scripture: ephesians 5:1-5:16

The book of Ephesians deals with our walk as believers

The idea for tonight’s message came to Bro. Hughes at a funeral. Funerals can be an awkward time for a preacher. Often times the preacher is called upon to offer an account of a person’s life that sounds good, but that bears no relation to the actual life lived by the deceased. Bro. Hughes remarks that he wants his life to be such that whomever speaks at his funeral will not have to make up things to make him sound good. We live in wicked times. Our text is from Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church. The church at Ephesus was mired in a list of immoral and unclean activities that were, if not sanctioned, at least tolerated by the church. Paul had to remind the church that they were supposed to be children of God and that their life should reflect the life of Jesus Christ. Paul further tells them that there are some things in the world that cannot be tolerated, or even discussed, in the church. He reproves them saying “walk as children of light.” Biblically night represents evil, sin or trouble. Light is goodness. In Genesis, God’s first task was to divide the light from the dark. Paul tells us that we should have no part of darkness. We are children of light and should life a life that represents that. Bro. Hughes tells us to guard against letting darkness come into our life. We need to discover what God calls sin, and not allow that into our life in any way. We should not tolerate it, or try to justify what we know to be sin. God desires light and we must walk in the light.