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When Ephesians 5:8 says “now you are light in the Lord,” it is not speaking to us just as individuals, but also as members of Christ’s body. Individually and together, we are light in the Lord. Individually and together, we are to live as children of light. Individually and together, we will shine the light of Christ throughout the darkness of the world. You are a mirror and so am I. We will fulfill our reflective calling only when we join together in common work and witness.

Paul was concerned that the recipients of his letter might be enticed by purveyors of empty words to reject a Christ-shaped perspective on life, especially when it comes to sexuality and greed. We have no shortage of such empty words today. In multiple ways, the empty wordsmiths of our world convince us that life is best when filled with sexual exploits and lots of possessions. We can begin to be persuaded that Christian morality is outdated, irrelevant, and oppressive. Thus, Paul’s injunction to the Ephesians deserves a new hearing today: Let no one deceive you with empty words. Listen for the truth of words. Seek their substance. Pay attention to those who lives reflect the solidness of their words. Let the words you speak be full of meaning and love.

The more we allow the written Word of God to permeate our minds and hearts, the more we will be able to pray in light of God’s true nature and true will. When we pray in this way, not only will we find that our prayers are answered positively, but...

The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is a sign, a guarantee of the full redemption that is coming. Then God will make all things fully right—including us. In that day, our relationships will be completely what God intends them to be. All of our words will build up, offer grace, celebrate beauty, and be expressions of love. So when we act and speak in ways contrary to our future redemption we grieve the Spirit who is the guarantee of that redemption.

Many of us simply don’t know how to stop working. We don’t have boundaries to keep us from working all the time. The fact that God rested a whole day after working six days and then instructed us to do the same hasn’t made a difference in our lives. The fact that Jesus escaped from his work into the wilderness in order to be alone for rest and prayer doesn’t seem to commend our imitation.

Ephesians 4:28 doesn’t explain why we should work hard. But its imperative grows out of the broader biblical understanding of work. You and I as human beings were created to work, to use our full capacities in order to ensure that God’s creation functions as it is supposed to, leading to fruitful living for all creatures (Genesis 1:27-28). Of course when sin entered in work became more difficult and painful. Yet, this does not mean that all hard work is wrong or to be avoided. In fact, some of the most rewarding experiences of life come as we invest our full energies in a worthwhile project.

In Ephesians, the church is not a particular organization, one with programs and buildings and budgets. Rather, the church comprises the people of God. It is the living body of Christ, in which all Christians participate. The church isn’t limited to one particular community, one location, or one gathering of people. Rather, it is the sum total of all who have received God’s grace through faith in Christ. Ephesians does not denigrate the value of the local, gathered church. But its focus is broader and bigger.

It’s worth remembering that our position, privilege, and responsibility are meant to bless others, not just ourselves. Giving thanks for our blessings is intended to provoke us to respond to those blessings in a way that benefits others. We are called as God’s people to care for those who are disadvantaged—“the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns (that they) may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands” (Deuteronomy 14:29).