And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works
of
darkness
It is not said with the workers of darkness, or with the men of
the world, who are in darkness, and are darkness itself; to have
fellowship with them in a civil way, or to dwell among them, is
not prohibited; it is allowed of, and countenanced by the
greatest examples; and especially it is lawful and right, when
there is any prospect of doing good to the souls of men; and even
when natural right, relation, and necessity require it; and
indeed, the contrary is impracticable: conversation with them in
things sinful and superstitious should be abstained from; and
when it tends to draw off the soul from Christ and his interest,
and is infectious; and when weak ones are offended, and sinners
are hereby hardened and confirmed in sin; and the name of God is
blasphemed, and the Gospel is evil spoken of: but fellowship is
not to be maintained "with the works of darkness"; which are
sins, so called, because they are opposite to light; to the light
of nature, to the light of the divine word, both law and Gospel,
to the light of grace, to God the fountain of light, and to
Christ the light of the world; and because the source and spring
of them are the original darkness of the mind, and Satan the
prince of darkness; and because they are generally committed in
the dark; and because the effect and consequence of them is utter
darkness, and blackness of darkness: and these are "unfruitful";
they are of no profit and advantage, they bring forth no fruit,
unless it be guilt, fear, shame, corruption, and death; wherefore
no fellowship should be had with them, by committing the same, by
assisting in them, by consenting to them, by approving of them,
by receiving any worldly advantage from them, and by winking and
conniving at them: it is contrary to the character of saints to
have fellowship with such, as the apostle says, ( 2
Corinthians 6:14 ) , where he gives the mystical explanation
of the law, in ( Deuteronomy
22:10 ) ; agreeably to which, and to the passage here, is the
sense of a Jewish commentators F12 who upon it observes, that
that law
``intimates that a righteous man, (Pttvy alv) , "should have no fellowship" with a wicked man;''this is to be unequally yoked, signified by the ox and the ass ploughing together:
but rather reprove [them];
both by words and by deeds, by an agreeable life and
conversation, which last seems to be the design of the apostle
here; because it is not a brother, but such who are in darkness,
and live in works of darkness; yea, not sinners, but sins are to
be reproved, which can be done no other way; nor are all saints
proper to reprove verbally, nor are they qualified for it; but
all should, and may by facts; and the light discovers darkness,
by its own splendour; and this appears from the apostle's
reasoning in the next words.