The Grace of God Makes Us Obedient (part 2): Ephesians 5:15-20

/ Neal Embry

I usually separate Sunday and Wednesday posts, but this week, I couldn’t fit everything from Ephesians into Sunday’s post, so I’ll do that here. I lost track of my days, and so now, it’s Wednesday Wisdom on Thursdays. My apologies. If you haven’t read Sunday’s post, go back and do that before reading this.

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”–5:15-16

Paul has just described how the church is called to be obedient because of God’s grace, as they seek to imitate Christ. He’s talked about how the church is “light,” and how as Christians, we are to call others into the “light” of Christ.

So what could keep the church from accomplishing God’s mission of disciple-making and holy living? The same thing that keeps many people from accomplishing their goals: laziness and foolish living.

You don’t have to do a whole lot to understand what Paul is saying in verses 15 and 16: Times are evil. People are evil (look back at verses 5 and 6). The gospel must go forward. Don’t waste time.

But yet, wasting time is so easy. This is a really hard verse for me to read, because I’m really good at wasting time. Whether it be Netflix, Facebook or some other form of entertainment, I’m really good at procrastinating. I don’t accomplish as much as I want to, in any area of my life, at times because of it. It is one of the sins I’m struggling to put off, but by God’s grace I will grow in.

So how do we not waste the time?

“Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing, and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”–5:17-20

First, don’t be foolish. Simply put, grow up, be mature follow the will of God. That means getting a job that betters the world, getting into the Word every day, praying for not just your needs but others, and seeking to be more and more like Jesus everyday as you live to make Him known, whether in the ministry or in the secular world (or in both, for my many bi-vocational friends).

What it means to be serious is that for those aspects of our lives that make a difference, whether in this world and most definitely in eternity, we are “sober-minded.” We are ready to roll up our sleeves and do whatever is necessary to fulfill our God-given roles on this Earth. It means always being ready to do and to be whatever God has called you to do and to be.

Next, be filled with the Spirit. We have the Spirit if we are in Christ, but Paul commands the church to walk by the Spirit. The Spirit leads and guides us, and if we are controlled by something other than the Spirit, wine, in this example, we cannot follow the will of God and make the best use of time.

While drinking alcohol is certainly not sinful, it is sinful to allow alcohol, or anything else, to rule over us, as Jesus alone is our Lord. Alcohol presents different complications than the possible idols of food and sports because of its ability to control us and inhibit our ability to think, function and follow Christ if we drink too much. I won’t ever tell anyone of a legal drinking age what to do in this area, but it requires cautious behavior on the part of the Christian who chooses to drink alcohol, because we are set apart, called to live differently than the world. That means if and when we drink, we do so with thankfulness to God and with a mind set, not on being drunk, but on, as in all things, honoring Him.

We also make the best use of time when we worship the Lord with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul says those who are filled with the Spirit address each other in worship. We are so grateful for what Christ has done and is doing in our lives, we cannot but speak of Him. While I enjoy my church family back in Birmingham, and will love my church family here in Arkansas, for many different reasons, ultimately, I love them because they are fellow followers of Jesus. I would not identify with them otherwise. We are brought together by Christ, and that commonality of faith, of struggle, of worship, is what binds us together.

Lastly, we make the best use of time when we are thanking God. Paul told the church thankfulness keeps us from sexual immorality, something discussed Sunday. Thankfulness keeps us from sexual immorality and other sins because it focuses our minds and our hearts on God. Likewise, when we are focused on God, we will not be so lazy with our time. We will remember Him, and we will seek to honor Him in all we do.

Lord, may we make the best use of time. May we repent when we fail, and may we always seek to do your will.

God bless,

Neal E.

The Grace of God Makes Us Obedient (pt. 1): Ephesians 5:3-14

/ Neal Embry

Two weeks ago, we looked at the first two verses of Ephesians 5, in which Paul tells us to imitate God because we are His children, and to walk in love, imitating Christ. Now, we examine the next section of this chapter to see some practical ways we can do that.

God calls us to obedience, and obedience is a necessary fruit of knowing Christ. Not perfect obedience, but a desire for obedience and a lifelong growth in more and more obedience. But it is God’s grace that makes us obedient. As we examine what it means to imitate our Father and our Savior, remember we are His children by His grace; we are His people by His grace, and we can only follow Him by His grace, by that undeserved favor God gives to sinners to rescue and redeem them.

“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has not inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”–5:3-6

I’d imagine you only have to look through the channels on your television for about 90 seconds before hearing or seeing something sexual, whether it be a sexual joke, a sex scene, or inappropriate innuendo. Making light of the gift of sex has become the norm in our culture.

But it is not to be the norm in the church. Instead, as Paul says, it “must not even be named” in the church. Other translations say there should be “no hint” of sexual immorality within the church. No lust, no porn, no sex outside of marriage, no inappropriate physical or emotional relationships…not a hint. The bride of Christ is to be pure, because Jesus has washed her with His blood.

Impurity and covetousness must be killed, as well. Covetousness is sinful wanting of what others have, which leads to other sins. This is tantamount to idolatry, to putting something in the place of God. Our desire is to be for Him to be glorified and us to be like Him above all things.

Paul next moves on to discuss “filthiness,” “foolish talk,” and “crude joking.” Continuing along the lines of sexual immorality and covetousness, Paul brings up sins of the tongue. In the same way sexually immoral behavior must not be among the behavior of Christians, ungodly sexual talk should also not be “named.” We have been adopted as the children of God, and have been set apart as holy, separate from our sinful culture. So why talk like them? We weren’t meant to fit in; rather, we were meant to stand out by not engaging in sinful, foolish talk.

We have been rescued from sin, not so we can continue in sin, but so we can be like Jesus. How do we do this? We have thanksgiving. Thankfulness has a way of focusing our hearts and minds on God and who He is and what He’s done. As we thank God for who He is and what He’s done, the last thing we want to do is respond to His grace by committing sexual immorality, being foolish or joking in an ungodly way. Reflecting on the grace of God changes us, leading us to walk in the new life we have been given and to glorify God.

Paul then warns the church: People who live in these lifestyles are not saved. They will not inherit the kingdom. They do not know Jesus. He says to not be deceived.

There is a thought that because Jesus forgives us, it does not matter how we live. The problem is, God makes it abundantly clear that grace is not just pardon for sin, but power to not continue in sin. 1 John 3:8 tells us Jesus came to “destroy the works of the devil,” that is, sin.

Paul is not calling out Christians struggling with sin; rather, he is calling out professing “Christians” who talk the talk, but their walk just isn’t there. They’re not struggling to follow Jesus; they aren’t even trying, and the wrath of God is coming because of sin. Paul says these people, no matter what they profess, do not know the Lord.

How do we respond to sin? Do we repent of our sin? Do we confess our sin, and with the power of God’s grace, seek to put off our sin? Or do we stick our hand in God’s face, and say, “No…I want my sin. I want to live this way, and I don’t care what you say?” The way we respond to our sin, and, thus, to Jesus, determines where we spend eternity.

So how should Christians live? How do we live our lives in a world of darkness?

“Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'”–verses 7-14

In saying we shouldn’t “become partners” with unbelievers, does Paul mean we shouldn’t have any interaction with them? After all, aren’t we supposed to go make disciples? What does Paul mean here?

Think of a business partnership. Usually, those are made by mutual parties who have a common interest and common goals. Corporations partner with baseball teams to get their names on their parks so their brand goes, and the team gets an insane amount of money. That’s a partnership–two parties working closely together, helping each other, striving toward a shared goal.

So why would a Christian, whose goals and priorities differ vastly from the unbeliever, “partner” with an unbeliever? We wouldn’t, right? So what Paul is saying is not, “Never be around unbelievers.” That would keep us from obeying Christ by making disciples. Rather, Paul is saying don’t join them in their sin. Your goals are not their goals, and their sinful interests are not to be yours, because while you used to be darkness, “now you are light in the Lord.” So live like it. We reach out to non-believers, but refuse to join them in their sinful lifestyles.

We are children of light. We once lived in the flesh (Eph. 2), and once lived in darkness (5:8), but now we are light, called to be holy in Christ. Instead of joining sinners in sin, we expose that sin. We do so, not out of pride and not to embarrass non-believers, but in love, to draw them to Christ. It’s tough love—we love people too much to let them continue in sin unrepentantly.

In exposing their darkness to the light of Christ, we must preach the gospel. In verse 14, Paul draws from a passage in Isaiah, combining it with language from his letter to the Romans, telling the “sleeper” to awake, so “Christ will shine on you.”

Unrepentant sinners don’t need to try harder. Trying harder doesn’t bring dead people to life; the gospel of Jesus Christ brings people to life. And when we preach the gospel to people who are dead in their sin, Jesus brings death from life. So let’s preach the gospel, in order that sinners can come to know Jesus. That will make them obedient. Understanding God’s grace makes us want to be more like Him.

Lord, may we not walk in darkness, but as light. May we reflect on your grace, being thankful for what you’ve done, and walking in the light of the gospel. May we honor you. May we preach the gospel, and may we be obedient, as you’ve called us to be.

God bless,

Neal E.

Coming Wednesday: I’ll look at verses 15-20 of this chapter. They fit in with this theme, but I don’t want to go past most people’s attention spans! Look for the next post Wednesday at 10 a.m.!