Ephesians 5:11
Take no part in the unfruitful iworks of darkness, but instead jexpose them.
I think this passage gets taken out of context a lot and is sometimes used by Christians as permission to live an exclusive life totally separated from the lost that so desperately need the message of Christ.
As I read through the daily reading posted on our Crossroads facebook site today, this verse really stuck out to me.
I believe that we must be set apart in our actions, in where we go and what we participate in so that others will not fall into sin that are weaker than we are. We are to demonstrate what it means to be in a relationship with Christ by how we live everyday. Otherwise - we look just like the rest of the world and no one sees their need for a Savior.
This Christ-like living has nothing to do with 'earning' our way to heaven, or placing check marks next to lists of rules, but everything to do with a desire to mature in Christ - to look more and more like Him the older in Him we get. Much like our earthly children begin to reflect some of our physical looks and habits as they become adults. (hopefully only picking up the good traits!)
The local church in many cases throughout history created lists of rules and regulations requiring ridiculous things of their attendees - their followers. This is how the Pharisees got in so much trouble. Keeping track of what people did right and wrong - in their eyes. Many of their laws had absolutely nothing to do with what Christ asks of us.
We are to take part in NO unfruitful work of darkness.
Today I will examine my day - trying to let no unclean - darkness steal even a minute of my thoughts, my actions and my words. I long to be set-apart so that my life creates a curiosity in people around me that can be satisfied only by coming to know my Lord...
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