The apostle John repeatedly used the “light” metaphor in relation to the Messiah. For example, he writes that Jesus is “the true light that gives light to every man” (John 1:9). In 1 John 1:7 he says, “If we walk in the light as He [God] is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” In verse 5, John says that God’s very nature is light. Jesus, then, is the conduit or provider of light to the world. We need to be ethical light when we are in the office, in the classroom, in the shop, and in the Church. We must be willing to risk being called “negative,” “narrow,” “judgmental,” “puritanical,” or “bigoted.” If God’s Spirit is calling us to stand up against wrong, it is up to us to be faithful. 9 Now what does light mean? What are we talking about? Very important, if we are to live in light we have to know what light is. Now, let me tell you very simply, light is a symbol in the Bible, and it is a symbol for two things, two aspects. First of all, it is used from the intellectual side, and secondly, it is used from the moral side. Intellectually, light refers to truth. Light refers to truth, intellectually. Morally, light refers to holiness. So it is the intake and the output. It is the truth and the life. Living in light, then, means living in truth and living in holiness. Receiving the truth and living a holy life. Hughes, R. K. (1990). Ephesians: the mystery of the body of Christ (p. 167). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. Our exposure of darkness is not just indirect; it is also direct. We must call lying “sin,” cheating “sin,” adultery “sin,” and fornication and homosexuality “sin”— again, often incurring the wrath of the world for doing so.

Many have noted how goodness seems to focus primarily on how we relate to others, righteousness on how we relate to God, and truth on how we relate to ourselves. Teacher's Outline and Study Bible - Commentary - Teacher's Outline and Study Bible – Ephesians: The Teacher's Outline and Study Bible. Very few people look at the reflections life gives them and see what they’d like to see. Even the people closest to us don’t respond to us without adding their own slant—their own opinions, expectations, and beliefs—to what we say or do. We’ll begin the journey of Royal Yoga by untangling the mixed reflections our social self is creating, because that’s the only way to change how we relate to others and how they respond to us. We have a choice: Our social self can be radiant with light and lightness, or it can simply be an outer shell, created to serve our ego and burnish our self-image.Pausing to be aware is a powerful way to defuse any self-defeating behavior. If after pausing your anger comes out anyway, you have still made a start. When you are calmer, ask if your outburst made the situation better. If you can see clearly that it didn’t—it probably made the situation worse—you have taken another step toward inner awareness. Some brands, like eatCleaner, insist their washes can also extend shelf life by as much as five times — thanks to a unique mix of ingredients, including antioxidants and fruit acids. Since you are God's dear children, you must try to be like him. 2 ( A)Your life must be controlled by love, just as Christ loved us and gave his life for us as a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice that pleases God.

We have been translated, Colossians1 says, out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son, which is a kingdom of light, because He said, “I am the light of the world; whosoever followeth Me shall not walk in”– what –“darkness.” I don’t think there’s any middle ground. I think when you were saved you were taken out of darkness into light. You say, “Well, what about when we sin?” Well, when you sin, you do the deeds of darkness, but you do them in the light. And they are manifest. Right? They are manifest. And we’ll see more about that as we go. We are to walk, Ephesians5:8, we are to walk as children of light. Listen, people: if we are the children of light, if we are the sons of light, if we are the sons of the day, if God is our Father, and He is light, and then we are the light of the world, we are to live that way. Commentators are not sure where this quote comes from. Some believe he is drawing from Isaiah 60:1: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.” Others believe he is drawing from an Easter hymn sung by the early church. It was probably used as an invitation to unbelievers visiting congregations. 12 I’ve told you before, you’ve got to make people feel rotten first; then make them feel good. They’ve got to feel bad, and then they know they need to feel good. We’re not only not to fellowship, we’re to expose it. Now listen, people: you know what’s wrong with us in most cases? As Christians, you know, we don’t see this contrast as dramatically as God sees it, just light and darkness. I mean we are just out of that system altogether. But here we are, we’re piddling around, playing around with the deeds of darkness, miles from being a spiritual CIA, from really going after and uncovering evil. You know, we should be so mature, and so far along, that we can expose evil, that we can search it out, and expose it, and offer the diagnosis and the cure. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. (Ephesians 5:13)

Some things are so vile that they should be discussed in as little detail as possible, because even describing them is morally and spiritually dangerous. Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Our Christian duty is to live in the light God gives: “Now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). When we walk in the light, we cannot walk in darkness. Sin is left in the shadows as we let our light “shine before men” (Matthew 5:16). It is God’s plan for us to become more like Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:3). If you do not daily wrestle with temptations in the areas of money, sex, or power, it is only because you have surrendered to these temptations. Every Christian must confront our common pull to make idols in these areas. In this book, John Piper equips us to fight temptation by firing up our affections for the glory of God in Jesus Christ. He wisely shows us not only what to avoid, but how to rightly enjoy money, sex, and power as part of a life conformed to Christ through the gospel. I expect to give this book to many friends and fellow combatants in this spiritual war.