Ephesians 5

Wednesday, 19 October 2016

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:18

This verse, unfortunately, has been taken to amazingly absurd extremes by some. From one poor handling of the issue of drinking to another, the doctrine of total abstinence from alcohol arises. Neither this verse, nor any verse in Scripture, can be used to justify this stand.

The words begin with, “And do not be drunk with wine.” Being drunk is something which has happened since the earliest times of man on earth. The Bible is full of stories of people drinking to excess. What was probably most on Paul’s mind was the custom at that time of the orgies held to Bacchus, the “god of wine.” In festivals such as this one, and others as well, one thing led to another and it is noted that people would go from heavy drinking to running wildly in the streets and committing all kinds of sexual sins. This is why he writes, “in which is dissipation.”

The words refer to “be drunk,” not “with wine.” It is evident that wine itself does not necessarily lead to dissipation. The Lord’s first miracle was to make wine, and yes, it certainly had alcohol content. The consumption of alcohol is condoned by Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:22, and Timothy is instructed to drink wine as a type of stomach medicine in 1 Timothy 5:23. These, and countless other examples, show that the drinking of alcohol is not forbidden in Scripture.

Throughout the Bible, there is acceptable drinking, and there is unacceptable drinking. The same is true with acceptable eating, and unacceptable eating. People can have money, but they are not to be greedy with money. People are not to engage in illicit sex, but not all sex is illicit. Reason and a proper use of Scripture clearly shows that drinking is not forbidden in the Bible, but dissipation which results from drinking is.

One is not to drink to the point of excess. Instead, they are to “be filled with the Spirit.” As has been seen elsewhere, the term “be filled” is passive in the Greek, just as “be drunk” is in the first clause. A person drinks wine, and the wine makes them drunk. A person likewise needs to do something in order to be filled with the Spirit, they need to yield themselves.

The believer has all of the Spirit he will ever receive the moment he calls on Christ, but the Spirit can get more of the person. On the day of a person’s marriage, they are now married and will never get more married, but the spouse can get more of the other spouse as yielding takes place.

The same is true with the Spirit. In order to be so filled, the Christian is to sing praises, pray, worship, fellowship, read the Bible, talk on the things of the Lord, etc. In doing these things, they are “filled with the Spirit.” Paul’s heart is that believers would so yield themselves to the Spirit that they would become revelers in God’s goodness at all times, not revelers in dissipation, even for a moment.

Life application: The Bible needs to be handled carefully and without regard to presuppositions or biases. We are not to insert our desires, pet peeves, or insecurities into our interpretation of Scripture. Instead, we are to accept that there are things we may or may not indulge in which are permitted by the Bible. If we do not participate in them, whether drinking of alcohol, eating of certain foods, or whatever else, we are not to impose our weakness in that area on others.

Lord God, Your word provides far more freedom than the world gives it credit for. Too many speak of it as a book of rules and “don’ts,” but it is far more a book of freedom and “do’s.” The don’ts are those things which are harmful to us and to a right relationship with You. The do’s are those things which lead to satisfied, productive lives and a right relationship with You. Help us to be content with what we are permitted to do, and to abstain from all things we are to stay away from. Thank You for this word which gives life and freedom to our souls. Amen.

Tuesday, 18 October 2016

Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:17

The word, “Therefore” is certainly referring to the thought of verses 15 and 16 –

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, ¹⁶ redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

But, in a fuller sense, it is speaking of the entire argument which led to that statement. We are to be imitators of God, walking circumspectly and not as fools. Rather, we are to be wise. Now Paul says, “…do not be unwise.” Here he uses a different word than that of verse 15. It is aphron, and it means “lacking perspective because short-sighted, i.e. lacking the ‘over-all picture’ (perspective) needed to act prudently” (HELPS Word Studies). We are not to be lacking the overall picture. To explain what this entails, he then says, “but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

The Bible says that –

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10

We begin to demonstrate wisdom by fearing the Lord. From that stepping stone, we are to then learn what His will is for us. How do we do this? Do we go meditate in the corner of a room? Do we watch TV, hoping to hear a wise man tell us what God’s will is? What is it that brings us to an understanding of the will of the Lord? It is reading and remembering Scripture. It is the source of our understanding what we are to do, how we are to act, and what we are to refrain from doing.

It is incomprehensible that people do not want to learn Scripture and yet they claim to be followers of the Lord. How can you follow and imitate that which you do not know! Although spoken to Israel while under the law, Jesus’ words in the parable of the sower show us where such an attitude can lead –

“And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.” Luke 12:47

Further, without knowing the word and applying it to a right understanding (in context) of what it is saying, He then gives these words from Matthew 13 –

“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.” Matthew 13:19

Is this how we want our state to be? Does it matter so precious little to us what the Lord intends for our proper walk in His presence? Are we willing to have the wicked one come and steal away our joy which was sown in our hearts?

Life application: A Bible which remains unopened and unread is a true tragedy.

Lord God, we can ponder what the word “tragedy” means. It is used to indicate a calamity, catastrophe, or even a cataclysm. And so what is a “tragedy” for Your followers? It is to fail to get to know You through Your word. An unopened Bible which gathers dust is a true tragedy. Help us not to face Your displeasure at the seat of judgment which lies ahead. Instead, may we stand approved before You. Help us to turn the tragedy of an unused Bible into the honor of needing a new one because the one we carry is worn out from use. Amen.

Monday, 17 October 2016

…redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:16

The word “redeeming” comes from the Greek word eksagorázō. It is a combination of two other words, ek, which indicates “completely out from.” This intensifies the word agorázō, which means, to “buy-up at the marketplace.” In this then, it indicates to “take full advantage of, seizing a buying-opportunity, i.e. making the most of the present opportunity (recognizing its future gain)” (HELPS Word Studies).

In the few hours that we have each day, in the short number of days we have each week, and in the quickly fading weeks, months, and years of our lives, we need to take advantage of the time we have been given, pursuing the greater and weightier matters which have eternal significance.

Instead of whining about what is bad, we should praise for what is good. Instead of moaning of our situation, we should be in prayer for the needs of others, and for the glory of God. Instead of reading novels which satisfy our minds for a moment, we should read and study God’s word which will enrich our souls for eternity. Rather than telling others about the latest sports statistics, we should tell others about the great deeds of the Lord and the love of God found in Christ Jesus. These are the type of things we should pursue in order to redeem the time.

And the reason why is “because the days are evil.” The world is a fallen place. Even when things are going really well for us individually, there is still death, sadness, and pain for others. When one person is becoming rich, others are in the process of losing all they have. A thousand planes may take off safely, but from time to time one will not reach its intended landing site. The tides rise and fall with regularity, but when it is unexpected, a tsunami may come and destroy the land. Man does not know the day of his death, and we can never say when we will meet a friend or family member for the last time.

Life application: The days are evil because they are unknown concerning the next moment. Joy may be ahead, but sadness may also be waiting there as well. It is our obligation to make the very most of each day for the positive work of the Lord, and for the sake of eternity which lies ahead. Our attitude should be, “Use me up now, Lord. My time is yours.”

Heavenly Father, our next breath is not guaranteed, and our next moment may be one of tragedy, sadness, loss, or pain. We do not know our end, and we cannot be assured of seeing a friend or loved one again. And so help us to redeem the time in these days of evil. Help us to realize that each trip in a car may take us where we need to go, or it may result in a trip to the morgue. Help us to have an eternal perspective at all times, knowing that our time in Your service is limited. “Use me up now, O Lord. This life is Yours.” This is our prayer today. Amen.

Sunday, 16 October 2016

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, Ephesians 5:15

Paul now begins with “See then…” This is an instruction based on the previous verse –

Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”

As we are given the light of Christ, we are then to ensure that we “walk circumspectly.” The word is akribós, and it means, “‘the high point, extreme,’ … properly, extremely accurate, very exact; ‘more (very) accurate’ because researched down to the finest detail (‘factually precise’)” (HELPS Word Studies).

In other words, our walk is to be based on that light which we receive when we depart from the ways in which we once lived, and instead pursue Christ as He is. This is described by Paul with the words, “not as fools but as wise.” Fools in the Bible are depicted as having no spiritual wisdom. They live in sensual pleasure and pursue those desires with reckless abandon. They are careless about sin and unconcerned about the things of God.

The wise, on the other hand, are those who fear God. The fear of the Lord, the Bible says, is the beginning of wisdom. After fearing the Lord, they pursue Him and His ways. They emulate Him and are willing to be pleasing to Him, as faithful subjects of His kingdom. Their eyes are set on heavenly things, away from that which is earthly and sensual.

Life application: Let us endeavor to pursue the words of this verse with all of our hearts and souls. And the way to do so is to know what the Lord considers foolish or wise. This is learned through applying the words of Scripture. Learn your Bible!

Lord God, Your word tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Instill in us this reverential fear, and then instill in us the desire to pursue You and Your ways, molding ourselves and our lives to be more and more like You. Let us walk in the light of Christ, given to us as obedient subjects of Your glorious kingdom. Amen.

Saturday, 15 October 2016

Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.” Ephesians 5:14

This verse is another which is troubling to scholars. Paul begins with “Therefore He says…” The “Therefore” is setting a contrast to verses 11-13, and is being directly aligned with verses 8-10. We are to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness,” while at the same time we are to “walk as children of light.” In order to do these things, he then gives the next words, “He says.”

This implies a citation of Scripture, as it is always used in this manner. However, no such citation exists. The closest we can get is a combination of two verses from Isaiah –

Your dead shall live;
Together with my dead body they shall arise.
Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust;
For your dew is like the dew of herbs,
And the earth shall cast out the dead. Isaiah 26:19

Arise, shine;
For your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. Isaiah 60:1

Some scholars see one or another being loosely cited, others see both being combined and loosely cited, and still others find either of those options nonsense. There is actually nothing unprecedented about two citations being combined into one. This happens elsewhere in the New Testament. There is also nothing unusual about a rather loose citation. This also happens elsewhere in the New Testament.

The main key to understanding this is Paul’s use of the word “Christ.” If he is citing the Old Testament, then the word “Christ” is an obvious interpretation of that citation. He is taking a known set of words and applying a prophetic meaning to them in the work of Christ. And so we are assured that it is Isaiah that is being quoted. But more than that, it is a quote which then asserts the Incarnation. The “glory of the LORD,” meaning Yehovah of the Old Testament, is being directly equated with “Christ” of the New. What was concealed in the Old is now revealed in the New.

However, what is more probable is that he is referencing the account in Jonah where the captain of the ship comes to wake Jonah from a deadened sleep. There in Jonah 1:6, it says –

“What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps the God will shine on us, so that we may not perish.”

In that verse, the captain uses the word ashath. It is a verb which means “to shine.” This word, ashath, comes from a primitive root which means “to be sleek” and thus glossy and hence through the idea of polishing to shine. And so the translation should read, “Arise, call on the God; perhaps Paul was thinking of this account when he penned these words.

By shining the light, everything is made manifest by the light. Despite being in a real storm in the sea of chaos, and despite being under physical harm, there was a spiritual connotation that was being drawn out, even by that pagan captain. There was disharmony between them and God which needed to be rectified.

Though they didn’t know of the gospel, they knew that there was a need for the gospel. The light of the gospel message is the only way to make things which are indecent appear as they really are. Once the truth of the gospel shines on the deeds of wickedness, they are exposed and can be compared to that which is right, holy, and proper.

Understanding this, the citation is saying that walking as children of light (which occurs by arousing from the sleep), and having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness (which occurs when we “arise from the dead”), is what will cause Christ to give us light. We are to actively pursue Christ, and actively shun the darkness of the things of this world. As we do, we will be given the light of Christ.

Life application: There is no stagnation in our walk towards our eternal home. We are either moving towards godliness, or we are moving away from it. Each moment is a new moment in which we are to continue to press forward with our eyes on Jesus. In Him is light, and in order to know Him, we must pursue Him through His word. Reader, you are admonished to get your nose into the word and pursue it daily. And then, think on what you have read as you go about your daily walk.

Precious Heavenly Father, You have told us that in walking as children of light, and in having no fellowship with the deeds of darkness, Christ will give us light. One thing is for certain, we can’t know how to do those things, unless we know what they involve. And as Your word is what explains them to us, we would be O so wise to spend our time in Your word. Who doesn’t want more light from Christ! And so, instill in our hearts a great desire to know Him through Your precious word. Amen.