Walk As Children of Light

Note from today’s Bible reading: Ephesians 5-6

Paul admonished the Christians in Ephesus to “be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Ephesians 5:1). Since God is perfect, he was encouraging them to strive to live up to that perfect standard. While Christians may stumble from time to time, our goal should be to imitate God in our lives.

This necessarily means we must avoid sin. As Paul said, “Immorality…impurity or greed must not even be named among you” (Ephesians 5:3). He warned them not to be deceived into thinking that such behavior was inconsequential. He wrote, “Because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:6).

Rather than engaging in the sinful behavior of the world, we are to “walk as children of Light” (Ephesians 5:8). Paul then explained that the “fruit” produced in our lives by walking in this manner is “goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:9).

This is about more than just recognizing that Jesus died on the cross to save us. To conduct ourselves in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord, we must do good to others, practice what is right, and believe and teach the truth. When we do this, we will be imitating the character of God.

So walk as children of light. The Lord has called us out of the darkness of sin. Let us no longer live as the world lives; instead, let us pursue “goodness and righteousness and truth.”