Works of Darkness

Ephesians 5:11

"Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them".

What are these “deeds of darkness” which we must avoid? Some of these works are enumerated in:

Romans 13:11-12:

"This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deedslike dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living."

A Christian is thus to “cast off” all such deeds of darkness from his or her own life, to “have no fellowship” with those who practice them, and even to openly “reprove them.”

Ephesians 4:17-18

With the Lord's authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.

Romans 1:21

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.Such works of darkness stem directly from a denial of God as sovereign:

In these days of moral confusion, with attitudes and actions once outlawed by society now being defended and favored, and with once-honored attributes now ridiculed (e.g., chastity, spirituality), there are great pressures on Christians to compromise with these works of darkness. God and His standards do not change, however, and He still expects us to shun and reprove them.