The Children of Light
Ephesians 5:8-10
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.“
Ephesians 5:8-10, NKJV
Now You Are Light in the Lord
Ephesians 5:8
A man was trapped inside a cave that felt like a maze. In complete darkness, he struggled to find an exit, but it was no use. Time passed, and he gradually adjusted to life in the darkness. How long had it been? Months, or maybe even years? Then, one day, a faint glimmer of light appeared. He moved toward it, finally reaching the exit. As he stepped outside at last, the bright sunlight pierced his eyes. It hurt. Nothing could be seen, which was no different from his time inside the cave. “What should I do?” He weighed the life in the cave against a life that he would face outside. Looking back, though it had been hard, life in the cave was not always bad. Even the memory of playing with mice felt newly beautiful. Finally, he made his way back into the cave.
This story is fictional, but it reflects a genuine aspect of our lives. Even if the light caused him temporary pain, he should have endured it instead of mistaking what he was accustomed to as good and returning to old ways, which ultimately mirrors a portrait of ourselves. God shines His light on us to save us. What He desires is for us to recognize our situation and say, “I was completely darkness! I was unable to escape eternal punishment!” Only then will we desire to turn back to God.
However, people are hardly willing to receive the light. They resist having their hearts tainted by sin, thoughts tainted by sin, behaviors tainted by sin, and reality tainted by sin exposed before the light. Even believers are not excluded. The Lord said, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” (John 3:19-20). The light is the righteousness of God, and it is God’s attack to reveal sin and unrighteousness by shining on each person.
If we are to break free from Satan’s authority and turn back to God—not only seeking forgiveness but also a holy inheritance—we must accept the attack of the light. We were once darkness. We were not merely victims of the system ruled by Satan; we were workers actively driving that system forward. Yet we believed we were free. Though deceived by lies—Satan’s most powerful weapon—and acting as his puppets, we did not even realize that we were imitating his actions exactly as he did.
However, we are now the light in the Lord. This Word is what the One who came into the world as light Himself said: “You are the light of the world” (Matt 5:14). This means that we are not merely people who belong to the light; we ourselves are light. Therefore, our character must now reflect the dignity, direction, and righteousness of the Lord, who came to the world for salvation. Simply saying, “I am surrounded by the light.” or “I attend the church.” is not enough. Let us become those who shine the light toward the world. Having received the new identity as children of light by grace, let us now fulfill the responsibilities and duties that come with it.
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
Lord’s Day Service on November 3, 2024
Goodness as the Fruit of the Light
Ephesians 5:9
“Was I really that selfish? Did I truly lack consideration for others? Does that even matter? I’ve accomplished so many important things!” To this, the Lord responds, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me!” (Matt 25:45). “I’ve been diligent in my faith! Surely, Lord, You know that, don’t You?” But He says, “I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity!” (Luke 13:27). “Lord, have I not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?” Yet He declares, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matt 7:23).
There are those who regard the pursuits of goodness as irrelevant to faith, or worse, as something that disrupts it. They may think of themselves as spiritual, yet their lives, which oppose God’s will, will ultimately bear evil fruit. They will not escape the judgment on the last day. Of course, the condition by which one can draw near to God is faith. However, how does God confirm the truth of that faith? Is it the depth of knowledge or the magnitude of accomplishment? What God looks for is a good heart and the good deeds that flow from it.
When we say that God saved us from sin, it does not only mean that He saved us from the punishment of sin. God saved us from evil hearts, unrighteous deeds, and a life characterized by lies. From us, who have become children of the light through this, what God desires is “all goodness, righteousness, and truth” (Eph 5:9). These are the fruits of the light, that is, the fruit of the Holy Spirit. These three are the most reliable spiritual evidence of whether we are truly saved, especially as “all goodness” serves as the basis and the most important element that supports the other two.
Why is goodness described as “all goodness”? The virtue of goodness takes on various forms of attitudes and actions, expressed in differing degrees and scopes. However, the attitudes and actions that Christians must possess all originate from the same foundation: a good heart. If people do not have a good heart, even if they pretend to be good, they cannot help but reveal their evil deeds over time because of their covetousness and lies, and their selfishness and self-centeredness. In contrast, those with a good heart fulfill their responsibilities and duties, even at personal cost. They cherish the grace they have received and remain faithful to the end. Thus, while having the willingness to do what is right and to carry out what must be done is important, what is even more important is possessing a good heart.
The Holy Spirit fundamentally works to change our hearts to be good. We, who were once greedy, harsh, and selfish, are made good in the Lord because the light shines on our conscience. When our shameful flaws are exposed by this light, if we persist in ignoring them, there will come a point when we no longer sense the light. On the other hand, when the light reveals our evils, if we acknowledge them and strive to change, the very foundation of our hearts will begin to resemble God, who is good. As this happens, beautiful deeds will appear from us. Therefore, let us open our hearts fully and receive the light. Let us welcome the work of the Holy Spirit to bear the fruit of the light, which is goodness.
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
Lord’s Day Service on November 10, 2024
Righteousness as the Fruit of the Light
Ephesians 5:9
There are those who criticize the church by applying worldly standards to judge righteousness and unrighteousness. Some even betray the duties entrusted to them by the church under the principle of trust and good faith, forcing their church into worldly courts by asserting their own subjective interpretations of righteousness based on personal interests. In the world, every culture and individual interprets righteousness differently. Such worldly laws cannot possibly understand a church that operates with God’s will as its standard of righteousness. Yet, some who call themselves believers hand over what belongs to God to the world and take delight in it.
This demonstrates that they have a distorted understanding of righteousness and unrighteousness, despite their long years in the church. What is righteousness? Even the world understands righteousness as doing what is morally right and being just. However, strangely, there have long been those in the church who seek to remove the moral elements from the concept of righteousness. They often regard righteousness as a kind of secret knowledge hidden from humanity and claim, “Moral behavior does nothing to help one attain righteousness.” Those who have been taught such ideas feel no guilt in their conscience when they see the church being torn apart by worldly laws.
Righteousness is the fruit of the light. “For the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth” (Eph 5:9, NIV). If we have been given by God’s light, we will bear the fruit of righteousness along with the fruit of goodness. This does not refer to “justification,” where we, as sinners, are considered righteous through the merit of the blood. Those upon whom the light shines are truly changed into righteous people. Of course, humans cannot achieve the level of righteousness of God while on this earth. Furthermore, even if one reaches the highest level of righteousness possible, it is impossible to maintain it perfectly. However, if we do not give up on obeying God’s commandments, we will increasingly come to resemble God’s nature.
Obedience is following the salvation ministry of God. God’s work of salvation is not complete simply because we have been forgiven. Until the Lord comes again, we must overcome the evil one. “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:7-8). Those who sin belong to the devil, but those who practice righteousness through obedience are righteous, just as God is righteous, and they are participants in the Lord’s salvation ministry, who came to destroy the devil.
The fact that we are used by God confirms that we, who were once used by the devil, have broken away from our past unrighteous ways. “And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Rom 6:13). When we were born again, God’s nature was given to us. However, that nature is constrained by the flesh. Now, let us activate the nature through discipline. Let us offer ourselves as instruments of righteousness to God. Let us strive to resemble God’s nature and devote ourselves to fulfilling His work.
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
Lord’s Day Service on November 17, 2024
Truth as the Fruit of the Light
Ephesians 5:9
“Who doesn’t lie in this world? Truthfulness? Sure, it’s important. But do you really think living truthfully is some walk in the park? You only say that because you have no clue about life. That’s not how reality works. Even God said, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” Do you really think humans can manage to be completely truthful, no matter how hard they try? Everyone is a sinner before God. That’s why He gave us the truth. Pushing truthfulness on sinners is pointless. What actually matters is knowing the truth.”
Is that really true? Can truth really be separated from truthfulness? In the world, people often define truth as an unchanging principle and try to treat it as something distinct from truthfulness. However, in the Bible, truth and truthfulness are inseparable—truth inherently carries the meaning of being truthful. If truth does not lead to truthfulness or stand against evil, then it is not truth to begin with. If truth fails to produce good and instead allows evil to thrive, ignores it, or does nothing to oppose it, then what is the point of teaching truth so passionately?
Truthfulness is an absolute nature of God. Why did the psalmist sing, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!”? He declares, “For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!” (Ps 117:1-2). With amazement, he confessed that there is no one among the gods of the world as truthful as God. Praising the truthful God is not limited to the Israelites alone. Even King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, though a Gentile, discovered that there is no one as truthful as God. He praised, glorified, and declared his respect for Him.
The truthful God is unchangeable. This is why the Israelites found comfort and could rely on Him. Although we strive to live truthfully, we sometimes face harm or experience unfairness. Yet, we do not lose hope because we know that the truthful God will repay all things. The Lord is so truthful that He is called “Faithful and True.” He desires us to be truthful like Him. In particular, He said that those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth, emphasizing worship with truthfulness from the whole heart.
There may be no one who never lies. However, there is a difference between those who lie unintentionally due to weakness and those who lie deliberately to commit crimes. Lying is one of the defining traits that emerged after humanity’s fall. Therefore, if you are part of the ministry of restoration that began in Christ, you must hate falsehood and discipline yourself to overcome its temptations. Those who strive to be truthful and those who do not even make an effort will face entirely different outcomes on the day of judgment. Let us strive for goodness, righteousness, and truth. This is our duty as those who identify as the body of Christ and the bare minimum requirement for preserving the church. Let the fruits of the redemption accomplished on the cross flow through us.
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
Lord’s Day Service on November 24, 2024
Find Out What Is Pleasing to the Lord
Ephesians 5:10
“I never really had any intention of going to church. Honestly, I’ve seen too many Christians act without conscience. There were times I thought, “Maybe I should try going to church,” but then I’d think, “Why would I associate with people like that?” But that person is different. He’s so truthful. When he invited me to church, for the first time, I actually felt like I wanted to go.” This confession shows how deeply the life of a good, righteous, and truthful Christian can impact those around them. It is not just a key to opening the door to preaching the Gospel—it is a life that pleases God in itself.
“How can we please God?” Since the day we became Christians, we have been seeking the answer to this question by listening to the Word of Truth. But we must not treat the truth as mere knowledge. The knowledge of truth should be transformed into the ability to discern how our actions are viewed by God. If a believer lacks this ability, it may be because they have not learned enough of the truth or never prioritized listening to the Word in the first place. For such a person, the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in their life will inevitably be limited.
The Holy Spirit changes believers and makes them bear the fruit of the light in their lives. However, God respects our willingness and does not compel us to act; instead, He desires that we exercise our will. This is why God gives us the knowledge of truth. He desires that it can serve as the foundation for holy actions in our lives. These actions do not happen automatically through knowledge alone. We must accept the knowledge, use it as a standard to make decisions, and act accordingly. We are called to continually test whether our deeds are pleasing to the Lord, but we must do so persistently until He returns. Through this process, we gain the ability to judge our own state.
If believers restrain their actions and show their changed lives, it manifests that the work of the Holy Spirit is active in them. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—each of these fruits of the Spirit is reflected as a moral outcome. However, if a believer continues to engage in evil deeds instead of bearing these fruits, it is because the work of the Holy Spirit has ceased in their life. This is the result of their persistent rejection and disregard of the truth that God has continually spoken to them through the church.
The world constantly creates confusion to keep believers from receiving the truth. It does this by calling evil good and good evil, putting darkness for light and light for darkness, and making bitter seem sweet and sweet seem bitter (Is 5:20). This is why we need the light of Christ. Through the knowledge of the truth, we must learn what pleases the Lord and let it guide our actions. If we continue this throughout our lives, we will be changed into people who bear the fruit of the light. In the end, with God’s guidance, we will be pleased with the Lord as we discover ourselves standing in the glory of heaven.
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
Lord’s Day Service on December 1, 2024
