Children of Light

Walk as children of light:—

I. ATTEND TO THE CHARACTER APPLIED TO THE HEIRS OF GRACE. “Children of light,” as opposed to the “children of darkness.” 1. On account of their celestial extraction. 2. It denotes their spiritual illumination. 3. It signifies the purity of their hearts. 4. It refers to the sanctity of their conduct. 5. It means that they have an inheritance of this description in heaven.

II. THE APOSTLE’S EXHORTATION—“Walk as children of light.” 1. Shine in your conduct towards your minister. Hold him in high reputation. Submit to him, Pray for him. Receive his advice. Provide for him. 2. Shine one towards another. Cultivate unanimity. A spirit of forbearance. Help each other. Preserve a high esteem one for another, and seek to have your affection increased. Conduct yourselves towards each other with the strictest fidelity. 3. Shine in your conduct towards all around you in the world.

III. IMPROVEMENT. 1. Be circumspect. 2. Be humble. 3. Take care of an implacable spirit. 4. Be steady in your profession. 5. Take the Word of God for your guide. 6. Pray that your minister may be faithful. (The Pulpit.)

I. WHAT IS IT TO BE CHILDREN OF LIGHT? It denotes several things. 1. Descent. They are called children of light who are of the Father of lights. Christ, the light of the world, is formed in them. 2. Propriety. 3. Destination. 1 Sam. 20:31, one who is near to, worthy of, destined to, death; so children of light, because ordained to it. 4. Residence. They abide in the light. 5. Constitution. Their minds, hearts, affections, are of a lightsome, i.e., a spiritual and heavenly temper; spiritual light in their minds, holiness in their wills, joy, delight, hopes of glory in their hearts. 6. Obligation. Those that are converted are in this sense children of light, because they are obliged to walk as those that are enlightened from above; to walk holily, to be followers of God as dear children. There are strong engagements laid upon them, they are bound by covenant thus to walk.

II. WHAT IS IT TO WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT? 1. To walk at a distance from darkness (ver. 11); from sin, which is the work, which is the cause of all those woeful things which the Holy Ghost expresses by darkness. “What communion has fight with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14). He speaks of it as a most absurd, incongruous thing, that those that are light should mingle with darkness. Every degree of darkness is contrary to light; so every sin, small or great, open or secret, is opposite, contrary, altogether unbeseeming the blessed relation of a child of light. 2. To walk boldly; to be herein followers of God as dear children. How followers of God? The apostle tells us (1 Pet. 1:15, 16), the light of holiness should shine in the lives of those that are Christ’s; holiness both exercised and diffused. Walking denotes motion and activeness. 3. Exemplarily. Children of light must walk so as to be light unto others, and this in divers particulars. (1) Unblameably. So as to give no cause of offence to the weak, nor no cause of reproach to the wicked. (2) Their walking should be convictive. It should discover and manifest the sinfulness of those who walk in the ways of darkness. (3) Their walking should be imitable, i.e., worthy of imitation; so order their ways as they may be a pattern unto others; so shine, as others may follow the light, not in affectation of pre-eminence, or singularity, in unwarranted opinions or practices; but in close following of Christ, and walking exactly according to the rule of holiness. (4) Their walking should be an ornament to their profession. 4. Cheerfully. Being children of light, they are children of joy. That is their portion, they are all Barnabases, sons of consolation, and should walk accordingly. If it be inquired how we may walk as children of light? 1. Walk not according to opinion. This can have no better ground than vain opinion, which Moses followed not, when he “chose rather to suffer,” &c., and “accounted the reproach of Christ,” &c. (Heb. 11:25, 26). He had not respect to common opinion, but to something else; nor did the apostle regard it, but something of another nature (2 Cor. 4:16–18). 2. Follow the light of the Word fully. Make use of it to discover the whole will of God concerning the duty of His children, that you may comply with it, and order heart and life by it. Decline no part of it, whatever it be. 3. Walk above the world and earthly things. Children of light are clothed with the sun; the moon, the world is under their feet (Rev. 12:1). It has no high place in their minds or hearts; riches, pleasures, honours, and respect are thrown down in their thoughts, and cast out of their affections, they are not the design of their lives; the world is their footstool everywhere, and serves, does not command them. 4. Walk in the sight of heaven. Children of the light are the “children of the kingdom,” heirs of heaven and glory, begotten again to an inheritance, &c. And that is one reason why they are called children of light, because they are heirs of the inheritance of the saints in light. (Ibid.)

Exell, J. S. (n.d.). The Biblical Illustrator: Ephesians (pp. 502–503). Fleming H. Revell Company. (Public Domain)