Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

Ephesians 5:1-14 NKJV

5:1 Christ forgave us. Imitate Him. Act as though you are loved well, because you are loved well.

5:2 Follow Christ in an attitude of affectionate love. When it says Christ “loved and given Himself up for us” it reveals to us that Jesus took pleasure in us even while we were dead in our sin. He took so much pleasure in us and loved us so much that He offered His life as a payment for our sins. The Father received His sacrifice as though it were a sweet smelling aroma. It actually pleased the Father to kill Jesus so that we might experience mercy.

5:3 The severity of this verse in context to the previous few sentences is alarming to me. The weight of this word, fornication (sexual immorality or idolatry in other translations), would have hit to the core of Ephesian culture. Fornication means to sell or surrender yourself (or another person) for the sexual pleasure of another person.

Uncleanness is referencing ritual/spiritual impurity and covetousness is to desire more than that which God has already given to you. Ephesian gentiles would have worshiped many gods, but among them was the great influence of the goddess Diana. Diana was a goddess who represented female chastity (among many other things), which at first glance may not appear devious. In the Roman world however, the idea that women should remain chaste unless they were trying to bear children led to rampant homosexuality and the buying and selling of children for sex. These practices were considered virtuous in Roman culture. Homosexuality and pedophilia were normative practices, and understood to be of higher virtue than relations with a woman.

Paul was commanding the Ephesians, “do not let this even be named among you.” In other words, Paul was teaching the Ephesians to become so far above reproach and counter-culture in regards to sexuality that no one would assume you partake in or approve of these things. In context to our modern views of sexuality in Western culture, Paul’s instruction is precisely what we need to be communicating to the body of Christ today.

5:4 Filthiness here is a reference to speech, specifically obscene speech. Our speech should not be obscene. It should not be foolish, or in other words, it should not be dull, useless, or worthless content. Our speech should not include coarse jesting, meaning we should not turn people’s words against them for humor or to put them down.

We will touch on this more in verse 5:16, but what Paul is eventually getting to is the idea that our time is very short. We do not have time to waste our words. Our speech should be used for edification, praise, and speaking the truth in love. Speak as though we are awaiting a near judgment, as people who long to reap what was sown in praise, not in foolishness.

5:5 We are called to be a people of co-inheritance. Do not waste your inheritance on idolatry. There is a real kingdom of Christ and God. Live as people awaiting a portion to share with the creator of the universe.

5:6-7 There is a deception which longs for us to lose sight of the coming Kingdom. Do not be turned away into fellowship with the deeds and speech of those who will inherit only wrath. Do not allow empty words and excuses to sway you.

5:8-10 Paul draws the distinction here between light and darkness. Up until this point in his letter, Paul has mostly been speaking in terms of walking in unity. While we endeavor to preserve unity, Paul is laying out the lifestyles of which we are most certainly commanded to not walk in unity concerning. The children of light pursue a life of goodness, righteousness, and truth. The goal is to discover and obey the lifestyle that is acceptable to the Lord.

5:11 Do not participate or even share company with professing believers when they commit these works of darkness. Earlier in his letter, Paul put so much of the focus of his words on preserving fellowship, so we should take special note when he states there is a time to break fellowship and expose others. This word expose means to rebuke, discipline, or show to be guilty. To refer back to verse five, these deeds in brief are sexual immorality, evil speech, and covetousness.

5:12 These are the deeds which rob honor from the body of Christ. As a people called into union with Christ, these deeds of darkness subject our fellowship with God and with one another into public shame and disgrace. As a people called to give a faithful testimony and true witness to the plans, nature, and character of our Lord, these deeds of darkness reveal to others that we ourselves are false witnesses.

5:13-14 Even so, here begins the merciful intent of these severe statements being made by Paul. If we can expose these deeds done among ourselves to the light, the truth can be exposed to those who are workers of these deeds. It is for this reason that the exposing of darkness comes with a reward, and not a curse, to those who receive the light:

“Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

Paul’s reference here is most likely Isaiah 60, a passage which gives insight into God’s promises for both Jews and Gentiles in relationship to Jesus and Israel during Jesus’ future earthly rule. It is the mystery of Christ, our co-inheritance, which Paul references for our inspiration to overcome sinful deeds. Sin compromises our future inheritance in Christ. Our relationship to the throne of God in the coming ages is directly related to our walking in His grace today. Thankfully, it is the grace of God which empowers us to embrace His mercy for the forgiveness of compromise, and it is the grace of God which empowers us to overcome and have victory over the deeds of darkness.

Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Isaiah 60:1-3 NKJV