Always For All Things-1 Series

ALWAYS For ALL THINGS--I—Ephesians 5:15-21

OR--A Distinctive Walk

For Thanksgiving Sunday

Attention:

My worn walking shoes(‘tennis shoes’/sneakers):

They are worn on the outside of both heels—A mechanic would say that my ‘wheels’ have a positive camber & are in need of adjustment!

All this to say, that I have a distinctive or telling walk.

Christians all have a life-“walk” that distinguishes them from the walk of the world.

Paul exhorted the Ephesian church toward a telling/distinctive/indicative walk.

God’s people have a(n) telling/distinctive/indicative walk.

What is telling/distinctive/indicative about the walk of God’s people?

*When is the walk of God’s people indicative?

7 indicators of a thankful/Christian walk.

1—A thankful/telling walk is...

An ACCURATE WALK(:15)

Explanation:(:15)

:15—“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,”

*Christians are to walk as children of light because they are in fact, light in the Lord, who were formerly darkness(5:8). Our character has been changed due to that transformation in Christ. It is therefore the call & duty of every Christian to “find out what is acceptable to the Lord”(5:10).

Because of the above truths, believers are to exhibit a specific ‘walk-about’ of diligence, accuracy, & precision(“circumspectly”).

Not that we live leashed but that we choose to live within certain parameters that God sets!

God’s children know what is pleasing to Him, by virtue of their relationship with Him. The believer’s ability & desire to live out that ability for circumspection, flows out of their allegiance to Christ...

...Thru that allegiance the believer is provided with the presence of the Holy Spirit & thereby provided with the ‘potential’ for receiving God’s moment-by-moment direction. In such precise living, Christians are choosing & exemplifying God’s wisdom.

God’s people become living examples of godly wisdom, which supernaturally flies in the face of the worldly wisdom of “fools.”

Also, it must be remembered that such wise & ‘accurate’ walk is all up to the believer’s choice to do so! Every believer must decide to be a follower of God at every moment of every day for the remainder of the days of their continual salvation.

We are to live “as” we actually are! The accuracy of our talk is made genuine by the accuracy of our walk.

Your personal acceptance of eternal security, or its lack, is lived out in your walk!

“See then/Therefore/Take Heed”—blepw—Present Active Imperative 2nd Plural—1) To see, discern, of the bodily eye—1a) with the bodily eye: To be possessed of sight, have the power of seeing, 1b) Perceive by the use of the eyes: to see, look descry, 1c) To turn the eyes to anything: to look at, look upon, gaze at, 1d) To perceive by the senses, to feel, 1e) To discover by use, to know by experience; 2) metaph.--To see with the mind's eye—2a) To have (the power of) understanding, 2b) To discern mentally, observe, perceive, discover, understand, 2c) To turn the thoughts or direct the mind to a thing, to consider, contemplate, to look at, to weigh carefully, examine; 3) in a geographical sense of places, mountains, buildings, etc.--Turning towards any quarter, as it were, facing it. Oraw gives prominence to the discerning mind, blepw to the particular mood or point. When the physical side recedes, oraw denotes perception in general(as resulting principally from vision), the prominence being in the mental element. Blepw on the other hand, when the physical side recedes, gets a purely outward sense. Skopew is more pointed than blepw, often meaning "to scrutinize, observe”. Strong—a primary verb; To look at(literally or figuratively).

“Then”—oun—Particle—1) Then, therefore, accordingly, consequently, these things being so. Strong—apparently a primary word; adverbially--Certainly, or conjunctionally--Accordingly.

*“Walk/Live”—peripatew—Present Active Indicative 2nd Plural—1) To walk—1a) To make one's way, progress; to make due use of opportunities, 1b) Hebrew for, to live—1b1) To regulate one's life, 1b2) To conduct one's self, 1b3) To pass one's life. Strong—To tread all around, i.e. Walk at large(especially as proof of ability); figuratively--To live, deport oneself, follow(as a companion or votary).

From—peri—1) About, concerning, on account of, because of, around, near. Strong— properly, Through(all over), i.e. Around, With respect to.—&—patew—To trample(literally or figuratively).

*“Circumspectly/Be Careful/Exactly/Accurately”—akribwv—Adverb—1) Exactly, accurately, diligently. Strong—Exactly. Used 5X. *cf.—Mat. 2:8; Lk. 1:3; Acts 18:25; 1Thes. 5:2—search Carefully, Perfect understanding, taught Accurately, know Perfectly.

*From—akron—1) The farthest bounds, uttermost parts, end, highest, extreme. Strong—The extremity.

“Not”[See :17, 18]—mh—Particle—1) No, not lest. Strong—a primary particle of qualified negation(whereas ou, ouk, ouc expresses an absolute denial); adverbially--Not, conjunctionally--Lest; also(as an interrogative implying a negative answer[whereas ou expects an affirmative one])--Whether. “As”—wv—Adverb—1) As, like, even as, etc. Strong—probably adverb of comparative from ov, h, o; Which how, i.e. In that manner(very variously used).

“Fools/Unwise”—asofov—Adj.—1)Unwise, foolish. Used 1X. Better directly translated as ‘unwise’...

From—A(as a negative particle)—&—sofov—akin to safhv(clear); Wise(in a most general application).

“Wise”—sofov—Adj.—1) Wise—1a) Skilled, expert: of artificers, 1b) Wise, skilled in letters, cultivated, learned—1b1) Of the Greek philosophers & orators, 1b2) Of Jewish theologians, 1b3) Of Christian teachers, 1c) Forming the best plans & using the best means for their execution. Sofov denotes wise, skilled, an expert. Strong—akin to safhv(clear); Wise(in a most general application).