How Are Christians Supposed to Expose Darkness?
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Ephesians 5:11 cautions Christians, “And do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead even expose them.” How are Christians supposed to expose darkness?
Ephesians 5 has two main themes which spill over into the next chapter (the Bible is a lesson in continuity). In Ephesians 5:1-20, the Apostle Paul instructs believer in holy living. Ephesians 5:21-6:9 is a connection to the previous twenty verses; the passage explains how we are to submit to one another in godliness and humility according to how God orders our walk with Him. Within this passage, we are immersed in instruction to walk as children of light and, in effect, this teaches us how our Christian walk exposes darkness.
Because the Word of God is never short of instructions for us in how to follow the Lord, Ephesians 5:1 begins by telling believers what to do to be imitators of God. What follows in verse 2 is the premier way to imitate Him, “and walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
Paul then launches into a section of “dos” and “do nots” for Christians. It reads almost like a tennis match of behaviors, with one contrasting the other.
Verses 3-8, 11-13, and 17-18 encompass those things which Christians ought not do.
Verses 9-10, 14-16, and 19-21 are instructions on Christian conduct as befitting an imitator of God.
The contrasting nature of the verses will guide our look into exposing darkness. Before reading further, please read Ephesians 5:1-20.
What Is Darkness According to the Bible?
As Paul progresses through the first 20 verses of Ephesians 5, he is giving us a look at the pure light of Christ versus darkness and how it (darkness) is the opposite of the Christian walk.
In the Bible, darkness is frequently used as a metaphor to mean spiritual blindness, sin, evil, and the absence of God’s holy light. Ephesians 5:8 says we Christians were “formerly darkness.” Notice it says we weren’t in darkness; we were darkness. Here we learn this darkness Paul references is a moral or spiritual darkness/blindness. This darkness is the “state of being of the unsaved.”
We understand what we once were and what we are now. We share in the inheritance of the saints (Acts 26:18; Ephesians 1:18; Colossians 1:12), and the people who love their sin are consigned to darkness forever (John 3:19) unless they surrender in repentance and faith to Jesus as Savior and Lord.
To emphasize the depth of darkness the Lord uses to reveal sin’s judgment, let’s look at the darkness spoken of at Jesus’ death on the cross. Luke 23:44-45 states, “It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.” Darkness in this passage represents mourning and God’s judgment, shown literally (no sunlight shone on the scene) and metaphorically as Jesus bore God’s wrath for the sins of the world. That darkness also depicted God’s judgment upon humankind.
How Can Christians Recognize Darkness?
The more we engage with something, the clearer its opposition becomes.
The Bible tells us Jesus’ life is the light of men (John 1:4). God’s Word also says Jesus is the Light of the world (John 9:5). As Christians — because of Jesus — we are also “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14) and cannot be hidden. Because we have died to darkness (what we once were), we are now hidden in Christ. That means our identity is now in Christ; He has covered us in His righteousness.
We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and He is our key to discernment. As we grow in sanctification (conformed to Christ’s image), we learn how to discern behaviors and speech according to biblical standards.
If it’s darkness, we want nothing to do with it, and, as Paul says, we are to have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness. As we grow in Christ, we steer further away from darkness and its deeds and toward the glorious Light of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).
How Are Christians Supposed to Expose Darkness?
Christians are to continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we do, our light shines brighter, and sinful actions of darkness are exposed in their deep contrast to the light. The chasm between a believer and unbeliever grows; their darkness is intensified and our light is strengthened when the Lord takes us from one degree of glory to another (growing more into His image).
Walking by the Spirit is the greatest revealer of darkness because the distinction between righteousness and darkness is heightened. Examples are below:
- Our good deeds stand out against darkness and God gets the glory (Matthew 5:16).
- We speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).
- Christians live and share the gospel with others (1 Corinthians 9:16).
- Compassion clothes us as we confront the behaviors of darkness (Colossians 3:12).
There is no grey area when it comes to surrender to Christ because Jesus said a person is either for Him or against Him (Mark 9:40).
Once Darkness Is Exposed, What Happens Next?
The Bible is explicit in its command to have nothing to do with darkness. Our key verse states this, as does 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” Yes, we interact with unbelievers so they may see God’s work in us and glorify Him (Galatians 1:24), but we don’t form attachments which may damage our witness for Jesus.
Let’s look at how Jesus dealt with spiritual darkness in Luke 8:26-39. The narrative focuses on Jesus’ healing of a man possessed with not one but many demons. After he was freed from the demons, “The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with Him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’ And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him” (Luke 8:38-39).
As imitators of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1; Ephesians 5:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:6), and as His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), we learn a valuable lesson in this passage. Jesus exposed the darkness to the possessed man (who had not been in his right mind, as we see in verse 35), to His disciples who were with Him, to the herdsmen, and to the local people.
Jesus told the healed man to go to his home and declare how much God had done for him. He went not only to his home but to the whole city and told of the great things Jesus had done for him.
Isn’t that our call when faced with darkness? Ephesians 6:12 tells us, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” The spiritual forces of wickedness are darkness manifested as the evil in the world. We know how to recognize darkness, and we know from where it comes.
Jesus protects us and guides us by enlightening us with His Spirit in us and through His Word. The Holy Spirit works in us through the Scriptures. The verse which immediately follows Ephesians 6:12 tells us to therefore take up the full armor of God to enable us to resist the evil onslaught and stand firm. When we consider the full armor, we realize it’s Jesus. He is our armor and He is our righteousness. Look at what we are to wear on our feet—the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
Just as the man in Luke’s gospel went and proclaimed all about what Jesus had done for him, we are to do the same. We are to proclaim the good news, the gospel, which is Jesus Christ. We aren’t to focus on the darkness, we are instead to focus on the Light. We are on this side of Calvary, and we are to share what Jesus has done, is doing, and is yet to do. As we share Him with others, the darkness fades because His light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome Him (John 1:5).
A Word of Caution
Christians are not to go on “witch hunts.” Ministries exist which spend much time and “ink” on revealing the wrongs of others. Some get out of hand with their accusations, and the exposure turns to condemnation. Christians are not to condemn, for vengeance belongs to the Lord (Romans 12:19). We must trust God with the outcome once the light has shined and revealed the darkness.
As you experience exposed darkness, remember the words of Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.”
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/James Robinson
