Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Friday after the Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Posted on October 26, 2018 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-14 (NKJV)
 
5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 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.
 
3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 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. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.
 
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:
 
“Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
 
Devotion
 
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light… And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”
 
When Paul says “expose them,” he does not mean broadcast the sins of others in gossip or efforts to bring them scandal. Again, it is a matter of truth. Show sinners that they are in darkness and turn brothers and sisters from their errors. We are to bring the light of God’s Word to them in kind efforts to help them repent and be turned to what is good and right. If sin and misconception blinds others so they don’t see their unfruitful works of darkness, we bring the light of God’s Law to show them their sins in an effort to help them.
 
It is not kind or loving to let the darkness of sin and the corruption of unfruitful works remain as though they are not a problem. Christ brings us His Word and His blessings through the Church so that we can be saved from such things! His good work is to enlighten us with His Spirit and truth, have us repent and be forgiven, and enable us to walk as children of light.
 
We pray: Lord, we beseech Thee to keep Thy household, the Church, in continual godliness, that through Thy protection it may be free from all adversities and devoutly given to serve Thee in good works, to the glory of Thy name; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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