“Having the eyes of your heart enlightened” means we can no longer live in the dark. Through Jesus, God has given His people an illumination of truth so that we are shown the path of a life characterized by righteousness.
Observations:
Children of God
1. The church must live according to the character of God
– by pursuing Christlike love and rejecting immorality
Children of Light
2. The church must live after the fruit of light
– by fleeing evil and exposing evil with resurrection light
Spirit-filled Children
3. The church must live opportunistically wise
– by being controlled by God’s Spirit
Conclusions:
- The child of God is motivated by imitating God
- The child of light is motivated by pleasing God
- The Spirit-filled child is motivated by understanding God’s will
Application:
How do I imitate God?
1. Encourage the study and meditation of God’s truth with each other
How do I please God?
2. Sing
How do I understand God’s will?
3. Give thanks for everything in the name of King Jesus
1 John 1:5-7
“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
2 Peter 1:19
“We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
Romans 8:5-9a
“Those who, live, according to the sinful nature, have their mind set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the spirit have their mind set on with the spirit. The mind of the sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor cannot do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature, but by the spirit, if the spirit of God lives in you.”
1 John 2:5-6
“But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3-7
“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.”
Colossians 3:16
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
Romans 12:2
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”