Separate From Sin

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” Ephesians 5:11

Fellowship means “friendly relationship; companionship; a group of people that join together for a common purpose or interest.”

One of the most common uses of the word fellowship is when a group of people come to learn about the Bible. They are all there for that purpose, to grow in their Christian faith. 

You could say that just about any club or organization that has their members come together for a specific purpose are all fellowshipping with each other. Some people belong to a book club. They read and talk about books with their fellow book club members. They are all there doing the same thing.

“Unfruitful works of darkness” are things that go against the teachings of the holy Scriptures. This would encompass several different things-lying, stealing, covetousness, pride, etc. Any sin would fall under this category. 

Suppose for a moment that you have four or five people who decide that they are going to steal something from a person’s house. But one of them realizes that what they are about to do is wrong and sinful so they tell the others, “I can’t have any part in this, this is wrong.” That is what it means to have no fellowship with something. 

Paul describes it well in 1 Thessalonians 5:5, “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” 

When you flip a light switch on in a dark room, what happens? The light turns on, and the darkness goes away. You won’t have patches of darkness around a light, because the light chases the darkness away. If you take a cup of water and a cup of vegetable oil and pour them together, what happens? Do they mix? No, they are separate.

Jesus is perfect and without sin. Where is Jesus? He is up in Heaven with the Father. The devil on the other hand is filled with sin, in Hell. The devil is not in Heaven with our Heavenly Father because he is completely opposed to Him. There is no sin in Heaven.

Before a person’s conversion to Christianity, their life will be a life of sin and without the forgiveness of Christ. Separated because of sin. It is when a person accepts Jesus into their heart and soul that they can come out from that darkness of sin into the light of Christ.

“Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:” Ephesians 5:6-8

Paul, Peter and the other apostles were not a part of the sins of others. Athens was a city filled with idols to false gods but he didn’t fellowship with those who worshipped them. When Paul found an altar to “The Unknown God” he used that to instruct the people about the One true God, but never did he join together with them in worship of false gods. 

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-17

We need to keep ourselves free from the filth of the flesh. As you go about your day out in the world you may see others who are actively committing and living in sin, but do not allow yourself to join in together with them. A farmer might raise pigs and be around them everyday, but he doesn’t jump into the mud with them. 

“Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, and pass away.” Proverbs 4:14,15

Keep yourself free from sin.

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

In Christ,

Andrew