For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:for ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light
3 sermons cite this verse
… so in his letter to the same church about 30 years earlier Paul actually commanded them to remain in the light look at Ephesians chapter 5 verse 8 and keep in mind Paul is writing to the same church that Jesus is writing to about 30 years earlier he says for you were once darkness but now you are light in the Lord walk as children of light he says right now in this moment the whole world hears about your faith. You guys are shining forth the truth of the gospel everywhere. Those of you who were once darkness, I hope you could say that, by the way. I hope that as you look back on your life before Christ, you can say, I walked in darkness. But now you're light. You're shining forth that light. But now, as Jesus is writing to them, they were in danger of having the lights turned off. Where Paul says, right now, you're a light for the Lord, they were in danger. Why? …
… Ephesians 5, starting at verse 8, For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth. trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them. For it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light. For everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says, Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you. Now the text compares light and darkness, obviously. There are essentially two commands. One is a positive command in verse 8, Walk as children of light. The second is a negative command in verse 11, do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness. So darkness and light are set against each other. Now the context for this, as you well know, began in chapter 4 as we began to look at the practical instruction of the Spirit of God through the Apostle Paul for living the Christian life, for walking through the world in a way that honors the Lord. And we have talked about walking worthy. We have talked about walking in unity. We have talked about walking in purity, walking in integrity, last time walking in love, and now we have come to walking in light, Just another way to perceive the life of the believer. …
… For because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." The transformation is, as I said, everlasting, eternal, comprehensive. What does it mean to be a Christian? In the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 5, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away, and new things have come. Paul in 1 Corinthians 6 lists all kinds of sins and then says, such were some of you, but you have been washed. Salvation is a complete transformation. You heard it in the testimonies, didn't you? There are some people that think you can have a relationship with God even though you're not transformed. No. Salvation is a transformation. It is regeneration. You are a new person, and you are to live like a new person. It is true you will be transformed. It is also true you must live in a transformed way. …