WALKING IN WISDOM.
Ephesians 5:15-21.
Despite popular opinion, the Christian “life” or Christian “walk” is not a style of living or a level of morality that we must first attain before we can ever be recognised as true Christians. On the contrary, the Christian “walk” or the Christian “life” represents the moral conduct that arises out of our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. It is against this backdrop alone that Paul says (in essence), ‘Pay close attention to how you order your lives’ (EPHESIANS 5:15).
The Apostle then negates three negative words, the double negatives thereby serving to stress their positive counterparts.
First, “be not unwise” is balanced by the positive command, “but be wise” (EPHESIANS 5:15).
In what ways does this Christian wisdom manifest itself? One way is in a right use of time. Paul talks of “buying back the time” because the days are evil (EPHESIANS 5:16). The Greek word here speaks of an opportune time: time is opportunity. This speaks to us of making the most of the ‘now’ of our experience, rather than dwelling on the past, or worrying about the future.
This does not mean that we ignore the lessons of history and experience, nor that we fail to make plans for the future: but it draws us rather into a sense of the urgency of the days in which we are now living (cf. Galatians 6:9-10).
Secondly, “be not senseless” is balanced by “but be understanding what the will of the Lord is” (EPHESIANS 5:17). Cf. 'Thy will be done;' 'not my will but thine.'
We are in a process of ‘growing in the Lord.’ By now we should have put aside childish things (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:11). We are no longer to be children in understanding, but we should ‘man up’ to who we are, where we are, and where we should be in our Christian pilgrimage: ‘in understanding be men’ (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:20).
Thirdly, “dissoluteness” (EPHESIANS 5:18) is sometimes translated as “excess” (KJV) or “debauchery”. It here connotes an irreversible process of complete disintegration (arising in this case out of drunkenness) which detaches us from ourselves, others, and ultimately God!
The counterbalance to this is “go on being filled with the Spirit” (EPHESIANS 5:18). As with many things in the Christian life, this is ongoing: I have been filled, I am being filled, and I will be filled.
How do I nurture this fullness, which is already mine? The clue is found elsewhere, in the equivalent passage: ‘let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom’ (cf. Colossians 3:16).
Elsewhere we learn that ‘the person who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son’ (cf. 2 John 1:9).
In like manner, a comparison of the Ephesians and Colossians texts teaches us that the person who is “going on being filled with the Spirit” (EPHESIANS 5:18), is one and the same person as the one who ‘nurtures the word of Christ in their heart’ (cf. Colossians 3:16). Reading the word of God, and applying it to our lives, is our part in this otherwise passive imperative.
Finally, being the people who are going on being filled with the Spirit (EPHESIANS 5:18), we must be about the business of communicating with one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (EPHESIANS 5:19). All three of these designations are found in the headings of the Greek translation of the Hebrew book of Psalms.
We should be singing too (cf. Psalm 95:1); and offering our hearts’ praise to the Lord.
What if I am tone-deaf? Some people are unable to put two notes together: but never mind, the audience is not your fellow worshippers, but the Lord. He 'inhabits' the sincere, heart-felt praises of His people (cf. Psalm 22:3).
Our praises should also be punctuated with thanksgiving “always and for all things” to our Father God, and in the name of His Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (EPHESIANS 5:20).
The sequence of EPHESIANS 5:18-21 is to go on being filled with the Spirit, exhorting one another in psalms, singing with all your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always: “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God” (EPHESIANS 5:21).
What follows in Ephesians 5:22-33 and Ephesians 6:1-9 are all examples of Christian submission.
