Marking Time?

“Who committed no sin,

Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed. Another way we walk worthy, warily and wisely is found in Eph. 5:8-10 – For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. Notice the last phrase indicating that children of light find out what is acceptable to the Lord and then do it. My friends, if you want to know what is acceptable to the Lord, you’ve got to get into His word and read for yourselves what His will is for you. Interestingly, it is the same for all of us. The psalmist put it best in Ps. 119:105 – Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Matt. 5:16 gives some guidance for the children of light – Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. One more passage as we walk as children of light – 1 Jn. 1:7 – But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. What a blessed assurance of continuing forgiveness as God’s children! And, finally, I want to briefly mention one more way in which we must walk worthy and wisely but, perhaps most of all, warily – and that is in our worship. Return with me to our text this morning in Eph. 5:15ff. – See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. As Paul turns to worship, he instructs us to walk circumspectly or warily. He instructs us to sing without instrumental accompaniment as he also does in Col. 3:16. Solomon warned God’s people about approaching God in worship in Eccles. 5:1 – Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. Despite what might be popular and what others may be doing, we need to be careful that we do not introduce into our worship anything that the Lord has not authorized. Turn with me to Col. 3:16 and we’ll read this verse as well as verse 17: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Once again, a cappella singing is what is commanded and thus the only type of music permitted in worship. Whatever we do in worship is to be done in the name of the Lord or by His authority. That is it why Jesus stated in Jn. 4:24 – “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Let’s be very careful in our approach to worship!