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Completely contrary to us and to be shunned is a threefold uncleanness in action and
word:
"But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among
you, as becometh saints; nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not
befitting: but rather giving of thanks" (5: 3, 4 R.V.).
A light view of impurity was often taken in pagan circles. Those who had been saved
and brought by grace into the Body of Christ must remember that they had been
translated into an entirely different sphere, the kingdom of the Son of His love (Col. 1: 13
R.V.) where such conduct was completely foreign. We would hardly link covetousness
with fornication, but God's ideas of sin are very different to ours. One great antidote is a
thankful heart directed to the Lord. Minds which are so engaged will not lend themselves
to thoughts and actions which dishonour Him. God's wrath is directed against such
conduct in the sons of disobedience, and believers who do not realize this and become
"partakers with them", will lose any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ (verses 5, 6).
Paul now describes this, as John sometimes does, in terms of light and darkness.
Believers are "rescued from the authority of darkness" (Col. 1: 13) and brought into close
contact with Him Who is the "Light of the world" (John 8: 12). Once they were not
merely in darkness but were darkness. Now they have become light in Him and they
must walk "as children of light" (8). Practical Christian walk is likened to fruit "for the
fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth" (9 R.V.). The A.V. reads
"the fruit of the Spirit", but the weight of textual evidence and that of the context is in
favour of the R.V. reading. "Goodness, righteousness and truth" are the concrete
expressions of what `light' means, and this is in direct opposition to the darkness of
paganism. The lesson is also written in nature, fruit is impossible apart from light. Only
when we are walking in the light are we able to produce spiritual fruit and prove "what is
well-pleasing unto the Lord" (10 R.V.), and to please Him should be the chief goal of the
believer. This will mean having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness and
again Paul looks back to the sordid depths of pagan ways. God's light shows these up for
what they are (verse 13).
"Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ
shall shine upon thee" (5: 14 R.V.).
The impersonal "it is said" of the R.S.V. is perhaps better here. The Apostle is
not quoting a definite O.T. passage, but giving the sense of a number of them, such as
Isa. 60: 1 and Mal. 4: 2, and applying them to the individual believer rather than to
Israel as a whole, as many of the O.T. contexts do.
"Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; redeeming the
time, because the days are evil" (verses 15, 16 R.V.).
The Apostle urges a careful walk because of the many dangers around where a
careless attitude could lead to stumbling, affecting not only oneself but others. Here, He
tells us, we need Divine wisdom, and if we look back to his prayer in chapter 1:, we shall
remind ourselves that the first thing he requests for the Ephesian believers is "the spirit of