Ephesians 5:14

“Wherefore he saith, ‘Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee'”

“Wherefore”: “Because of the reproving just enjoined upon the Ephesians. reproving call to the sinner to rise up from his condition of spiritual death” (Lenski p. 611). “He saith”: “Paul introduces the quotation as if everybody knew it” (Barclay p. 165). Many Old Testament passages echo this sentiment (Isaiah 2:19; Isaiah 2:1; Isaiah 2:2; Isaiah 2:17; Isaiah 2:1). “Awake, thou that sleepest”: “Responsibility rests with those in darkness to do two things: awake and arise” (Caldwell p. 244). The sinner is expected to "wake up". Calvinism, which teaches that the sinner is so depraved that he cannot even respond to the gospel message without the direct operation of the Holy Spirit, happens to contradict this admonition. Someone once said that the gospel message, which God designed to lead man to salvation is perfectly adapted to the level of understanding found in the sinner (Romans 1:16; Mark 16:15). “Arise from the dead”: This begins at baptism (Romans 6:3; Colossians 2:12). While some writers apply this verse as an exhortation to the Ephesians to wake out of spiritual apathy (compare Romans 13:11), and take. strong stand against sin. The word "dead" points my mind in the direction of the non-Christian. Of course, Paul might be saying, “truly arise from the dead”, that is your are not really living the "new life" unless you are exposing the evil that surrounds you. Embracing the new life in Christian means being 100% committed to this life and 100% opposed to the old life. No middle ground position is possible. You are either in darkness or you are in the light.

“And Christ shall shine upon thee”: “The Christ shall give thee light” (TCNT). “Christ promises to enlighten those who awake and arise” (Caldwell p. 245). “Christ will shine upon thee with the light of His truth and bring thee out of the pagan darkness of ignorance and immorality” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 360) (John 8:31; John 12:46). “Conversion is nothing less than awaking out of sleep, arising from death and being brought out of darkness into the light of Christ. No wonder we are summoned to live. new life in consequence!” (Stott p. 201).

”Paul's next little paragraph is based upon two assumptions, first that Christians are wise people, not fools--and secondly that Christian wisdom is practical wisdom. for it teaches us how to behave” (Stott p. 201). “In his series of pagan vices and Christian virtues, the last contrast drawn by the apostle is between reckless folly of the pagan world and the spiritual fervor which should characterize the followers of Christ” (Erdman p. 113). “The Christian walk is not the aimless, casual lifestyle of the pagans; it has purpose and direction” (Boles p. 305). “They form. small minority, and because of their distinctive ways their lives will be scrutinized by others: the reputation of the gospel is bound up with their public behavior. Hence the need for care and wisdom, lest the Christian cause should be inadvertently jeopardized by thoughtless speech or action on the part of Christians” (Bruce p. 378).