OzThoughts Thursday 26th June 2008

As I turn to the 5^th Chapter of Ephesians (KJV), I find at least three verses with instructions on how to “walk”.  The first is in verse 2 “Walk in Love” and the second is in verse 8 “Walk as children of light”.

Now to get the sense of these two instructions we need to read what Paul says in the surrounding verses. Both the King James Version and the Message are printed below.

It will only take a minute or two to read the context.

I see a link between these verses and 1 John Chapter 1 and particularly verse 7:

Jesus is my light and song.

Author:  Emma Johnson

Ephesians 5:1-10 (King James Version)

 1Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

 2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

 3But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

 4Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

 5For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

 6Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

 7Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

 8For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

 10Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

Ephesians 5:1-10 (The Message)

 1-2  Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.

 3-4  Don't allow love to turn into lust, setting off a downhill slide into sexual promiscuity, filthy practices, or bullying greed. Though some tongues just love the taste of gossip, those who follow Jesus have better uses for language than that. Don't talk dirty or silly. That kind of talk doesn't fit our style. Thanksgiving is our dialect.

 5  You can be sure that using people or religion or things just for what you can get out of them—the usual variations on idolatry—will get you nowhere, and certainly nowhere near the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom of God.

 6-7  Don't let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with him. Don't even hang around people like that.

 8-10 You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You're out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it.