We are studying Ephesians in our chronological study of the New Testament that I’ve been leading our church’s women study through for some six years and counting. Last week, we discussed Ephesians 5, which includes the verse, “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them” (Ephesians 5:11).
I was actually quite cautious about this verse in our discussion. It is preceded by, “you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8-10).
The idea of “fruit of the Light” is akin to the idea of the “fruit of the Holy Spirit” (I’ve written about the Holy Spirit, which is promised to all believers in Jesus Christ, here and here) discussed in Galatians 5:22-23: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” These are contrasted to the “deeds of the flesh” in Galatians 5:19-21: “immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these.”
My caution regarding the call to expose evil deeds was that it be motivated by the fruit of Light or the fruit of Holy Spirit, so that we are not guilty of any “deeds of the flesh” or anything that is displeasing to the Lord. 1 Peter 2:1 tells us we are to put away, “all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.” The Ninth Commandment tells us, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16).
We have endured much in the way of enmity, strife, anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, malice, deceit, slander, and false witness at the hands of our neighbors in the past four years. I did not want to provide any fodder for wrong behavior with wrong motivation. We talked about evil that might need to be exposed for the protection of another. I can make plenty of Biblical arguments for not engaging in my own defense (Exodus 14:14 and 1 Corinthians 6:7 are examples), trusting God for the outcome, but the defense of my neighbor who I am supposed to love as myself (Luke 10:27), being careful to avoid all that is displeasing to the Lord and not of the fruit of Light or the Spirit, seems a reasonable motivation to expose evil deeds.
As I reflected on our group discussion after the fact, I was surprised that the example of exposing medical wrongs inflicted over the last four years did not occur to me, though I have been engaged in that since March 2020. Proverbs 24:11 has been a source of conviction (“Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back”), but Ephesians 5:10 was new conviction.
Isaiah 30:21 says, “Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” Sometimes we know we are being led by the Lord. Sometimes we realize it after the fact when He provides confirmation by saying, “This is the way.” I’ve struggled whether to write about this. It was strangely significant to me that it never occurred to me that something I’ve been involved in was relevant to our public discussion. It was a sweet confirmation from the Lord after the fact, something I did not seek but something my loving Lord offered. So, why share? Because we all need courage and encouragement.
May we be strong and courageous (Deuteronomy 31:6), following the God we love and trust as He leads us in loving our neighbors as ourselves, exposing evil, when necessary, for the protection of others.
Love this! Thank you!🙏🏽
Thank you for this. Father Mike had a "Bible in a Year" podcast episode (unfortunately, I cannot remember which one) where He talked about how each of us will have a specific purpose and God will give us specific direction to take up a particular issue, but that none of us are called to address every issue, how it was very important to seek discernment to figure out God's will for you. You have certainly answered God's calling for you.