Articles
Children
Once upon a time, we were all lost. We were dead in our trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1). We walked according to “the course of this world” (Eph. 2:2) and “were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest” (Eph. 2:3). We weren’t in an unusual situation. We weren’t just being ourselves. We were “even as the rest.” We behaved just like everyone else and were headed to the same outcome as the world: death and wrath. It wasn’t a pretty picture. Fortunately, by the mercies of God in Christ, our relationship has changed (Eph. 2:3-10).
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Eph. 5:1)
Christians have been given a great blessing in Christ. We have become “beloved children” (Eph. 5:1). No longer are we children of wrath and children of the world or dwelling in darkness (Eph. 5:8). Now we are children of God. As a result, we need to act like the child who looks up to his father and desperately wants to imitate everything he does. What might seem like mundane tasks to an adult (shaving, mowing the yard, driving, wearing shoes, etc.) are deeds of envy for a child. They aren’t seen as chores but as privileges. Imagine if we had the same attitude towards our Father. Everything He did and everything He said would be something we yearned to imitate.
Imagine being the type of child who does not need to be forced to spend time with their father—a child who is not rebellious and disrespectful. Isn’t that the type of child and disciple you want to be? There shouldn’t need to be constant calls for us to pray to God. We should love prayer. There shouldn’t need to be strong reminders to read God’s word, letting the Father speak His will to us. We should weep when we don’t get to do so. We shouldn’t stubbornly refuse to submit to God’s will, arguing about what we want and what we can’t be forced to do. Instead, we should eagerly embrace His way over our own. A little child in a loving relationship with his father goes out of his way to make his father proud. Should we be any different?
“For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walks as children of Light” (Eph. 5:8)
If we still long to be like the world, to fit in, if we let the world decide what is appropriate speech and attire, and if we are concerned about what the world thinks of us, then are we really “formerly darkness” or are we still living in it?
A change needs to take place, and it isn’t a change the world will appreciate. Not at all. “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the tings which are done by them in secret” (Eph. 5:11-12). The world doesn’t like it when we elevate our behavior above theirs. It makes them look and feel bad. They don’t like it. But we should do it anyway.
It’s one thing not to behave like the world, but we become even more offensive if we have the audacity to “expose them.” That isn’t saying that we should gossip about who is doing which sins, but rather means that we shine as a light that exposes the error of darkness. We are supposed to be the ones who reveal what is right and what is wrong. The world passionately hates when anyone does that. We don’t do it to upset them. We don’t do it because we love angering people and making them feel bad about what they are doing. We do it because we are children of God, and He has declared the way of righteousness to a sinful world. We do it because we are children of Light and the light cannot help but expose what lurks in the darkness.
I admit that we need to be careful what we say and how we expose darkness. After all, our speech should “always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt” (Col. 4:6) and our words should be “good for edification according to the need of the moment” (Eph. 4:29). The goal of exposing darkness isn’t to make ourselves appear holy. The goal is to glorify God and save the lost. We should not be embarrassed of our Father’s morality, nor should we watch silently as the world is consumed and destroyed by darkness. After all, we are children of God and of light.
