Brethren, walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is a shame 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 is said, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.” Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most 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 all your heart.
At the time of Paul Ephesus was a major cosmopolitan city in Asia Minor, a provincial capital and busy port. It was a thoroughfare between East and West. It was full of bustle and idolatry. It was known for its outstanding temple to Artemis and was the subject of intense local patriotism, pride and enthusiasm.
Chapter 18 of the Book of Acts tells of Paul’s first visit to Ephesus. Paul was there for three months and thereafter his work was carried on by the preacher Apollos. Apollos was Jewish, born in Alexandria, eloquent and conversant with the Scriptures, or what we would call today the Old Testament. He is described as being fervent in the spirit, one who spoke and taught about the things of the Lord, although he only knew the baptism of John. Indeed Aquila and Priscilla, full travelling companions, had to correct him and explain to him the way of God more accurately.
When Paul returned to the pagan city of Ephesus in approximately 54 A.D. he found a church that was virtually non-existent. There he found some disciples of Apollos and he rebaptised them in the name of the Lord. Paul begins his teaching imploring his growing flock to be imitators of God and walk in the love of Christ who gave himself to the world as an offering and sacrifice to God, as a sweet smelling aroma. Indeed Paul calls his flock as saints who are giving thanks to God rather than scandalising the church and one another. Paul makes it very plain that no fornicator or unclean person or any covetous person or any idolater has any inheritance in the kingdom of God. And anyone who seeks to deflect the Christian from the side of Christ will incur the wrath of God that comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Paul tells his flock that they have the light of the Lord. Darkness has been removed from them by the Lord and they now walk as children of light. Walking in the light they are now obliged to see anew, with a spiritual eye and are thus able to avoid the snares and pitfalls of the devil. Moreover, they are further obliged to find out what is acceptable to the Lord.
This is the spiritual journey that each and every one of us must take. First, we are called to Christ. It is with hesitant and tentative steps that we approach him. We so do because we are in darkness and being in darkness are liable to stumble and fall. If we do then we may say that this is all too difficult. However, once we see the light we must begin to explore and seek to understand, as best we can, our faith. Just what it is that we believe in is an essential question that we all must answer. We cannot simply say that we believe in Christ and that we shouldn’t question what it is we believe in. Failing to challenge your faith results in a heart that will grow full of thistles and thorns, driving out the good crop. It is then that we turn our faith into idolatry because Christ is no longer alive within us, the Holy Spirit has been driven out and all we are left with is an empty image of who we think Christ is. Our belief becomes grotesque, a caricature and a parody. Paradoxically, it is the saying “I believe in Christ and therefore I am saved”, the mantra of the Pentecostal churches, which drives the spirit out. It is the fruit of the spirit garbed with all righteousness, goodness and truth that is the victim of this failure to make proper enquiry about Christ. Christianity is not about feeling good. Christianity is about doing good in the name of the triune God and in so doing you have great joy within.
Paul tells us plain: you must find out what is acceptable to the Lord. Once you have mastered the teaching then you are obliged put the teaching into practice. This means that you no longer have any fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness and are obliged to expose them. And here it is: placed upon the believing Christian is to stand in the marketplace and state clearly what is needed to obtain the kingdom of heaven, without fear or favour. You cannot buy your way into heaven, nor is heaven something that translates to a feelgood feeling because you have given money to the church. For Christ taught us to give our alms in secret but to sing out about our good deeds. There is clear logic in this: not everyone has money. One only has to remember the widow at the Treasury who put in two mites and of whom Christ said that she had given more than anyone else because she had given out of her necessity and not out of her abundance. To the receiver, the one who is valued more is the one who gives more financially. But this is not the understanding or the teaching of Christ.
On the other hand both the giver and receiver have 168 hours in the week at their disposal. In a very real sense everyone is equal because time is a great equaliser. Now it is not money but works that count. You cannot buy with money what you must do through expending your time and effort. By doing good works you walk in the light and all things, whether done for good or ill, are made manifest by the light of Christ. Therefore Paul cautions his followers to walk circumspectly, not as fools but as those wise in Christ. So, he commands his disciples to redeem the time for the days are full of evil. Indeed, if you wish to truly live your life as a Christian then you must take the word of Christ and obey and say “awake, you are asleep, arise from the dead and Christ will give you light.” It is only by removing the stupor from our mind that we are able to overcome the estrangement between man and God. This estrangement is a kind of death which must be acknowledged. It is only through repentance that we can acknowledge the truth which is Christ. We are thus called to rise and to have a share in the life with Christ and by so doing, pass from the shadows to the light and from death to life.
