Giving
Welcome to Refinery Life Australia.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
Today we continue our series based on the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians The theme is “Making a New World”.
Today we are talking about Walk in the Light.
Text
Ephesians 5:8 NKJV
Walk in Light
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
Scripture Reading
Ephesians 5:3-15 NKJV
3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;
4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.
Walk in Light
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),
10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.
13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.
14 Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
Walk in Wisdom
15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
Prayer
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Introduction
Have you ever walked in the night with only a torch to see where you are going?
The light guides you away from obstacles along the way.
Paul wrote to believers who had been converted, most of them from paganism.
They lived in ways that were contrary to God’s ways.
Paul used the terms “light” and “darkness” to describe righteousness and unrighteousness.
There is a strong contrast between light and darkness in the Scripture, as seen in 1 John 1:6, If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
Christians must walk in the light.
One of the best ways to discover the way of light is to look away from the darkness.
- The pagan walks in the darkness.
- The life of the pagan is perverted.
The sinner lives in moral decay.
Verse 3 says, But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;
Three words describe their perversity.
Fornication, uncleanliness, and covetousness.
Immorality and impurity are sexual offences.
The pagans perverted God’s ideal for sexual relations.
God intended that sex be within the bounds of marriage.
The world distorted this idea by abusive sexual practices, including homosexuality and beastiality.
Paul went so far as to say that such moral debauchery should not even be discussed.
Paul also mentioned other perversions in verse 4, neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
Paul grouped filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting together and said that they were inappropriate for believers.
B. The future life of the pagan is a terrible prospect.
Look at verses 5 and 6, For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
God will not allow people into His kingdom who have not repented and trusted the Lord.
The wrath of God, not the kingdom of God, awaits those who practice pagan morals.
2. The Christian walks in the light.
- The Christian has a transformed life.
Paul contrasted the present lives of believers with their former lives.
The transformation occurs at the point of relationship.
Verse 9, for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth,
The essential features of the transformed life are goodness and righteousness and truth.
These qualities are the moral results of accepting the light of the gospel.
Goodness describes the transformed character of a new believer.
Righteousness describes the cleanliness of life that comes only through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Truth marks the harmonious relationship of the mind to God’s will.
B. The Christian has a tested life.
Verse 10 says, “finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.”
The Christian tests all things by the light of the Christian truth and acts accordingly.
The Christian tests deeds as well as people.
Verse 11 is clear, And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
Paul forbid Christian converts from having any part in the impure practices of the pagan world that surrounded them.
Paul closed his appeal to walk in the light with verse 14, Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
Conclusion.
When you truly accept Christ into your life, you begin the journey of walking in the light.
The Lord will guide you and lead you away from the dangers of darkness.
Walk in the light.
Until next time
Stay in the Blessings
Giving
I really want to encourage you to be diligent with your Bible study time, because God has so much more for us than we can get from just going to church once or twice a week and hearing someone else talk about the Word.
When you spend time with God, your life will change in amazing ways, because God is a Redeemer.
Theres nothing thats too hard for Him, and He can make you whole, spirit, soul and body!
You’re important to God, and you’re important to us at www.refinerylife.org
When it comes to prayer, we believe that God wants to meet your needs and reveal His promises to you.
So whatever you’re concerned about and need prayer for we want to be here for you! Or even if you just want to say Hi, you can contact us
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