Verses 5-7

A covetous person shall not inherit the kingdom of God. The covetous person in the First Epistle to the Corinthians, chap. v., is placed, as to discipline, in the same position as fornicators, idolators, etc.; but it is more difficult to act towards a covetous person, because with him the sin is more hidden than seen outside. All these things are the flesh; but for him who walks after the spirit they are judged. The natural man would rather have two crown-pieces than one; but the new nature is delivered from such lust; it finds not in such things its enjoyment. The Apostle says here: " The kingdom" of God and of Christ." He follows the thoughts which are according to God and to Christ; If I think of God, it is Divine light; if of Christ, it is this power manifested in a man. It is precious for us to be able to say: it is there where I am, associated with them; I am in the same atmosphere as God and Christ; it is, then, in this position that I judge all things. We ought not to associate with that which is not of God, because God is not there, and because we should no longer be in the atmosphere in which we are able to judge of things.
Verse 8.
It is thence that you have come out, says the Apostle. It is not said in darkness, but that those who are now partakers of the Divine nature had been darkness; but now ye are light. It is the nature of God, of which we have been made partakers, which makes us see all; and it is thus that we are light in the Lord. Just in so far as we are in Jesus, it is thus that we walk. He that follows me, Jesus saith, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life; but he that walks in the night stumbleth, because there is no light in him: the natural man has no light.
Verse 9.
The nature of God and of Christ, when it is manifested in man here below, has for its character gentleness, meekness, practical righteousness, and truth. In the truth, each thought has its place before God; Christ was the truth; each one of His acts answered to what He Himself was, and to what God Himself was; either He was manifesting God or He was, as man, Truth before Him. Each of my actions ought to answer to what I am in God: it is the subjection of the inner man; I ought to consider others in all my relationships with them, ac- cording to this righteousness and this truth; that is, according to what one is before God, and there there is neither unrighteousness nor untruthfulness.
Verse 10.
This verse is connected with what is said about light in the 8th verse; the 9th is in parenthesis. This is what we have to learn in our conduct. It is often said, that it is difficult to discover the will of God; but this is because we are not ready to meet with difficulties, and then we cannot find out His will. In this verse we have that moral state of soul which loves to please, which realizes the spirit of the walk, and which realizes the wishes of God in order to be acceptable to him; it is thus that, as children of light, we show real thoughtfulness about Him whom we desire to please. In the 9th verse it is the fruits which are the natural productions of the life of God in us that are enumerated; but in the 10th verse, it is the manner in which God works in us, our eyes being turned upon another than ourselves. This work of God in us is thus carried on; a child, while observing his father, learns what is pleasing to him; he learns what are his ways; he knows what he would like in the circumstances which turn up. Thus we prove what is acceptable to the Lord.
Verse 11.
The experience of righteousness in us produces an entire separation from evil; it produces fruits of holiness. Paul insists upon the necessity of having no fellowship with the works of darkness. A Christian cannot join himself with these things.
Verse 12.
By this verse is shown to us to what an extent our evil nature will go.
Verse 13.
This is the effect of light in Christ and in the Christian. We see nothing in the dark; but the light manifests all. The natural man would be ashamed to do in the light what he does in the dark-things which would be done openly among the heathen. Christianity has necessarily destroyed, up to a certain point, the grossness of sin even with those who are not yet converted. The Christian is in the light which -.manifests all. This light applies itself to every connection which he could form with this world.
Verse 14.
The men of this world are dead, and the Christian who walks according to the spirit of this world is as if he were dead, slumbering amidst the dead, dreaming, it is true, sometimes, about his wretched position; but as to action, he is there amongst the dead, he does not know what to do, and how should he know? The same may be said of all that, in the Christian, which morally can be called sleep: it is a most sorrowful state in contrast with that which is described to us above. Christ cannot enlighten a soul thus placing itself among the dead; Jesus can work in order to awaken such, but he cannot give light to them that are asleep, to those who do not awake from among the dead. Since the light makes all manifest, there is a needs-be that the Christian should awake, and Christ will give him light. It is Christ Himself who is the source, the expression, and the measure of light for the soul that is awake. What use is light to him who will walk in darkness.
Verse 15.
In heaven there will be no Take heed; there we may give free way to perfect joy; there all is holy; but down here, in this life, in the midst of evil, we must take heed; we must use wisdom. The man of the world, in order to avoid evil, must become skilled in the knowledge of the evil. The Christian has no need to think about evil; he must be wise without the knowledge of evil, as it is written: "Simple concerning evil, wise as to that which is good" (Rom. 16:19), because full and Divine knowledge of good in the midst of evil is what Christ gives. What He Himself was here contains no familiar acquaintance with evil; the child of God ought to possess that wisdom which is simple as a dove-spiritual wisdom.
Verse 16.
This is likewise wisdom; it is to gain time in order to do good. The same expression is used in speaking of the Magicians, the Chaldeans, in Dan. 2:8; they gained time in order to conceal their inability; they had the prudence of this world. We need wisdom in order to be able to do good. in spite of Satan, whose power makes the present time one of difficulty. If we have this wisdom for good, we shall escape the wiles of Satan, we shall leave his nets on one side and pass on; we shall do the good that God may give us to do, we shall have time for God. If we are in God's light, we shall walk in the simplicity of that which is good, and God will be with us. Let us think of God as Father and on what Christ did, in order to do like unto Him. If sleep overtakes us, we must awake, and Christ will give us light.