For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Ephesians 5:8-11

A friend sent a website link last week that directed me to a website that is built on the idea that a follower of Christ can hang on to or at least identify with the darkness of past sin. That idea rings a bit hollow in light of Scripture, don’t you think?

There must be a standard that establishes what is right and wrong, light and dark. As a follower of Christ, we base our lives on the truth of the Gospel established in Scripture. In the verses above Paul reminds us that Christ provides the standard and so it is our duty to reflect what is “good and right and true” as fruit or results of the Light.

This fruit of the light reminds me of Paul’s statement to the Galatians –

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self- control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5: 22-23).

None of us lives perfectly, right? Still we should be aware of our responsibility to do and be the right thing daily.

Consider the implications of this verse:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come”(2 Corinthians 5:17).

Instead of lingering in the shadows, the new creation is called to “take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”

We are called to do the right thing at all times as we walk in the light of the Lord.