-So these two concepts are connected, intertwined. We are pursuing the things which bring God pleasure, and we are refusing the unfruitful deeds of darkness. We reject the latter out of hand. The deeds of darkness would be anything someone would not want to be caught doing, something blatantly and obviously wrong, and would certainly encompass anything which you would not be willing to do if, say, Jesus were standing right next to you in the flesh. These things Paul has just been describing for us (beginning in Ephesians 4.14 and continuing on through 5.6), but would primarily include the immorality and impurity and greed (Ephesians 4.19, 5.3), as well as the deceit (Ephesians 4.14, 4.25, 5.6).
-The prohibition here is two-sided. Don’t be sharing in any way in these deeds (which is a repetition of what Paul just said in Ephesians 5.7 - don’t be partaking with them) - DO NOT join in with those who do them, BUT instead be correcting them (the Greek word Paul uses is most often translated as reprove or convict). Merely exposing the deeds is neutral at best. What most likely results is shame and disgrace. Rather, what we are aiming at is change of behavior (and heart). Yes, it may very well be that in order for change to take place that the deeds may need to be made public and there may indeed need to be serious consequences, but in no way are we trying to merely bring shame or disgrace on anyone. We are refuting and convincing those thus engaged in these dark deeds, those living apart from God and the life that He desires, that the path they are on is the way of death. And we have the cure! Thus our response is also not a quarantine. We do not cordon ourselves off those who are dying. No cloistered monasticism, this. We engage with the world lost in darkness, we get them the cure. We light up the darkness with the Truth of Jesus and lead out ones who have been enslaved to the deeds of darkness, mired in a fruitless existence which only leads to death. The Ultimate Rescue Mission.
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