How Then Shall We Live?

Sin is sin before God. Thus, sin has been in us nearly from the beginning of time.

Sin, when Jesus walked the earth, is sin today.

The crucial question then is how did Jesus deal with it?

The context of Ephesians 4:17-5:21 is the holy living of Christians.

What have Biblical scholars and theologians said? 

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

Ephesians 5:5-13

The same Greek word “phos” is used for “light.” phos (φω̂ς, g5457), akin to phao, “to give light” (from roots pha— and phan—, expressing “light as seen by the eye,” and, metaphorically, as “reaching the mind,” whence phaino, “to make to appear,” phaneros, “evident,” etc.);

cf (g) the illuminating power of the Scriptures, Ps. 119:105; and of the judgments and commandments of God, Isa. 51:4; Prov. 6:23

Holman Bible Handbook

Ephesians 4:17-5:21

In this very practical and challenging section, Paul focused on holy living. Believers are to walk in purity as well as unity. The apostle first showed negatively how believers should not walk.

Then he provided positive aspects of Christian conduct. Paul distinguished between those characterized by rebellion, obstinacy, and darkened understanding (4:17–18) and those who respond to Jesus Christ as both subject and teacher (4:19–21).

The first group is called the “old self” or unregenerate self (4:22). The second group is called the “new self” (4:23–24).

Paul exhorted believers to live out the reality of their new position with an inward renunciation and restoration. The conclusion of chapter four includes ethical exhortations grounded in theological truth. Believers are to rid themselves of vices like “bitterness,” “anger,” and “slander” and instead imitate the compassionate kindness of Christ (4:25–32). Believers are to walk in love (5:1–7), please God by avoiding evildoers (5:8–14), and walk in wisdom (5:15–17). The church is enabled to do this by the empowering (filling) of the Holy Spirit (5:18). When this happens, believers can together praise God, constantly offer thanksgiving in all things, and mutually submit one to another (5:19–21).

Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary

Ephesians 5:3–14

“Those who disobey” (5:6) are unbelievers who are characterized by disobedience to God. Paul admonished the believers to walk in the light, a metaphor for a life of holiness. While spiritual darkness is the realm of unbelievers, light is the realm of Christians (Col. 1:12–13; John 8:12; 12:35). Believers “expose” the things of darkness (5:11) by living differently (4:17–24), walking with God (1 John 1:7), being a light (Matt. 5:14–16), and rebuking sin (2 Tim. 3:16). Paul’s quotes in Ephesians 5:14 were probably taken from Isaiah 26:19 and 60:1. This verse contains a sample of how one might reprove a sinner.

The Teacher’s Commentary

Ephesians 5:3-20

The church is a holy temple. Therefore, we are to live as God’s holy people.

Here the contrast is that of night and day, darkness and light. It’s as though we’ve passed through a pitch-black tunnel—stumbling, mired in dirt and filth—and then suddenly broken into the light.

At first we’re blinded by the brilliance. Then, as our eyes adjust to the shimmering glow, we realize where we are. We’re in a new and different world, a world without impurity or greed or idolatry. A world of goodness, righteousness, truth, and purity.

And this is how we are to live—with eyes opened to holiness, making the most of every opportunity to do God’s will. What is it like, this holy life? This too is found in relationships—in the way we live with others inside and outside the church.

What are the marks of holiness in contrast to the ways of darkness? As we live in love, caring for others rather than using them, we reveal the righteousness of God and we expose evil for what it is.

How does the church expose evil? By mounting a crusade, or picketing? Hardly. Evil is exposed by providing an example of righteousness. Paul put it this way: “Everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible” (5:13–14). As children of light, we reveal darkness for what it is. In the light shed by the holiness of God’s people, evil is revealed as evil. And so we again see the church: a body, a family, a holy temple. A people of God, not just individual Christians.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary

Ephesians 5: 11-14

a. Command: do not get involved but expose (5:11). 5:11. Christians are forbidden to be “sharers together” (synmetochoi, v. 7; cf. metochoi in Heb. 1:9 [“companions”]; 3:1, 14 [“share”]; 6:4 [“shared”]) with the sons of disobedience; now they are told not to take part (synkoinōneite) with unbelievers’ actions. Their ways are fruitless deeds of darkness in contrast with “the fruit of the light” (Eph. 5:9). Sins bear no “fruit”; they give no benefits to oneself or others.

Christians, by conducting themselves as “children of light,” expose the “deeds of darkness.” These deeds, however, refer here to the deeds of other believers who are not walking in the light. This is because only God can expose and convict unbelievers’ deeds (1 Cor. 5:12–13). Believers, on the other hand, can expose evil deeds among other Christians within the church. This the Corinthians failed to do (1 Cor. 5).
b. Reason: their works are shameful (5:12).

5:12. The things done in secret are too shameful even to talk about. The term the disobedient in the NIV wrongly suggests that this refers to unbelievers. However, the Greek has “what is done by them,” thus indicating that Paul may be referring to believers who commit “deeds of darkness.”

c. Explanation: light shows the true character of works (5:13).
5:13. When light exposes evil deeds, they become visible, manifest for what they really are. Seeing them as evil, a believer then cleanses himself of them (1 John 1:5–7), realizing they are detrimental not only to him but also to other believers.

Conclusion: enlightenment of christ (5:14)
5:14. The introductory formula, This is why it is said, seems to indicate a quotation from the Old Testament, but it is difficult to identify unless it is a combination of passages (e.g., Isa. 26:19; 51:17; 52:1; 60:1). Possibly it is a quotation from an early Christian hymn.

A believer who has committed “deeds of darkness,” is to wake up and rise from the dead since he was involved with the deeds of evildoers. Christ’s shining on him speaks of His approval, an indication that he is discerning and following what is pleasing to the Lord (Eph. 5:10).

Therefore verses 7–14 deal with church discipline. Believers are to walk in the light, and in so doing to expose other believers of any works that are unfruitful so that they too may walk in the light and please their Lord.

Paul Bound, the Gospel Unbound

Letters from Prison (Colossians, Ephesians and Philemon, then later, Philippians) 5:11 “do not participate in” This is literally “co-fellowshippers.” It is another syn compound. This is a PRESENT ACTIVE IMPERATIVE with the NEGATIVE PARTICLE which usually means to stop an act already in process. This refers to (1) intimate social contact, (2) pagan worship settings, or (3) false teachers’ meetings (cf. v. 12)“expose them” This is another PRESENT ACTIVE IMPERATIVE. How do believers expose evil? Because of v. 12, this phrase seems to mean “to expose by our own godly lifestyle” or by the proclamation of the gospel. Light cannot coexist in fellowship with darkness (cf. John 3:17–19). 5:14 “awake, sleeper … Christ will shine on you” This is either a loose quote from Isa. 29:19 or possibly 51:17; 52:1; 60:1 or an early Christian hymn (cf. Phil. 2:6–11; 1 Tim. 3:16; 2 Tim. 2:11–13). It is in metrical form. Paul used lyrical material from (1) the OT (from several translations); (2) Christian hymns; (3) Christian creeds; even (4) pagan writers. “sleeper … dead” refers to the spiritual blindness, and the spiritual deadness of unbelievers (cf. 2:1; 2 Cor. 4:4). “Christ will shine on you” Jesus is depicted here as the glorified morning star (cf. Isa. 9:1–2; 59:8; 60:1; Luke 1:78–79), the opposite of Lucifer, (cf. Isa. 14:12). Light is an ancient symbol of healing, health, truth, knowledge, and goodness (cf. Mal. 4:2).