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 5:8b-11 – ESV)
What are you filling your time and your mind with? Plants cannot bear fruit in the absence of light. We are not to associate with those who make a habit of dwelling in darkness, or those who would have you to dwell in darkness if they had their way with you. To fellowship with them is to partake in some measure of their darkness. Instead of exposing yourself to them you should expose them for what they are, what they do to your spiritual life. They sap its strength, and they bring spiritual rot and death. They bring unfruitfulness with them. If you continue to walk in the light the dark things in your life will become exposed. If you continue to walk among the darkened you will become a darkened soul.
This doesn’t mean we cannot have unbelievers as friends, or that we must never hang out with unbelievers or vile offenders. It means we cannot do so in ways that defile us. You can talk to a drug user about Christ; you cannot do drugs with them. You are either having a positive effect on them, or it is having a negative effect on you. They may never listen, and you can keep going back time and again, but the key to discernment here is this: When they are affecting you more than you are affecting them it is time to pull away. We are supposed to be like a light in a dark place, not turning the light down so we can all relax a bit.
This also isn’t about being a tattletale or holier than thou finger pointer, it is more about exposing the lies in your own life. Put everything you do up to the light of Christ. You expose what is dark by walking toward the light, away from the darkness and those whom dwell in it. Your very presence ought to cause people to be convicted of their darkness, and unless God is turning the light on for them, they won’t want you around for very long.
This also has to do with our brothers and sisters in Christ who won’t stop hanging around with people who say they know God but who won’t step out from the shadows. Certainly we need to try and restore the repentant, and to be patient with those who are working their way back to walking in the light. Eventually, however, we must separate from those who aren’t separating from the darkness. Some are in need of church discipline not church indulgence. If a person who thinks they are trying to minister won’t stop going to a self proclaimed believer who is obviously unrepentant, it may mean we must stay away from that minister, as they are now drawing close to dwelling in darkness themselves, and we must expose their false notions to the light. If this is you, ask yourself a question: Are you hanging around hoping they will see the light, or are you thinking they, or you, can develop your Christian life in the darkroom?
4 comments:
Mat 6:22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light,
Mat 6:23 “but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
1Jo 2:10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.
Amen. Lord, cause us to be fruitful for Your Glory.
Well done, dear...
Certainly we need to try and restore the repentant, and to be patient with those who are working their way back to walking in the light.
The hard part for me is finding my place. Is it my place to judge whether they are working their way or not? Am I being a fruit inspector? How patient am I supposed to be? How much time do I invest before walking away?
I pray for God to help me bear the fruit of patience, as I do not have much. Once I give up on someone, then I am wide open for them to become my 'stinky guy'. Although, if they remain in the darkness, are they really still a brother in Christ?
Ah questions. Praise be to God that He has given us the answers in the Word. That doesn't mean that they are easy to figure out or accept.
Those can be tough questions, Chris, and we do well to "feel the tension" as this means we are not just letting them go because they trouble us so...
However, I was referring also to the church discipline thing, where there is a member or family that is in rebellion, and the church elders know it...they need to be patient and careful, but there does come a time...
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