Love First Love: Walking in Love and Light / Ephesians 5:1-14

Walking in Our New Nature

Well, church, it is good to see you here again this evening as you grab your seats. Ephesians chapter five is where we are going to be tonight. So if you have a Bible, open up to Ephesians chapter five.

If you are a guest among us, we have been studying a book in our New Testament called Ephesians. This was a letter that the apostle Paul wrote to some churches in an area called Ephesus, in modern-day Turkey. This letter was delivered to communicate the importance of both the nature and the work of Christ and Christ’s church.

Here is what we have seen so far in this book. The first three chapters were focused on who Jesus is and what Jesus has done—His work on the cross to take a broken and fallen people and restore them back into a relationship with God the Father by substituting Himself. Our unrighteousness fell on Him, and His righteousness fell on us, so that our sins are forgiven, and we can stand holy and blameless before God, finding salvation through Christ and Him alone. By that, He has made us into a new creation. The old has gone, and the new has come. We are now Christ’s display of the gospel at work, changing the very nature of who we are. That is chapters one through three.

Starting in chapter four, Paul begins to teach the implications of this new identity. He shows the implications of this new nature we have received and how this grace plays out in multiple areas of our lives. We have seen how it changes the church—how God can take a diverse group of people who would never naturally hang out together in a room like this, yet here we all are tonight. That is the evidence of God’s grace and His gospel at work, unifying us even though we may not be uniform.

We have also seen how He begins to shift the old desires of our heart that longed for the lust of our flesh and the exaltation of self. He transforms those desires so that Jesus Christ becomes the chief object of our affections. Out of this new nature, we run from the old life to this new one He saved us into. Last week, we saw how even areas of our morality begin to change and represent the God who saved us. Over time, falsehoods are replaced with truth. Anger transforms into self-control. People who once stole are transformed into people who give generously. Hostility transforms into kindness and forgiveness toward one another. All of this is evidence of the new nature we have received in Jesus Christ and the ongoing transformation the Holy Spirit works within us.

Now in chapter five, we come to part two of that message. We are going to look at this new life and this new holiness we have been saved to walk in. But instead of studying the holiness of the Christian life against the backdrop of Jesus Himself, like we did last week, Paul is now going to show us the holiness of the Christian life against the backdrop of the world we once came from.

Imitators of the Father

Notice how Paul continues his thought from the end of chapter four into verse one of chapter five, summing up everything we have been talking about:

Ephesians 5:1 (NASB)

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;

In chapter four, verse one, he told us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. Now he says the exact same thing: imitate God. Live out this new nature you have been given. Walk in accordance with the reality of who you now are. In doing so, you reflect your heavenly Father, just as any child should look more and more like their biological parents as they grow up.

That is, unless you grew up in my family, where something went weirdly wrong. I was the only redhead born in my family, and we have no idea where it came from. I have two older brothers whose life purpose was to ruin mine. They had me convinced up until about age six that I was hatched in the orangutan pen at the Dallas Zoo. I am still scarred to this day. I still need a hug right now! But for all of you normal families who did not experience that kind of mental abuse growing up, chances are you look a lot like one or both of your parents. If you have kids, they probably look like you. That is the natural design.

Paul says it works the same way spiritually. The old you does not exist anymore. You have been saved as a new creation, and you do not look like your former father, the devil. Through your new nature and your new position in Christ, the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work is to get you looking more and more like your heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. So, imitate Him.

Walking in Love

How do we do that? What is the principal virtue we are called to imitate? What is the one mark that should define how we reflect our heavenly Father more than any other? He tells us in verse two:

Ephesians 5:2 (NASB)

and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

You do it by walking in love. Love is the highest virtue. When you study the lists of virtues throughout Scripture, love is almost always at the very top. It is the primary mark of a believer reflecting their heavenly Father.

What kind of love are we talking about here? The chief example of love is given right there in verse two: just as Christ loved you and gave Himself up for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God. This defines what love actually is. You do not need to look to Hollywood for a definition of love. You do not need to look to your boyfriend, your girlfriend, or your friends. Your definition is Jesus Christ. How did He exhibit His love for us? By laying down His life on a cross for us, exchanging His life for ours. When Jesus died on the cross, He died once for all so that all who put their faith in Him receive new life through His substitutionary sacrifice. He took the penalty our sin deserved, which was death.

Likewise, Paul says to walk in your new nature by walking in love—by mimicking the example you have in Jesus Christ and laying down your life as well. Does that mean physical martyrdom? For some, it might. Church history is filled with martyrs. In fact, more people are being martyred for Jesus Christ around the world today than in the entire previous history of the church combined. But by and large, in our context, we understand this to mean a daily dying to self.

Paul summarizes the entire book of Ephesians in Galatians chapter two:

Galatians 2:20 (NASB)

’I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the [life] which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

That first half—“I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives within me”—that is Ephesians one through three. That is our identity in Christ. We have died, been buried, and been raised with Him to newness of life. It is not our old self anymore; it is Christ in us.

The second half—“the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me”—that is Ephesians four through six. That is what it means to live out our identity by faith in Jesus through a daily death to self, made alive to Christ by the Holy Spirit.

Guarding Against Moral Drift

Those first two verses summarize where we have been, but in verse three, the focus shifts. Paul begins to show how this new life stands in stark contrast to the life we left behind.

If you are taking notes, verses three through ten give us a snapshot of the defensive posture of the believer. It shows how we guard against moral drift and walk in holiness, making no provision for the flesh. Then, in verse eleven and onward, he shifts to an offensive posture—guarding against missional drift.

Notice what Paul says should no longer characterize the believer:

Ephesians 5:3 (NASB)

But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;

Just like at the end of chapter four, Paul explains that these things should not even be named among us because they do not fit who we are. He lists three specific vices that are common struggles for all people and dangerous temptations for believers looking back at their old life. All three share a single root: selfishness. They exist for the self-exaltation and gratification of the flesh at the expense of others and Christ.

First, he mentions immorality. In the Greek, this is the word porneia. We get our word pornography from it, but its biblical meaning is far broader. Porneia refers to all forms of sexual deviance outside of God’s ordained plan—whether adultery, homosexuality, premarital sex, or any other sexual expression outside the lifelong covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. Scripture clearly states that anything deviating from God’s design is sin for two primary reasons. First, it rebels against God’s created order. We are made in God’s image to reflect His divine order, and deviating from that distorts His character. Second, at the root of all sexual immorality is self-centeredness. It seeks personal gratification at the expense of someone else. That is entirely counter to the gospel, where Christ gave Himself up for the good of others.

Second, he mentions impurity. Impurity moves from external actions to internal motivations. It refers to anything unclean. You can do something that looks good externally, but if it is driven by impure motives, it is unclean. Our lives should not be marked by impure motivations that run counter to the gospel.

Third, he mentions greed. Greed is an insatiable craving to have more and more—coveting what someone else has because you believe what God has given you is not enough. It will step on anyone to get what it wants. But the gospel tells us that Jesus Christ alone is truly sufficient for the human soul.

Paul says these three self-indulgent sensualities may be celebrated by the world, but they should not even be named among God’s people because they are improper for saints.

“Saint” is an important biblical word. The Greek word is hagios, meaning “holy ones.” In Scripture, sainthood is not a status reserved for a few elite Christians who performed miracles. It is applied to the entire church—to every single person who has put their faith in Jesus Christ. You are made holy not because of your own goodness, but because of what Jesus did on the cross. When His blood covered your sins, the great exchange took place. When God looks at you now, He does not see your sin; He sees Christ.

That means when you walked into this room tonight, you did not have to walk in carrying self-condemnation, guilt, or shame over your past failures. You have been cleansed in Jesus Christ. God is not waiting for some future, improved version of you before He decides to love you. He loves you right now. Romans eight reminds us that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. You are a saint; now live in light of that identity and guard against moral drift.

Clean Speech and Clear Truth

In verse four, Paul moves from our actions to our speech, because Jesus taught that what comes out of the mouth flows directly from the heart:

Ephesians 5:4 (NASB)

and [there must be no] filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

He lists three vices of speech: filthiness, silly talk, and coarse joking.

Filthiness refers to rottenness—anything corrupt, obscene, or perverted that distorts the grace of the gospel.

Silly talk comes from the Greek word morologia. It literally means moronic talk. If you ever wanted a Bible verse to prove your roommate is acting foolish, you can look right here! But seriously, do not go around calling people morons; remember verse two calls us to walk in love. The point Paul is making is that our speech should not be foolish, meaningless, or distorting to the truth of the gospel. We should not engage in pointless arguments that tear people down. Our words should build others up and point them to Christ.

Coarse joking describes taking something wholesome and twisting it into something crude or perverted. It refers to living on bar jokes, sexual innuendos, and profane language. A lot of guys struggle with this. We often do not know how to be vulnerable and encourage someone, so when a friend is hurting, we insult them instead. We use crude humor to mask our feelings. But Paul says that kind of speech does not fit who we are in Christ. Instead, our speech should be characterized by thanksgiving.

Paul follows this with a sobering reality in verse five:

Ephesians 5:5 (NASB)

For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Anyone who lives a habitual lifestyle of unrepentant immorality, impurity, or greed has no inheritance in the kingdom of God. If reading that makes you nervous because you realize you struggle with sin, understand this: that verse describes our former condition outside of Christ. Ephesians chapter two tells us that apart from Christ, we were under God’s wrath. Had Jesus not stepped in and shed His blood to forgive us, verse five would be our eternal reality.

Paul is asking the same question he asks in Romans six: Why would you return to the very lifestyle that once sentenced you to death? Why habitually engage in the things Christ died to rescue you from?

He adds a warning in verses six and seven:

Ephesians 5:6-7 (NASB)

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them;

Do not be deceived by people who claim there are no eternal consequences for sin. The Christians in Ephesus were surrounded by a pagan culture that engaged in temple prostitution, idol worship, and greed, and seemed to prosper. Paul warns them not to be fooled. When God does not immediately judge sin, it is not because He overlooks it; it is because He is patient, giving people time to repent. But those who persist in unrepentant rebellion are storing up wrath. As believers, we have been given a new master, so we must not participate in the deeds of darkness.

Walking as Children of Light

Paul roots all of this in our new identity in verses eight and nine:

Ephesians 5:8-9 (NASB)

for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light [consists] in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Do we still stumble and make mistakes? Absolutely. But your position in Christ is secure. You are a new creation.

Light in Scripture is a picture of truth exposing what was previously hidden. The light of the gospel broke into our dark hearts, exposed our idolatry, and led us to repentance and faith in Christ. Now, that same light continues to expose areas of our lives day by day, renewing the way we think, live, and love.

We all know this process of transformation is messy. It is a daily struggle. We often fail to do what we want to do and find ourselves doing the very things we hate. That is why verse ten is such an encouragement:

Ephesians 5:10 (NASB)

trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

“Trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” In the original language, that is in the present progressive tense. It is an ongoing, lifelong process. We are constantly learning, testing, and discerning what pleases God. Every day, we must test our actions, our words, and our desires to see whether they belong to darkness or to light. By the Spirit’s power, we are growing in our love for God.

Guarding Against Missional Drift

In verse eleven, Paul moves from defense to offense. The goal of the Christian life is not just to avoid sin and retreat into a safe holy huddle. Jesus prayed in John 17 that we would be in the world, not taken out of it, so that we could shine as lights in the darkness.

Ephesians 5:11-13 (NASB)

Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.

We have to guard against two major pitfalls. The first is moralism—thinking the Christian life is merely about being a good, clean person by our own strength. The same grace that saved you is the grace that transforms you. The second pitfall is missional drift—becoming so inwardly focused on our own safety that we hide our light from the world.

In Matthew chapter five, Jesus said that we are the light of the world and a city on a hill. You do not light a lamp just to hide it under a basket; you put it on a stand so it gives light to everyone in the room. We are called to be light-bearers and fishers of men, not just keepers of the aquarium.

Paul closes this section with a wake-up call in verse fourteen:

Ephesians 5:14 (NASB)

For this reason it says, ‘Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.’

Paul quotes an early Christian hymn or an adaptation of Isaiah to tell the church: Wake up! Our time is short. We cannot afford to sleepwalk through life, focused only on ourselves. We need to wake up and let the light of Christ shine through us.

Missional drift is almost always tied to moral drift. When we lose sight of our mission, we inevitably drift into sin.

I have shared this illustration before, but it fits so well here. In the television series Band of Brothers, you follow a company of soldiers through the battlefields of World War II. Throughout the series, these men are completely unified and focused on a mission far greater than themselves. But near the end of the series, they enter a liberated town where there is no active battle. For the first time, they have nothing to do, and they let their guard down.

Suddenly, you see these noble soldiers unravel. One breaks into a shop to get drunk; another attempts an assault in a barn. You find yourself wondering how these heroic men could fall into such behavior so quickly.

Then, a patrol is sent outside the town. They crest a hill and suddenly discover a concentration camp filled with starving survivors clinging to life behind barbed wire. The moment those soldiers see the camp, a sobering reality washes over their faces. They are instantly reminded of the reality of the war and why they were sent there in the first place.

When we lose sight of the mission God has given us, we almost always turn inward and begin gratifying the desires of our flesh. When we only think about what we have been saved from rather than what we have been saved for, we start living for our own comfort and our own little kingdoms.

Christ did not just save you from darkness; He put His light inside of you so you could be sent out into a broken world to proclaim the excellencies of His grace.

The Call to Wake Up

This is why Paul calls us to imitate God by walking in love and walking in light.

If you are here tonight and your life feels broken and messy, know that there is real hope for you in Jesus Christ. The gospel can set you free. God is not waiting for a polished version of you; He loved you enough to send His Son while you were still in your sin. You can place your faith in Him tonight and step into new life.

If you are a believer and you find yourself drifting morally, ask yourself if you have lost sight of the mission God has called you to. Ask Him to recalibrate your heart tonight so that your affections belong fully to Jesus—so that you love what He loves and shine His light in a dark world.

Let’s pray together.

Father, we thank You for the power of the gospel. We thank You that while we were once separated from You by our sin, deserving of Your wrath, and chasing our own selfish desires, You broke into our darkness with the light of Jesus Christ. You exposed the emptiness of our idols and gave us a hope that truly satisfies. We ask that You transform us by Your Spirit. Guard us against moral drift and missional drift. Help us to wake up, to walk in love, and to shine as lights for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.