11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Like verse seven, this verse shows that it is entirely possible for a saved man or woman to live in sin. In fact, the possibility is such that we have to be warned about it repeatedly! It is also important to note that this verse illustrates the “in the world but not of the world” precept. Like Christ, we find ourselves among publicans and sinners and we should minister to them, but there is a difference between ministering among and fellowship with. Walking in the light with Christ (I John 1:7) is where we find fellowship and produce fruit; walking in darkness produces no fruit, and we are therefore not to find our fellowship there. Instead, we are to reprove those works. That indirectly reproves those involved in the unfruitful works, but it seems here that our focus is to remain on reproving the works and not the people. Remember too that anything that is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23) and so these unfruitful works may not always be the “bad” ones given in in verses 3-5, but may also be “good” ones that people use to try to earn God's favor and acceptance (see 2:8-9 again).
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