FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT - Conclusion

 Moral darkness. Ephesus was famous for its gross immorality and brazen conduct. Obscene talk was commonly heard in the city's theaters and even at religious festivals. (Ephesians 5:3) Many of its inhabitants were "past all moral sense," and expression that literally means "having ceased to feel pain." (Ephesians 4:17-19) Before learning was truly right or wrong, the Ephesians did not feel pangs of conscience or think that they had any accountability to Jehovah. Paul could thus describe them as being "in darkness mentally and alienated from the life that belongs to God." 

Some of the Ephesians, though, did not remain in darkness. Paul wrote that they were "now light in connection with the Lord." (Ephesians 5:8) They had embraced the light of the Scriptural truth. (Psalm 119:105) These Ephesians had abandoned their false religious practices and immoral conduct. They had "become imitators of God" and were doing their best to worship Jehovah and to please him.

In a similar way, before we learned the truth, we were in religious and moral darkness. Some of us celebrated false religious holidays; others of us pursued an immoral lifestyle. But once we learned about Jehovah's standards of right and wrong, we made changes. We began to bring our life into harmony with his righteous requirements. And as a result, we have enjoyed many benefits.  (Isaiah 48:17) Now, though, we face ongoing challenges. We need to stay away from the darkness that we left behind and "go on walking as children of light." How can we do so? 

Next time: AVOID THE DARKNESS

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