Ephesians 5:8-14

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Ephesians 5:8-14

Verse 8: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord: walk as children of light.”

When we were strangers outside of Christ, we were darkness, but now we are light in the Lord (Matthew 5:14-15). It says, "Walk as children of light."

Being spiritual means understanding the boundary between darkness and light.

The Holy Spirit is the source of light.

When oil is placed in a lamp and the wick is lit, light is produced.

The priest eats the bread from the table, visible in the light of the golden lampstand in the sanctuary.

Just as all life is light, the work of the Spirit of life in Christ becomes light and radiates.

Therefore, it is a great blessing to become a recipient of the radiance of God's glory in a heart that has become God's righteousness and a new earth.

This is the core of the mystery of the church that Paul spoke of.

Verse 9: "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness, and truth."

The fruit of Christians, who have received light in Christ and have fellowship with God, who is light, is the fruit of the Spirit. 

That is, in goodness, in him, and in truth, these are the conditions that create the environment for bearing the fruit of the Spirit.

Goodness, righteousness, and truth are God's nature.

This is not our old man nature.

We can receive this nature when we fellowship with God in Christ Jesus.

Verse 10: "Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord."

It tells us to test ourselves.

It tells us to think about what pleases the Lord.

It is the physiology of the body that when the head is happy, the whole body feels happy as well.

Food, exercise, tea, acupuncture, massage, meditation, and so on are all efforts to refresh the head, so the body seeks to receive good things through the head.

In fact, the best way to improve the head is through spiritual thinking.

So it is life and peace (Romans 8:6)

Verse 11: "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."

"Have no fellowship" means not to be on the same level as others.

It's like watching someone play Go-Stop and then sneaking in.

Unfruitful works are without the Holy Spirit.

This is an address that does not receive spiritual blessings.

These are works of darkness.

Therefore, we must constantly examine ourselves.

Not only do we not fellowship with the works of darkness, but we are also encouraged to reprove them.

This means to rebuke them, just as the Holy Spirit rebukes the world in John 16:8.

Verse 12: "For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret."

It's a shame even to speak of. It means it's shameful to even mention.

We already know what these things are, even without them being spoken of.

Verse 13: "But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light, for whatever do make manifest is light."

Everything that is rebuked is revealed by the light.

It is exposed. Rebukes are made manifest by the light.

Verse 14: "Wherefore he says, 'Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light."

Therefore, he says, This means "as the Lord has said".

"Sleeping" refers to the living who are out in the darkness.

The problem is that the sleeping and the dead appear to be from the same olace.

Whether sleeping or dead, the life force is not emitted.

Therefore, he tells us to awake and arise from the dead.

Many people, not knowing the truth and not hearing that Christ, through the merits of the cross, has brought them from death to life in Christ, cannot distinguish between darkness and light, and so they fall asleep, following the words of men.

Written by Ptr. Yohan Kim

Translated by missionary Nancy Kim

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