Ephesians 5:8-14
8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
I can recall few times having been completely enveloped in darkness. Complete, pitch black darkness is eerie.
One night in 1993, I was traveling by car through North Carolina. I began to notice how wet the roads were. Then it occurred to me at some point, that traffic became very light. Traffic was so sparse at one point there were no other vehicles in the area I was in but one. There was only one car about 100 yards in front of me. It was very dark. I could not see anything around me except for what was in the field of my headlights. And the tail lights on another vehicle.
Suddenly, the vehicle in front of me, indicated by the tail lights, radically moved back and fourth and straightened out again. I decided this vehicle was attempting to avoid hitting something. Smoothly following the suggestion, I moved to the rim of the left lane just in time to have past by the end of a tree.
A tornado had touched down before I arrived in the vicinity. The tree was the largest obstacle I encountered with plenty of debris scattered across my path for about a ¼ mile. I had been listening to music on a cassette tape, so I was unable to get the warnings other motorist received, warning them to stay out of the area.
It occurs to me, either by divine influence or just by chance there was a beacon of light on the road that evening. Without the other car having been there, I may have run over the tree and who knows what would have resulted.
The Koine Greek word used in Ephesians 5:8 is περιπατεῖτε (par-i-pat-eite). Its broadest definition is: “walk with”.
To be enmeshed in darkness in Ephesians 5:11 is σκότος(sko-tose). It is identified from the Resurgence Greek Project link as ‘shady’ or ‘obscurity’. In the broadest sense, skotose is “A realm of Darkness”. In fact, even applies to "spiritual darkness".
We have choices; Complete morality, complete immorality or somewhere in between.
The Lord knows it is difficult to be 100% in tune with His standard or He would not have had His Son die on the cross. We must be careful to not think Grace as a license for sin. Do not walk in darkness. But be persuaded to righteousness.
I pray the Lord not allow me to appear as the driver in front of me, swerving to gain control. But, that the Lord guides me smoothly.
Posts
Word for the Year
2 hours ago
7 comments:
The Lord knows it is difficult to be 100% in tune with His standard or He would not have had His Son die on the cross. We must be careful to not think Grace as a license for sin. Do not walk in darkness. But be persuaded to righteousness.
Yes, sadly grace is sometimes used as a cover for sin, but God has a way of making this known to his children, especially ones basically obediently seeking him.
We should be growing in obedience while covered in grace.
Thanks Russ,
I just did an experiment. I used the email function to send my most recent post (todays) to myself to see what you see when I post a new item to my blog.
The Greek words do not appear on the email. However, they do appear on the blog post. Is this what you see when you open my post sent via email?
Jim
The Lord knows it is difficult to be 100% in tune with His standard or He would not have had His Son die on the cross.
It's not only difficult, it is absolutely impossible outside of the power of the Holy Spirit.
In Romans 6, Paul addresses the issue of, "Well, if Jesus is going to forgive me anyway, I might as well sin as much as I want!"
Paul's reply to that is:
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
You are absolutely correct. For it seems unthinkable to believe that anyone can live 100% of their lives in step with God's standard.
However, the book of Ezekial, Chapter fourteen, I believe, says that three did. And they will save themselves from God's judgement by their own righteousness. So, I can not say that noone will live according to God's Law which the Jews in Israel are still attempting.
Grant that the Temple is gone and that changes how they will fulfill God's law.
I'm stepping into one of the supreme philosophical debates here. So, let's just say that no one is able to be righteous of their own ability. Even thogh Jesus, Daniel, Noah and Job did.
We can ask Russ to work over the subject of The Jewish Philosophical/Theological problem of achieving their own righteousness.
testing.
Hey Jim,
Both your blog and Jeff's appears normal here.
Good night to you and Vicki.:)
hey there Jeleasure,
thanks for stopping by,
i use jel cause there are to many jan's in blogworld! ;)
I will be back to read more ,
take care , and thanks
Post a Comment