Ephesians (W9D4) Exposed
Week 9. Thursday: Exposed
PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word.
READ: Ephesians 5:11-14
11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
UNDERSTAND: get a deeper understanding of the key words
Have Nothing to Do (Greek: mē sygkoinōneō): do not participate in any way
Christians often flirt with sin while believing they won’t be overcome by it.
Paul is saying we should stay as far away as possible from evil.
Fruitless Deeds (Greek: akarpos ergon): not yielding anything worthy (Titus 3:14)
Expose (Greek: elegchō): to convict, refute, make accountable
Paul is speaking in the context of exposing darkness in the church.
We are not called to expose the sins of unbelievers (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).
Shameful (Greek: aischros): disgraceful, filthy, dishonoring
Paul is not saying that only the behavior is shameful.
Even to speak of these dark deeds is shameful.
Visible (Greek: phaneroō): to make fully known, to see something as it really is
We often justify sin rather than seeing sin as God see it.
When we admit the severity of our sin, we can find forgiveness (1 Jn. 1:5-10).
APPLY: What is this passage calling me to do?
When we shine the light of God’s Word into our hearts, we begin to see things more clearly. Our sin becomes more sickening. Our faults become more than mere mistakes. And in that kind of clarity we find God’s heart of holiness and also forgiveness.
What “deeds of darkness” do you need to expose in your own life?
What sins do you justify instead of seeing them the way God sees them?
PRAY: Ask God to help you see your sin the way He sees your sin.
