Answer
Ephesians 5:11 delivers a clear directive: “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” The first part of this command urges Christians to avoid sinful deeds, that is, everything contrary to God’s commands. This includes sexual immorality, greed, and foul language (Ephesians 5:3–4). However, adhering to Christian conduct extends beyond mere avoidance of sin; we are also called to expose sin where it is hidden in the darkness. Understanding what it means to expose the works of darkness becomes our responsibility.
In the preceding verse, Paul urged his readers to “find out what pleases the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10), which serves as an initial step. To expose the works of darkness, we must discern the difference between what pleases the Lord and what doesn’t. God defines what’s right and wrong, not we, and not societal norms. Once we’ve established the parameters of right and wrong from God’s perspective, we take a public stand for righteousness and denounce evil deeds. In contemporary culture, defining right and wrong can be perceived as judgmental, particularly when God’s standards clash with worldly values. Nevertheless, God commands us not to ignore evil but rather to unveil its dangers and encourage others to steer clear of it.
In a post-Christian culture, Christians live like Israelites in Babylon. Much of what is celebrated in our world is abhorrent by biblical standards. That is why we must be aligned with Scripture; to lose sight of Scripture is to risk operating out of a faulty view of morality influenced by the media and the world system. To expose the works of darkness, we must avoid falling in love with those works or the system that produces them. As the apostle John wrote, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:15–17).
Exposing the works of darkness also entails radiating the light of Christ through our words and actions. Merely labelling an act as wrong is insufficient; a diagnosis is incomplete without solution. The act of exposing darkness must always be coupled with a call to repentance—a change of mind about Christ, sin, and salvation—and faith in Christ’s offer of perfect forgiveness. Only the light can dispel the darkness.
The principle of exposing the works of darkness can likewise be applied in our interactions with our Christian brothers and sisters. We should hold ourselves accountable (Luke 17:3; Galatians 6:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:14), which includes the compassionate confrontation of a fellow believer who may be straying. James goes a step further, encouraging us to strive for the restoration of those who have wandered from the truth, saying that “whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins” (James 5:19–20).
