UNITY – Part 10 – Walk in Love and Light
- Understanding your identity in Christ is not only important for you to walk with Christ – but also for your ability to walk with eachother –
- THIS is the argument Paul has been laying for us – Unity flows out from your identity.
Paul has been building this case that in order for us to truly have peace and unity with one another – we must individually first have peace and unity with God.
- That’s what the gospel that Paul has been unpacking has been all about –
- God took us from this – people who are separated – people who are children of wrath as Ephesians 2 says – People who are dead in sin –
- and God has brought us back to life – he calls us called – redeemed, chosen – free, loved all of these BIG theological concepts
- we have been GIVEN in Christ –
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
- This is coming off right from the end of chapter four –
- don’t talk about each other corruptly – build eachother up
- don’t lie to eachother – tell the truth
- Don’t steal from eachother – but rather be generous
- and he keeps doing this until –
he builds to the grand crescendo – “Be kind to one another – tenderhearted – forgiving each other – as Christ has forgiven you – you are to forgive one another.”
- This limitless love that we have been talking about that forgives and reconciles and seek restoration – you are to go to all lengths to do the same thing too
It is here he says – “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
A theologian once said – “you become what you behold”
- meaning – you become like the people you look up to – you become like the things you fantasize about – you become like the people that you let close to you.
WALK IN LOVE
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
The first way that Paul tells us to imitate God is it to “walk in love”
– What Love ISNT
Love is not primarily a Feeling –
Love does not necessarily mean acceptance –
- Agape can mean a few different things – but as it is used in this passage is a “self-sacrifical love” that is not based off feelings – but remains constant whether feelings present or not // it’s not transactional for it is present even if it is not reciprocated // agape – is giving of one-self, sacrifically to someone else for their betterment
But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.
- Paul here is talking about how our identity in Christ affects our actions toward one another – and our words towards one another. Or – what we do and we say.
For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolator), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
- Those who live in sin – who continually live out this identity – they may go to church – they may say they are a Christian – with no remorse, with no intention of change – show that they have never accepted Christ and are still in darkness.
WALK IN LIGHT
Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light.
We are not to take part in darkness – If we have been given a new identity – we are not to join into the darkness – rather – Paul says – you used to be darkness – the old identity was DARKNESS – now you have been given an identity of light –
- what he is saying is as you walk in love – as you live out your identity in Christ – it is like being light in a dark room. It exposes darkness – it uncovers it –
- it allows others to see things as they actually are – it helps people see what is right – and true and lovely.
- But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you.”