Useful Bible Studies > Ephesians Commentary > chapter 5
When a person receives Christ into his life, God changes that person completely (John 1:12-13; 2 Corinthians 5:17). That person, whose evil deeds had made him an enemy of God, now becomes a friend of God (Romans 5:8-10). That person, who formerly deserved only death as the punishment for his evil deeds, now receives life without end (Romans 6:23).
We can compare that change to a person who walks out of the darkness into the light. Darkness is a word-picture for the lack of knowledge, because we cannot see anything in the dark. It also expresses the idea of danger, because there are many more dangers in the darkness. It even expresses the idea of death, because a grave is a place of complete darkness.
Light, of course, is the complete opposite of darkness. Light is a word-picture for truth because in the light we can see and understand clearly. In the light, we are safe from those dangers of which we were afraid in the darkness. Light even expresses the thought of heaven, because heaven is a place of perfect light (Revelation 4:1-5 and 22:5). Even here on earth, our best light comes from the skies above us.
So, God’s people must not join in evil acts, which remind us of the darkness (1 Thessalonians 5:4-8). Instead, they must stand for those things that are good, and right, and true. These are the things that God brings into their lives. They are the result of the great change that God has brought about in their lives. When light shines, the darkness must end (John 1:5). So, a Christian must not continue to do those wrong things that he formerly carried out. Instead, he must live as someone who has learned the truth from God.
Next part: How Christians should live (Ephesians 5:10)
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© 2019, Keith Simons.