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Walking in Wisdom (Part 2) – Ephesians 5:19-21

Last time we saw that there are three things that the believer must do if he or she is to walk in wisdom (15).They must redeem the time (16), understand the will of the Lord (17), and be filled with the Spirit (18).However, the apostle goes on to talk about the effects of walking wisely, and there are three things that he lists in verses 19-21.These are singing to the Lord and to one another (19), giving thanks to the Lord (20), and submitting to another in the fear of God (21).
One preliminary observation I think it is important to make is that these things are done in the context of community.We are to sing to one another (the KJV “speaking to yourselves,” although a possible translation, is not quite on the mark; it ought to be translated, as it is in most versions, “speaking to each other”), and we are to submit to one another.Even the practice of giving thanks is described in such a way as to point to community: we are to give thanks “in the name of our Lord Jesus,” so that as we …
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Walking in Wisdom (Part 1) – Ephesians 5:15-18

The Christian life is a “walk.”In the beginning, the path of faith was known simply as “The Way” (Acts 9:2).You don’t just think about a Way – you walk it.Faith in Christ is not merely believing certain things like you might believe certain facts of history (though it is not less than that), but it is believing them in such a way that it effects the way you live, the choices you make, how you feel about things, and how you judge the value of things.We have noticed how the apostle has repeatedly exhorted the saints to walk in certain ways and we have used this as a sort of roadmap as we have explored the application part of this epistle (chapters 4-6).We are to walk in unity, holiness, love, and light.And now, the apostle exhorts us to “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise” (5:15).Followers of Christ are to be characterized by wisdom in what they choose, in what they love, and in how they live from day to day. But we should be careful that we do not mistake the…
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Walk as Children of Light – Ephesians 5:8-14

In verse 8, we come across this little word “walk” again.The implications of the gospel upon one’s daily life are powerful and pervasive.We are to walk in unity (4:1-16), in holiness (4:16-32), in love (5:1-7), and now in light (5:8-14).Of course, there are overlaps between these categories, for you cannot walk in holiness without walking in love.And light is a Biblical metaphor for both holiness and joy.We are told that “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” and that “if we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 Jn. 1:5-7).We are also reminded that “light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart” (Ps. 97:11).So walking in light is walking in holiness and in the joy that springs from a life of godliness.They do go together: “For the kingdom of God…
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