Well, you can turn with me in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter five. That's Ephesians chapter five. Tonight we're gonna look at verses one through 21. When I preached on Ephesians chapter 1, we looked at some more doctrinal or more theological ideas.
Tonight we are going to look at some practical applications of that covenant of redemption that we looked at in Ephesians chapter 1. So let's look at Ephesians chapter 5, verses 1 through 21. I'll read the whole text. Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also has loved us. and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
But fornication in all uncleanness or covetousness let not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints, neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any 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. Therefore, do not be partakers with them.
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. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light. For whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore, he says, awake you who sleep, Arise from the dead and Christ will give you light.
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, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. Amen.
Well, let us pray. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this Lord's Day, God. Father God, we thank you for Christ, who was that perfect sacrifice. Father God, we thank you that we can approach you, Lord God, because of his work.
And Father God, we thank you that you accept our works through what Christ has done, through the lens of Christ Jesus. Father God, we know that this is a high charge that the Apostle gives us, to be imitators of you. How greatly we stumble, Lord God, which is why we praise you so much. for Christ Jesus. Father God, I pray that you'd send your Spirit today, Father God, that your Spirit might be in this place.
I pray that you would give me strength and aid, Lord God, for I know I am tired and I am weary, Lord God, yet I know that you can give great strength, Lord God. I pray that I would decrease and, Lord, that you would increase overall and that I would be a no-name. I pray, Father God, that the saints here would be edified by what the Apostle Paul is saying in Ephesians chapter 5. Father God, I pray if there are any here who have not believed on Christ Jesus, I pray that today would be the day of salvation for them, Lord God.
And Father God, again, we thank you for the work of Christ. We thank you that in your plan, in your covenant, before the foundation of the world, you were pleased to set forth to give a people to Christ Jesus, who then offered himself up on behalf of his people, Father God. And we thank you for your spirit, who is that seal and guarantee of our salvation, Father God. Now I pray that by your spirit you help those who are saints walk in sanctification, that we might walk more and more unto the image of Christ Jesus, doing what is acceptable in your sight, Lord God.
I pray that you would be glorified. In the name of Christ Jesus, amen.
Introduction
Well, as I said already, Ephesians 1, verses 3-14, when we looked at that, we looked at a theological idea called the covenant of redemption. In that covenant, the father covenanted to give a people to the son, and the son willingly offered himself up on behalf of his people. We saw great blessings that the Apostle Paul praises God for. He praises God the Father for predestination in love before the foundation of the world.
He praises God the Father for adoption. He praises God the Father for the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. And he praises God the Father for the work of the Holy Spirit who is our seal and guarantee of the inheritance that we will one day receive. Now, that was more of a highly theological, highly doctrinal type of text, but today we're looking at the practical implications of that text, so the practical application of that covenant of redemption.
If we have believed, and we have been redeemed, and we have been adopted, the Apostle Paul gives us this charge to be imitators of God. That is, we're not talking about how we earn acceptance with God, But because we have been saved by Christ, we have been redeemed, we have been adopted, we need to walk as imitators of God. To walk as children of God. Now, this section falls within a larger context, namely that which people... the proper response to the Gospel.
In Ephesians chapter 4, the Apostle Paul says, I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called." And then in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 17 he says, "...this I say therefore and testify in the Lord that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened." So the Apostle Paul is calling the Ephesian church to forsake what they once were, to stop walking in the way in which they once walked and now walk in a manner consistent with the Gospel, being imitators of God. Now, in the ancient world, the primary currency of the day wasn't necessarily money. That wasn't necessarily the primary thing people sought after. It wasn't power, it wasn't wealth, but what it was, was honor and shame.
That is, you must do what is acceptable to the society. And so the Apostle Paul here masterfully takes what was once, what is once and still is acceptable to the Ephesian church and shows them how it's shameful before God Almighty and then he teaches them what is right and acceptable for God. That is the historical background we need to remember, this idea of what is acceptable before God and what is acceptable before men. So in Ephesians chapter 5 verses 1 through 21 Paul charges these believers to do what is honorable in the sight of God by being imitators of God, walking in love, walking in light, and walking in wisdom.
We must do what is acceptable in the sight of our Father, not what is acceptable in the sight of the world. And we will look at what is acceptable in the sight of God under three main points. First of all, we will look at walking in love. chapter 5 verses 1 through 7. Secondly, we will look at walking in light, chapter 5 verses 8 through 14.
And then thirdly, we will look at walking in wisdom, chapter 5 verses 15 through 21. So walking in love, walking in light, and walking in wisdom. So let us first of all look at what it means to walk in love.
Walking in Love
Notice in verse 1, Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children." Now, this is an extremely high charge, is it not? Be imitators of God Almighty. Now, what does that mean to be an imitator of God? He's going to flesh this out for us.
But notice what he says. He says, be an imitator of God as dear children. Remember the idea we talked about, about adoption. That is, you're taken from what you once were, and you're brought into a new family.
And the idea is now that since you've been brought into this new family, we must walk in love, or be an imitator of God our Father. Kind of like how little children imitate their parents, for the good or for the worse. Nonetheless, Paul is saying, don't imitate the world, but imitate God Almighty. as dear children. That is, we are considered children of God, if you believed on Christ.
We are sealed with the Holy Spirit, who is that sign and guarantee of our inheritance that we will receive. Now, walk Ephesians in that. Be imitators of God because of the work of your Heavenly Father. We are set apart We are set apart as children of God.
Now, notice the charge in chapter 5 verse 2. Walk in love. There are a lot of imperatives in chapter 5 verses 1 through 21. Imperatives are commands, things that we must do.
But notice in chapter 5 verse 2, he says, walk in love as Christ also loved us and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma. You see, we don't engage in commands. We don't follow imperatives simply because they are imperatives. But indicatives always precede imperatives.
An indicative is a truth statement. That is, just as Christ set himself up and offered himself as a holy sacrifice, which was a sweet-smelling aroma to God, as a way to redeem us, therefore, walk as Christ did. Walk in love. Walk in love.
Now, what does it mean to walk in love? What does love actually mean? Last Sunday morning, in our consecutive scripture reading, we looked at 1 John chapter 4. Remember, God is love.
And the greatest, the ultimate example of love was Christ giving Himself up on behalf of His people to save them from their sins. He was sacrificed Himself on behalf of His people. Now, remember how the Apostle Paul defines love in 1 Corinthians 13. Patience, kindness.
It does not envy. It does not boast. It's not self-seeking. And my favorite, love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
We live in a day and age with a faulty definition of what love is. Love today is really accepting someone for who they are. But what does the Apostle say? Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but it rejoices in the truth.
And really, the Apostle Paul really describes for us Christ Jesus, who actually did walk in love, who really was those things. And we see in chapter 5 verse 1, this therefore, and that ties us in to chapter 4 verse 32, being kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God and Christ forgave you. Remember when God proclaims his name to Moses in Exodus 34. The Lord, the Lord, a God gracious and merciful. abounding in steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity, but who will by no means let the guilty go unpunished." Christ is really the only one who epitomizes, or is the ultimate example of what love actually looks like.
And love can also be defined as loving God and loving neighbor, namely the first four commandments, loving God, and the second six commandments, loving neighbor. Christ is the only one who did that. Therefore, He is the only perfect and acceptable sacrifice. And that is what this offering and a sweet-smelling aroma means.
It means that His offering was acceptable to God Almighty. And He really is the only one who presents us with something that is acceptable. John Eady, describing what love is, he says, that love which is set before us was noble ardent and self-sacrificing, eternal, boundless, and unchanging as its possessor. More to him than the possession of visible equality with God, for he veiled the splendors of divinity.
More to him than heaven, for he left it. More to him than the conscious enjoyment of his father's countenance, for on the cross he suffered the horrors of a spiritual eclipse and cried, Why hast thou forsaken me? More to him than his life, for he freely walked on earth, and especially as he bled on the cross, for he loved us." Because Christ is the ultimate example of what love truly looks like. But the Apostle Paul is telling us here to walk in love just as Christ did.
Now, we will not do it perfectly. We will fail at loving God in a right and appropriate way. Nonetheless, we need to seek and strive, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to put off the old self, put on the new, seek to live in a manner consistent with the Gospel. And this sweet-smelling aroma idea, this sweet-smelling sacrifice, is also found in Leviticus, in Leviticus, the book of Leviticus.
When the people were to offer up sacrifices That is the idea that there was sweet-smelling aroma which is acceptable unto the Lord God Most High. Now, the other time that this term is used in the New Testament is Philippians chapter 4 verse 18. The Apostle Paul says, Indeed, I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma and acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.
So there is this idea, yes, Christ is the only acceptable sacrifice, but when we seek to live in a manner consistent with Him, and the God the Father looks at our works through Christ Jesus, there is some idea where our works are acceptable unto God, that they are sweet-smelling aroma. When we actually are merciful and kind and forgiving, God does accept those things and sees them as acceptable. Remember, the main point of this whole text is what is acceptable to God. What is acceptable to God?
Sexual Sin and Covetousness Condemned
Now, in verses 3 through 7, we see what was honorable before men. And there, and by implication, shameful before God. Notice verse 3. But fornication and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints.
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks." The idea is that there are blatant sexual sins that should not be prevalent, should not be applauded in the Church of God, because we are set apart. We are a different people from the rest of the world. We are not to imitate the world, but imitate God Almighty. We must walk in the ways that He has set forth.
Now, one scholar says that sexual sins were just as prevalent in the ancient world as they are today. These things were just as common as the things that we see today. The things that we see here, fornication, that is this word pornea, we looked at that when Pastor Butler opened up Matthew chapter 19, that covers a multitude of sexual sin outside of marriage. We see this word uncleanness, probably carries the idea of being unnatural, sodomy, incest, bestiality, things that were disgusting and vile, that were practiced in the ancient world.
This idea of coveting, that is, having more desire for things than you were necessarily due. That is, if you have something that you've been given, there's no need for that. If you've been given a wonderful, loving wife, don't go seeking other areas of gratification that are not due unto you. And so he's really saying, Paul is saying, these things are what's honorable in the sight of men, but they are shameful before God Almighty.
In verse four, we have filthiness, foolish talking. Again, they carry the idea of sexual vulgarity, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving thanks. Twice he says fitting. It's not fitting for the saints to engage in these things.
And in verse 3 he says, let it not even be named among you. But then he says, then he has a proper and right, then he gives us a positive aspect. That's negative, what we shouldn't do. But notice the end of verse 4, but rather giving thanks to God Almighty.
What's the antidote for coveting. That is, thanking God Almighty for the things that He's given us. That is, if He's given us a loving and kind wife, a loving and kind husband, praise Him for that. If He gives us food each and every day, if He gives us jobs And if He protects us when we are struggling to find jobs, we must give thanks to Him for the things that He has given us.
And how much more so if we have salvation in Christ Jesus. If we've been adopted, we have an inheritance like no other. We must give thanks to God Almighty and not engage in any licentious, unrepentant acts. You see, notice we see the reason for it in chapter 5 verse 5.
For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. The Apostle Paul also talks about this in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 9. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.
Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, You were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." This is a serious thing. There is going to be just retribution for blatant, unrepentant acts of disobedience.
That is, we will not, that those who do not believe on Christ, who haven't believed on Christ and engaged in sinning against a thrice holy God will receive the just punishment. That is, they will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. They will not receive that blessed inheritance of eternal life. Instead, they will receive eternal punishment for their acts.
These acts very much fall under not only the First Commandment, but the Seventh Commandment as well. They fall under God's holy law, and they are unacceptable in the sight of God, and they are unacceptable in the sight of Christians. Unfortunately, it's even sad today in the Christian world that things like these that are going on here are accepted and applauded in so-called Christian churches. That's not right.
But nonetheless, we need to be careful, even in Reformed churches, that we watch and guard that we do not engage in these sorts of things. Our hearts are still vile. And as Pastor Butler pointed out, when we fall into apostasy, it starts with little things, little steps. That is, maybe we engage in some small act of looking at something inappropriate on the Internet.
But pretty soon, that could escalate into engaging in all sorts of other wickedness. We need to be careful. We need to watch. Clearly, as believers, we need to be careful that we're not engaging in these sorts of things.
Edi says, this idea of kingdom is that this kingdom is under the special jurisdiction of its king. And no one can or dare enter without His sanction. That is, there are certain rules, certain regulations, certain laws that God has set forth for His Kingdom. Thankfully, Christ has fulfilled those laws, that those who believe on Christ will have an inheritance as well.
But look at what the apostle says in chapter 5 verse 6. Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. These empty words mean they don't have any spiritual warrant to them.
And the reality is that there are teachers and preachers who preach licentiousness. That is, we can engage in any manner of... Because the Lord God has saved us, because we are considered righteous before God Almighty, because our sins are forgiven, therefore we can lead unrepentant lives. That's not true.
The Apostle Paul deals with that in Romans chapter 6. What shall we say then? Shall we keep on saying that grace may abound? May it never be.
But there are unfortunately men who preached it and taught it at the time of the Apostle. And there are men who preach and teach it in our time as well. We must be on guard to do what is acceptable in the sight of God. Because the wrath of God will come upon those who do not repent.
The wrath of God will come upon those who do not believe in Christ Jesus. That's what he says in verse 6. The wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Remember what he said in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1, And you he made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the spirit of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, that is, disobeying the commandments of the Lord God Most High.
Now, the only way to enter into the kingdom is to believe on the one who actually fulfilled these laws. The one who actually lived the law in perfection and died as that perfect sacrifice. The one who actually obeyed. Notice in chapter 5 verse 7, do not be partakers with them.
Now, this doesn't mean that you have to flee from the world, nor does it mean you necessarily have to separate from non-Christian friends. Gill summarizes it this way. He says, in their sins and acts of disobedience, by keeping needless company with them, by abetting and encouraging sinful practices, by conniving at them and not reproving them, or by committing the same things. That is, we must be careful not to fall into the same things our friends may or may not fall into, but we must reprove them, teach them, shine as a light in a crooked and perverse generation, sharing the gospel with them, that they might know what is acceptable to the Lord, that Christ is the only one who fills that and makes that, and is the only one who is that acceptable offering.
Therefore, that they can live in a manner acceptable with the Lord God Almighty as well. Now one application we can take away from this section, walking in love, is this. Honor before God is far more important than honor before men. That is, the proper authority of what is acceptable comes from God Almighty.
That is, He has set forth His standard in His law, in those Ten Commandments. He has set forth His holy standard. He is the only one who dictates what is honorable in His sight. And unfortunately, the world does not do that. the world dictates what's honorable in their own sight.
And we need to be careful that we don't dictate and teach what is honorable in our own sight as well. But we must seek to follow in what is honorable in the sight of God Almighty. So we've seen this idea of walking in love. We've seen Christ who is that sweet-smelling aroma.
We've seen the filthiness and the blatant sexual sins that characterize not walking in love.
Walking in Light
Now let us look, secondly, at walking in light. Chapter 5, verses 8 through 14. Two sub-points. We will look at honor before God, and the second sub-point, we will look at the honor before men.
Let us first look at honor before God.
Honor Before God: Children of Light
He says in chapter 5, verse 8, For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the world. Therefore, walk as children of light. Light and darkness was primarily used to contrast between what was evil, morally evil, and what is morally good. The Apostle John uses this frequently throughout his writings, comparing and contrasting what is light and what is darkness.
And notice there's this reminder of what they once were. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Therefore, walk as children of light. And then notice in chapter 9 he explains what that looks like.
For the fruit of the Spirit, in some translations it says fruit of light. is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. That is, this is the fruit of light. That is, goodness, things that are morally excellent. Righteousness, what is morally acceptable.
Truth, opposing any sort of insincerity concerning what is right and acceptable before God. And this very much ties in with the fruits of the Spirit. Galatians chapter 5 verse 22. But the fruit of this...
Actually, I'll read in chapter 5, verse 19. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousy, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like, of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit as well. That is, we must seek and pray to the Lord God to send His Spirit to help us walk, to demonstrate fruits of light, to demonstrate these fruits of the Spirit. Not, we won't be perfect, but nonetheless we still must strive, we must fight on, especially when everything around the world says not to do what God says we should do. So we've seen that with children of light must yield, we've seen what's honorable before God, that is walking in light.
Notice in verse 10 of chapter 5, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord God. We must discern what is acceptable before God Almighty. So we've seen what's honorable before God under walking in light.
Exposing the Works of Darkness
Now let's look at what's honorable before men, or shameful before God, in chapter 5 verses 11 through 14. Verse 11, And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. Now, what he's probably referring to here is what's called secret cults that occurred in the ancient world.
Now, one scholar says that these mystery cults were a secret kind of rite that had some sort of secret involved to it, that it was special, it was inconspicuous, that people would engage in, probably at night. Now, it could be any type of secret, a certain philosophical club, maybe engaging in all sorts of magic, and even as well, sexual intercourse in inappropriate and lewd ways. But sometimes it could also be nothing more than a figure of speech. But nonetheless, there were these mystery cults that engaged in disgusting acts with the cover of darkness.
So what's he saying here? Expose those acts. expose those things. Now, the implication and the analogy for us is that there are secret and blatant sins that people keep. Now, when it comes to exposing them, we need the work of the Holy Spirit to expose them.
We also need brothers and sisters to rebuke us as well when we engage in those types of sins. That is, these types of sins that are secret and hidden and that are unrepentant must be exposed. must be seen. And we see, and that's what he's saying in verse 13, but all things are exposed, are made manifest by light. For whatever makes manifest is light.
Now, trees need light. Trees need light to grow. And when light shines on a tree after the sun has come up, it exposes those dead branches or dead roots. And it's important that when you see those dead branches and dead roots, to take them out.
Otherwise, disease is going to creep in within that person. The same thing is true here. We need to expose these things. Christ does it through His Word.
The Spirit does it through the Word. but also saints, by the work of the Spirit, must expose these secret sins as well. I think it's important as believers to watch ourselves as well, that we don't engage in any type of secret sin. Now, would we ever sin, blatantly sin, against the Queen of England if she were to come in this room? Would we engage in any of these types of filthy practice that we see in chapter 5, verse 3 and 4?
Probably not. Why would we do it in private, before the High King of Heaven, before God Almighty? God does see. He is the all-pervading eye, and He is the one who does expose our sins, and He sees, and He knows.
So there is a place to watch ourselves, but there's also a place for proper rebuke for brothers and sisters as well. And then we see in verse 14 this quote, he says, he's quoting, he gives this quote, Awake you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. Now, where do these verses come from? Probably Isaiah 26 and Isaiah 60 as well.
In Isaiah 26, it talks about how the dead shall live. Kind of like we saw in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1. The dead were raised up by the work of the Holy Spirit. And in Isaiah chapter 60, it highlights the inclusion of the Gentiles as well, who would arise and who would bless Zion.
And so what these verses are trying to highlight for us is this is a reminder of our once previous condition. That is, before we believed on Christ Jesus, we were dead in our trespasses and sins. And by the work of the Holy Spirit, He brought us out of darkness into marvelous light. He redeemed something that was dead and made it alive.
Something that is dead cannot make itself alive. Only the work of the Holy Spirit can do that.
Application: Public and Private Life
Now, one application we can take away from walking in light is this. Our public life should be a mirror of our private life. That is, the things that we do in public should represent the things that we do in private. Our thoughts, our words, our sayings.
That is, we must do what is right in the sight of God, even when no one else is seeing, no one else is looking, because God sees. Christ sees, the Holy Spirit sees, the High King of Heaven sees those things that we do when no one else is looking. And thanks be to God for Christ Jesus, who did not engage in any sort of secret, inappropriate sins, nor did He engage in public sins as well, but He died as that perfect sacrifice. And brothers and sisters, we do have the Spirit as our weapon, as our aid, as we fight on, press on, as we watch and pray and fight.
We have the Holy Spirit, who is the ultimate weapon. He is the ultimate piece of ammo in our artillery. We need Him to help us and give us strength and aid to watch and pray and fight. Not as if He's our genie or anything, but nonetheless pray to Him, asking Him for aid, because we need Him, even in our private lives, even in our private walks, not only private, but public as well.
Walking in Wisdom
Let us look, finally, at our third point. We've seen walking in light. We've seen that we were once dark. We've seen what the fruits of the Spirit look like, what the fruit of light is, what is shameful in the sight of God that must be exposed.
Now let us look, thirdly and finally, walking in wisdom. Chapter 5, verses 15 through 21. The two set points will be the same as the last point. We will look at honor before God And the second sub-point will be honor before men.
So let's look at the honor before God. Chapter 5, verse 15.
Redeeming the Time Wisely
See then that you walk circumspectly or carefully, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. So what does this idea of walking in wisdom look like? The Apostle says here that we must not be foolish but wise, but in verse 16 he says we must redeem the time, or probably it means making the most of the time. Now what that means is, it means in reference to Ephesians 5 verse 16, it refers to the avoidance of anything that interferes with the understanding of the Lord's will.
That is, we must discern what is acceptable in the sight of God Almighty. Not in what is acceptable to men, but what is in the sight of God Almighty. Why do we need to do this? Why do we need to discern these things?
Because in a culture where shameful acts are honorable, a believer needs wisdom to navigate these waters. That is, we have many different sins pressing and crushing down on us. We have some people saying some things, even Christians saying false things. Nonetheless, we must know what is right and acceptable, discern what is right, so that we can walk in a manner consistent with the Lord's will.
And when I say will, theologians distinguish between what the hidden will of God and the revealed will of God. The hidden will of God refers to God's plan in eternity to save sinners, but also how He unfolds, guides and governs the world in His providence as well. So everyone is within that will of God, but there's also what theologians call the revealed will of God, that is what we must do. And there are times when we do not walk in that will of God, but we must discern what that will actually is.
John Eady says, "...wisdom, not in theory, but in practice, wisdom and not mere intelligence, was to characterize them, that wisdom which preserves in rectitude, guides amidst temptations, and affords a lesson of consistency to surrounding spectators." That is, we must not be unwise, we must do what God has said. So what's foolish in the world? breaking the Lord God's commandments. What's wise in the world? Walking according to the manner that He has set forth in His law as a pattern for living for believers.
That's what's honorable before God. Doing what He says of us, or doing what He says to us, doing what He requires of us. But notice what's honorable before men. That is, there's certain wisdom before men that is not right.
The Apostle Paul says in chapter 5 verse 17, Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. That is, wisdom before men is foolishness before God. And it pertains to the idea of lack of judgment, being ignorant, without discerning what is right and true. And we get a further indication of this in 5 verse 18.
Be Filled with the Spirit
Do not be drunk with wine. Now, what this drunkenness refers to is being unrestrained. That is, having this wasteful, reckless abandon. That's what it's referring to.
That's what dissipation means. That is, not being controlled. What's one of the works of the Spirit? Being self-controlled.
What's the Apostle Paul saying? Do not be filled with wine, but be filled with the Spirit. Be filled with the Spirit. Now, the Apostle Paul gives us further indication of what the will of God actually is in chapter 5 verse 18 until the end.
He says, be filled with the Spirit.
Psalms, Hymns, and Thanksgiving
In chapter 5, verse 19, he says, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submitting to one another in the fear of God. Last Sunday night in Colossians, Pastor Butler talked to us about what a participle is. It's a verbal noun.
And we see these participles here in 19, 20, and 21. Speaking, singing, making melody, giving thanks, submitting. Now all these words tie in with the command, that is, to be filled with the Spirit. And what these participles are, they talk about the result of being filled with the Spirit.
So you could translate it with the result of speaking to one another, with the result of singing and making melody. with the result of giving thanks always and with the result of submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." But notice he says, being filled with the Spirit, one result of it is speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. One commentator says, Their mouths will be filled with words which build up the lives of others and bring glory to the living and true God." That is, what is acceptable before God Almighty, what is honorable, is speaking, singing, and speaking to one another, building one another up in the truth. teaching others what is right and true concerning the gospel, what is right and true concerning proper conduct as God's children, when mainly speaking to one another for their edification, speaking psalms, probably referring to the Old Testament psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, probably contemporary songs that had spiritual content to them, that is, being filled with the Spirit. We see also singing and making melody to God in our hearts because of what He's done. Because He is the one who actually did what... because Christ is the one who did what was acceptable before God the Father.
We must give thanks to Him and sing melody to Him because of His great work. We must praise His name. What's man's chief aim? To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.
Another result in chapter 5 verse 20. giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's the second time he's mentioned giving thanks. And in chapter 5, verse 5, he talks about how covetousness is idolatry. And what's an antidote to covetousness is thanking the Almighty God for what he has done.
Notice it says, for all things, that is, for salvation, for predestination, for adoption, for the Spirit, for Christ's redemption, for sustaining us each and every day, for being with us and helping us put off the old man and put on the new man, for giving us brothers and sisters, for giving us men to the church who faithfully preach the gospel. We must give thanks to God Almighty for these things. In the name of our Lord and Lord Jesus Christ, who is our covenant Lord, that's how we are to pray, right? In the name of Jesus Christ, in the name of Christ, amen.
So an antidote to covetousness, to idolatry, to desiring things that are past our due, is thanking God for the things that he has given us. both spiritual and physical as well.
Submitting to One Another
And the last participle, the last result found in 5 verse 21 is submitting to one another in the fear of God. Now the Apostle Paul will flesh out what this submission actually looks like in chapter 5 verses 22 to chapter 6 verse 9. We see husband-wife relationship. We see parent-child relationship. and we see also master-slave relationships as well.
But those who are characterized, those who've been saved by God, those who've been called to be imitators of God, will submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives will respect their husbands. Husbands will love their wives. Children will obey their parents.
Parents will not provoke their children to wrath. Servants will be obedient to their masters. and masters will do the same things to their servants as well. That is, they will treat them fairly as well. So this idea of submission is very much a mutual aspect.
The Apostle Paul fleshes out what those things actually are. That is, submitting to one another, notice, out of the fear and reverence of God. That is, we must know who God is and what he requires of his people. Now, one application we can take away from this section is, namely, we must be filled with the Spirit.
We do need that Holy Spirit with us. We do need the Spirit to help us, to give us strength and aid each and every day, to do what is required of us, because God is our Father. We are His children, and He's called us out of darkness into marvelous light. We must not walk as the Gentiles do, but we must speak, sing, give thanksgiving, and submit, among many other things as well.
Application
So, in conclusion, we must remember that the Apostle Paul is calling Ephesians and believers as well to do what is honorable in God's sight. Now, we'll close with several applications that I've already mentioned. First of all, we must do what is acceptable in the sight of God and what is not acceptable in the sight of men. The world preaches and teaches something that is falsely acceptable in the sight of God, but they see it as acceptable in the sight of men.
Therefore, it's appropriate and right. Nonetheless, we must do what God requires. A second application is this. Our public life must mirror our private lives as well.
When we come into church, people don't always see our vile thoughts, our vile ideas, our vile thinkings, how we act at home sometimes. Nonetheless, it's easy sometimes to get a little bit more angry with your spouse than you would with other people. Nonetheless, I know that we need to watch those things. We must have our public life be mirrors of what our private life is. actually looks like.
And thirdly, we must be filled with the Spirit. That is, we must be giving thanks to God the Father, and we must submit to one another, and we must have the Spirit as our sign and seal. Now, that's several applications. I'm going to close with, for those here who are not believers in Christ Jesus, The reality is that there is sin in this world, and these sins that we see here teach us of the vileness, the disgustingness of what sin actually is.
That is, if we have not believed on Christ Jesus, even if we don't necessarily engage in these types of things, we still have sinned against God's holy law. We have broken God's law, therefore committing sin. Therefore, if you have not believed, I encourage you and implore you now to believe on Christ Jesus. Otherwise, you will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, and you are still under the wrath of God, and if you die, you will meet the wrath of God in a terrifying, terrifying way.
I encourage you to believe on Christ, the only acceptable sacrifice to God Almighty. He is the only one where God the Father smelt that aroma and said, that is pleasing to me. Believe on Him and you shall be saved. Christ can save not only our public sins, but our private sins as well.
That there is no sin too great, no hour too late, that Christ cannot save your soul. Believe on Christ now, otherwise you will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. And you are, and you will fall, and you will be under the wrath of God for eternity. Believe on Him and you shall be saved.
Amen. Well, let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day, Lord God. We thank you for your grace and your goodness. Father God, this is a high charge and a high calling for your people to be imitators of you. Father God, we thank you for Christ Jesus, who really was the only one who imitated you properly, the only one who really walked in love and light and wisdom, Lord God.
We thank you that he died as that perfect sacrifice, Lord God, upon Calvary's tree. Father God, we pray that those who believe on Christ Jesus, that we would walk in a manner consistent with the gospel. We would walk in a way that is honorable and acceptable in your sight, and not in what is acceptable in the sight of men, Father God. Father God, we thank you for the work of your Holy Spirit, how the Spirit continually ministers to us, Father God.
We thank you for giving us strength and aid each and every day. We thank you for helping us and enabling us to be imitators of you, albeit imperfectly, Lord God. Forgive us when we sin, Lord God. Forgive us when we fall.
Help us to repent, continually repent, and cast our worries and fears on Christ Jesus. And for those, Father God, that have not believed on Christ Jesus, I pray that today would be the day of salvation, Lord God, that you might be glorified in all things. Father God, may you be glorified this day in the name of Christ. Amen.