Shining Darkness on Darkness Just Gives You More Darkness
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light.
Ephesians 5:6–14
In this section of Ephesians, Paul is helping people who are living a completely new religion: a completely new way of life, to figure out what to do about all of the people around them. Remember that the entire city of Ephesus came out to almost riot against the Christians and their message.
Not only because they were out numbered, but because of the character of Christ, Paul does not identify all the things that they need to look for that are wrong. “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness,” he says in a conversation about light. Paul is telling the folks in Ephesus to focus on Christ and all of the good in Him and that will show and shine out of them. You don’t expose something by shining darkness on it, you shine a light on it. This isn’t a physics lesson, but anything that reflects light becomes a minor light source. The moon is brightest when it reflects the most light in the darkness. It is by Christ that evil is exposed, not by condemnation or accusations that sew darkness.
Instead of talking about what evil people do, Paul admits that we were once in the same darkness, but now we are light in the Lord. Talk about the Lord. Talk about the light of the Gospel of Christ! It’s not a proud or braggadocios thing, it’s a glory and praise and honor to the Lord thing. That is how evil is exposed correctly, and leaves room for the Lord to do His work of restoring and cleaning.