Verse 10 says, “Proving what is well-pleasing to the Lord.” This phrase is related to verse 8. We should not walk foolishly or blindly or ignorantly. Rather, we should walk as children of light, proving what is well-pleasing to the Lord.
In verse 11 Paul says, “And do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even expose them.” The unfruitful works of darkness are vanity, whereas the fruit of the light is truth, reality. Just as Paul commands us to walk as children of light, he also commands us not to participate in the unfruitful works of darkness.
In verse 11 Paul commands us to expose the unfruitful works of darkness. In verse 13 he says, “But all things which are exposed are made manifest by the light; for everything that makes manifest is light.” The Greek word rendered exposed may also be rendered reprove or rebuke.
It is a very difficult matter to expose or rebuke someone. Most people reject a rebuke and feel enmity toward the one who rebukes them. There is an element in the fallen human nature that rejects rebuking, reproving, or exposing. Therefore, if possible, we should not expose or rebuke anyone. However, there are times when rebuking is necessary. At such times, the one who does the rebuking must be sure that he himself is very clean. He is like a surgeon who must cleanse himself of all germs before performing surgery. If you have not been purified, you are not qualified to operate on someone by rebuking or exposing him, for the germs in you will cause the other to be contaminated. The reason most rebukes are not successful is that those who give the rebuke are not pure. Therefore, immediately after the “surgery” infection sets in. Before we can reprove or expose someone, we must be purified, or even sterilized. We must be clean in our thought, motive, feeling, and intention. We must be pure in our heart and in our spirit. This is one aspect of the matter of reproving.
Another aspect concerns the one who receives the reproof or the rebuke. If you are being rebuked by someone, you should not try to discern whether or not the one rebuking you is pure. Simply receive the rebuke, the exposure. If you do this, you will be blessed. You will be aroused from sleep, and Christ will shine on you. Every rebuke, whether pure or impure, clean or unclean, is the shining of Christ. Whenever we are rebuked, we should say, “Lord, I worship You for Your shining. This rebuke is Your shining, and I receive it.” To receive a rebuke is to walk in light. This means that if we are not willing to accept a rebuke, we are walking in darkness. If we are truly walking in the light, we shall be able to profit from any kind of rebuking.
In verse 14 Paul says, “Wherefore He says, Awake, sleeper, and arise from among the dead, and Christ shall shine on you.” The sleeping one who needs the exposing mentioned in verses 11 and 13 is also a dead one. He needs to awake from sleep and arise from death. When we expose or reprove anyone who is sleeping and in the darkness of death, Christ will shine on him. Our exposing or reproving in light is Christ’s shining.