Paul had explained the unity of Jewish and Gentile believers in the church and had prayed for the realization of that unity in experience (2:11-3:21). He now told how to attain a spiritual walk, namely a life that manifests the Holy Spirit's control.
"The key word in this last half of the book is walk(Eph. 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15), while the key idea in the first half is wealth."
He began by stressing the importance of walking (or living) in unity. God will not enforce unity in answer to prayer. Believers have a responsibility to obey Him as well.
In the first part of this chapter Paul stressed the importance of living in unity in the church. He turned next to the importance of living in holiness.
"The Bible was written to be obeyed, and not simply studied, and this is why the words therefore' and wherefore' are repeated so often in the second half of Ephesians (4:1, 17, 25; 5:1, 7, 14, 17, 24)."114
In addition to calling his readers to walk in unity (4:1) and holiness (4:17), Paul urged them to walk in love (5:2). He first advocated positive love (vv. 1-2) and then negatively warned to abstain from evil (vv. 3-6).
5:1 "Therefore"does not introduce a conclusion to what has preceded, but it gives a reason for what follows. It is only normal and natural for children to imitate their parents. So too should the children of God imitate their heavenly Father (cf. Matt. 5:48; Luke 6:36).
5:2 This verse explains how we are to imitate God, namely by loving. The measure and model of our love should be Christ's love for us. He loved us to the extent of dying for us. His self-sacrifice was pleasing and acceptable to God as a sweet aroma. Jesus' death was both an offering of worship to God as the burnt and meal offerings in Judaism and a sacrifice of expiation as the sin and trespass offerings. We also express our love most when we lay down our lives for those we love, particularly God (1 John 3:16).
5:3 The self-centered practices introduced here are the opposite of love. There should be no hint of them in the believer's life. Sexual immorality was common among unsaved Gentiles, but it is totally inappropriate for saints. Impurity is a broader term that includes all types of uncleanness (cf. 4:19). Greed is the lust for more and is essentially idolatry (v. 5).
5:4 The Christian's speech should also demonstrate love (cf. 4:29). Filthiness or obscenity refers to dirty speech. Silly or foolish talk (lit. stupid words) probably describes talk that just wastes time, not necessarily "small talk."Coarse jesting does not mean joking necessarily but vulgar joking that relies on clever word plays such as double entendres. This type of speech is inappropriate for saints who should be full of thanksgiving since we have received so much. Thanksgiving is also edifying.
5:5 Paul warned his readers against improper conduct by reminding them that people who practice such things sacrifice an inheritance in the kingdom to come, namely the millennial kingdom (cf. 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:21).123The AV, NKJV, and NIV have "any inheritance,"and the NASB has "an inheritance,"but the Greek text omits the article: "does not have inheritance."Since Paul had already said that all believers have an inheritance in Christ (1:3-14), he was evidently contrasting unbelievers with believers (cf. 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:21; Matt. 19:16; Mark 10:17; Luke 18:18).
Interpreters who take this verse as evidence that a truly saved person cannot and will not practice these vices overlook the fact that some genuine believers live carnal lives (cf. 1 Cor. 3:1-4).124
5:6 This verse further stresses the urgency of living lives of love rather than selfishness. The empty words in view would be words teaching that living a moral Christian life is unimportant. They are empty because they are void of content, containing no truth. If the wrath of God is presently coming on the sons of disobedience (cf. 2:2), certainly His own sons can expect His discipline when they practice the same things. Since God is holy He deals with sin wherever He finds it, in unbelievers and in believers alike.
The resumptive inferential particle translated "Therefore"marks the beginning of a new paragraph in Paul's thought (cf. 4:1, 17; 5:1, 15). He related three commands concerning walking (living) in the light in these verses and added reasons and explanations to motivate and to assist his readers.
5:7 It is inconsistent for the objects of God's love (v. 2) to become fellow partakers (3:6) with the objects of God's wrath (v. 6) by joining in selfish, immoral, impure conduct. This verse contains the first command.
5:8 The reason Christians should not partake with unbelievers in their evil deeds is that we were formerly darkness (cf. 4:17-19) but are now light having trusted Jesus Christ (2:1-3; 3:17-24; cf. Matt. 5:14; Col. 12:1-13). The second command is to walk as children of light. Obviously it is possible for the children of light not to walk (live) as children of light. Otherwise the command would be unnecessary.
5:9 The fruit of the light is those qualities that characterize God's life (i.e., the fruit that the Spirit produces). The three qualities mentioned here are the opposite of the fruit of darkness (4:18-19). If the child of light does not walk in the light, he will not bear much of the fruit of the light (cf. John 15:1-6). He might even be outwardly indistinguishable from a child of darkness (cf. Matt. 13:24-30).
5:10 As the child of light walks as a child of light (v. 8b), he will continually try to discover what the will of God is so he can do it and please God.
5:11 Children of light should also abstain from joining the sons of disobedience in their deeds but should rather reprove their deeds because they are unfruitful (cf. v. 9). This is Paul's third command in this section. It is the deeds that Christians must shun, not the people who do them. We reprove these deeds as we bring the light (v. 9) next to them. This exposes them for what they are.
5:12 Believers should not even discuss the secret dark deeds of unbelievers in normal conversation. Discussing these things will just draw attention to them and may make them attractive to the carnal minded. It is better to keep what they do in the dark in the dark.
5:13 On the other hand, when light shines on evil deeds, other people see them for what they are, namely evil. This verse is not contradicting the previous one. Paul was assuring his readers that God will bring evil to the light one day and show it to be what it is. He Himself will bring all evil to the light eventually. Everything that becomes visible "is light"in the sense that it becomes obvious, not that it is good.
5:14 Since God will bring all things into the light (v. 13), it is important that believers wake up and rise from the deadness of their former unsaved lifestyles. If they do, Christ will shine on them in blessing as the sun warms what its rays touch. The source from which Paul quoted seems to have been an early Christian poem or hymn based on Isaiah 60:1.125
Paul introduced a new thought with the repetition of "Therefore"and "walk"for the fifth time. We can walk (live) wisely by letting the Holy Spirit control our lives.
"For Paul, the Christian faith was not an abstract exercise in theological discourse. Instead it called for a different way to relate to others."126
