EPHESIANS 5:11

“Do not participate in the useless deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;”

I remember in elementary school doing science experiments. One experiment involved planting seeds and allowing them to germinate. Once they were all about 2 inches tall, we placed some in the sunlight and others in a dark closet to measure the effect of light on these plants. You know what happened. The plants placed in the dark stopped growing and began to wither while the ones in the light continue to grow and flourish.

Paul is giving the Ephesians this same picture through his words. The Greek word for “useless” is akarpos which is literally “no fruit.” Paul tells them to “not participate” with such deeds. The Greek here literally says don’t have fellowship. There are some things which a believer just cannot participate in. Do I need to name them? I don’t think so. You know. The good rule of thumb is if you have a doubt, don’t do it.

APPLICATION

The Jamieson-Fausett-Brown Bible Commentary says this about these useless or unfruitful deeds of darkness. “Sins are terminated in themselves, and therefore are called ‘works,’ not ‘fruits’ (Ga 5:19, 22). Their only fruit is that which is not in a true sense fruit (De 32:32), namely, ‘death’ (Ro 6:21; Ga 6:8). Plants cannot bear ‘fruit’ in the absence of light. Sin is ‘darkness,’ and its parent is the prince of darkness (Eph 6:12). Graces, on the other hand, as flourishing in ‘the light,’ are reproductive, and abound in fruits; which, as harmoniously combining in one whole, are termed (in the singular) ‘the FRUIT of the Spirit’ (Eph 5:9).”

Well, that is pretty exhaustive. I don’t think I could even attempt to explain it better. Light produces fruit. Darkness produces death. Not only does Paul tells us not to fellowship with these deeds, it’s a command. The Greek verb there is Present Imperative. Don’t do it and keep on not doing it. In other words, Paul is telling the Ephesians to turn their backs on these previous dark deeds they had been part of.

Can you do that? Can you turn your back on your past deeds of darkness? Carl, I don’t have any deeds of darkness to stop. Oh, really? We all have past sins that we drag along like a wet blanket. Drop them now. Give them up. Walk in the light so you can produce the fruit God has called you to produce.

Let me walk in the Light as You are in the Light.