concerning true salvation that comes in Christ Jesus that is categorically rejected by the blinded Jews, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:15-16) 

We have a past life before our conversion. This, the Apostle Paul described in the opening phrase, “For ye were sometimes darkness.”. Darkness describes literally “as an enveloping sphere where light is absent darkness, gloom, obscurity. Metaphorically, as the domain under the authority of the devil and demons realm of evil, evil world c.f. Ephesians 6:12 [Friberg]. The contrast of the saved men as light because they are given and have received by faith the knowledge of salvation by the remission of their sins through Jesus Christ (Luke 1:77-79) and the unsaved as living in darkness, under the bondage of sin.

For the Lord Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life..” (John 8:12b). What great joy as we recount God’s mercy upon our lives to be called out of darkness into His marvellous light (1 Peter 2:9).

The exhortation is that as “light”, we are to live in newness of life after our conversion – Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. As such, we are to “henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind.” (Ephesians 4:17), as a characteristic state of something futility, frustration, purposelessness [Friberg]. We are therefore exhorted to walk as children of light. It describes how we conduct our daily life behave, live. Build a life-long habit to walk as the children of light. 

How do we walk as children of light? Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. Jesus sets the example of unconditional, sacrificial love for undeserving sinners in His life and in His death to bear our sins (Ephesians 5:2). What does that mean? And this is love, that we walk after His commandments, that, as ye have heard them from the beginning ye should walk in it (2 John 6). It is to love God and love one another.

Explaining what it is to walk contrary to the commandments the Apostle Paul said, “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” A thankful heart is the hallmark of the saint, contented and restful in the Lord, in the beauty of holiness (1 Chronicles 16:29, Psalm 29:2, 96:9). There will be blessed fellowship in the body of Christ – 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 

Let us walk according to God’s Word. The Apostle John concurring well with the Apostle Paul when he said, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfilthe lusts thereof (Romans 13:13-14). How can we do so? Pray, with God’s help! – Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (James 1:17). 

There is a deliberate choice on our part, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against

the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one of the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” (Galatians 5:16-17). That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Romans 8:4). 

We are to choose our friends wisely, practicing biblical separation to be separated from ungodliness and be separated unto Christ, as the Apostle Paul warned the church, “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye partakers with them” (Ephesians 5:6-7). What communion hath light with darkness? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? … For ye are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and they shall be my people.” (2 Corinthians 6:14b, 16). 

Bernard Barton wrote these blessed words of encouragement to the tune by John W. Peterson:

Walk in the light! So shalt thou know that fellowship of love. His Spirit only can bestow who reigns in light above. 

Walk in the light! And thou shalt find thy heart made truly His, Who dwells in cloudless light enshrined, in whom no darkness is. 

Walk in the light! And thou shalt own thy darkness passed away, because that light hath on thee shone in which is perfect day.

Walk in the light! And even the tomb no fearful shade shall wear; glory shall chase away its gloom, for Christ hath conquered there.

Walk in the light! Thy path shall be a path, though thorny, bright; For God, by grace, shall dwell with thee, and God Himself is light. 

Amen.

Yours loving,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee