by Gloria S. Akande

Created on: November 10, 2009   Last Updated: November 12, 2009

Ephesians 5:8

"For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of the light."

We must know the meaning of the contrasting terms of darkness and light in order to grasp the meaning of this passage. Knowing this will ameliorate our understanding of this verse in Paul's letter to the Ephesians of the Bible. This verse states that once we were in darkness. What is meaning of darkness? Darkness is a place where there is an absence of light or illumination, where there is absence of God. Darkness is the place of shadows, a condition of a soul in which there is no enlightenment and where one feels that he/she has no value. Darkness is iniquity, wickedness and Satan. To be in the state of darkness is to be living in the shadows, to be imitating Satan, being full of iniquity, immorality, unethical behavior, having impure acts and committing acts of depravity, being greedy and deceptive. It is keeping the inner man hidden by those who lack discernment so that the inner wickedness will not be discovered. Darkness is being in ignorance of the way things can be, choosing the status quo and the party line either because it is easy to do so just just because you do not have the wisdom to seek knowledge.

This verse states that "you are now light". What is being light? Light is the visible ray or source of illumination. It is a contrasting view or perspective of life. It can be a single opinion that shines brightly and in contrast to others that may be contrived through the ignorance of darkness. Being light is a condition of the soul. It is having the living Christ dwelling within us. When Christ dwells within us we have a friend that has knowledge of the things of this world. We are no longer blind. Our eyes have a different perspective from that of the ordinary man that outshines the perspective of most men. As God is light, His same vitality exists in us as we are immersed in light. We are ethical beings of high moral character. We love others like we love ourselves and we love God. We are no longer selfish or greedy. We are no longer perverse. We find no task menial or beneath us.

We are told to live as children of the light, children of God. As children of God we are to be full of goodness, righteousness and truthfulness. We are to do what is pleasing to God. The spirit of disobedience should no longer be working in us. The spirit of light is that of goodness and whatever is beneficial and pleasing in God's sight. It is that which should be natural to us and that which propagates excellence. Light is righteousness which conforms to the law of God. It is Christ in us that makes us righteous before God. Light is the Truth. We are no loner imprisoned. We are no longer oppressed by the darkness, but we have been set free by our knowledge of Christ and the Truth.

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