The Consequences of Being Spirit-Filled (Eph. 5:18–21)

Series: Ephesians: Building the ChurchText: Ephesians 5:18–21

By: Shaun Marksbury Date: June 11, 2023

Venue: Living Water Baptist ChurchOccasion: PM Service

Introduction

We’ve spent the past two sermons in this Ephesians study on 5:18. In the first sermon, we discussed what the Bible has to say about alcohol — in part, because of the confusion we have about it in the West. We also wanted to consider how being filled with the Holy Spirit contrasts to drunkenness. In summary, we learned the Holy Spirit should so move, permeate, and control our lives — much like what we would say about a state of drunkenness, but this filling requires sobriety of mind and heart.

In doing so, we discussed a good deal about what being filled with the Spirit is not, and then we looked at what it is. You may have heard on the radio, TV, internet, or through some other source that the Spirit’s filling means some spectacular experience. However, while what we learned may seem more mundane by comparison, we also discussed that it is not our opinion — the Holy Spirit has chosen to reveal this about Himself in His own Word to us.

That is the essential descriptions of the Spirit’s filling — bringing everything in our lives under the sway of His Word, the Holy Bible. In other words, what we think about everything is defined by Scripture (least we be doubleminded). Moreover, what we feel must be informed by God’s Word, meaning that we must adjust our emotions. Finally, what we choose to do in life must conform with what the Spirit records in these pages.

That reading fits with what comes next in the passage. Following the command to be filled in v. 18 comes the participles speaking, singing, and making melody (v. 19), giving thanks (v. 20), and finally, submitting (v. 21). They are all five present participles and all active, except for the last one, which is passive.

These five words describe the reality of the Spirit’s filling in our lives, which may be very different than what you pictured the Spirit’s filling to be. His filling does affect our vertical worship but also our horizontal interactions. We can sum up the consequences of the Spirit’s filling into four thoughts: Those filled with the Spirit communicate it with one another (v. 19a), sing to the Lord (v. 19b), thank the Lord (v. 20), and submit to one another (v. 21). Let’s consider the first of those.

Those Filled with the Spirit Communicate it with One Another (v. 19a)

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs

The first point you may note is that the verb “speaking” is used here in relationship to music. This is a communication of ideas, but in melodic and even harmonious tones. In fact, as one commentary notes, “The verb indicates more than conversational speech; it may indicate singing or congregational antiphonal speech.” So, the speaking here need not mean conversation alone; as another commentator notes, “Trumpets (Rev. 4:1) and even peals of thunder (10:4) are said to be speaking.”

By way of comparison, the parallel in Colossians 3:16 states, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” In that case, we have the word “admonishing” instead of “speaking,” but it comes against in reference to these three phrases. Let’s study this further before determining its meaning.

The first point we can infer here is that this is public communication, as it commands both “speaking” and “to one another.” Several passages affirm our need for music in our public services (Hb 2:12; cf. Pss. 33:1; 40:3; 96:1–2; 149:1; Acts 16:25; Rv 14:3). This music should be congregational. One commentary notes,

For over a thousand dark years of its history (c. 500–1500) the church in general did not sing. From shortly after New Testament times until the Reformation, what music the church had was usually performed by professional musicians. The music they presented could not be understood or appreciated by the average church member. In any case, they could only sit and listen, unable to participate. But when the Bible came back into the church during the Reformation, singing came with it. Martin Luther and some of the other Reformation leaders are among the greatest hymn writers of church history. Where the true gospel is known and believed, music is loved and sung. God’s Spirit in the heart puts music in the heart.

Some contemporary Christian music repeats this error in making the music unsingable except by the musicians on stage. However, that is a topic we’ve discussed in the past, most recently on this past Reformation Sunday study (available online). For now, it is enough to note this took place during the congregational gatherings.

Believers sing. Singing is a response to deliverance, such as when the people sang as a response to the exodus (Ex. 15:1–18). Great choirs accompanied the reconstruction of the gates of Jerusalem (Neh 12:31, 38). Three terms for music appear here for the Christian congregation, and most commentaries hold them to refer to separate ideas. Let’s consider the first noun the Spirit lists here.

First, We Should Sing Psalms

This is the inspired music of the OT, and it was usually instrumental and set to music. The church often used psalms in their gatherings. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul noted that Christians were sometimes wrongly utilizing psalms (1 Cor 14:26), but they certainly should be a part of worship.

We’ve noted in the past that a number of the songs in our hymnal are psalms. This includes some less obvious ones like “All People that on Earth do Dwell” (based on Psalm 100) and “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” (based on Psalm 46). The advantage to this is that we get to sing inspired Scripture, which is certainly filling the service with the Holy Spirit. Even so, the Spirit does not require exclusive psalmody, for He commands:

Second, We Should Sing Hymns

These are songs that are composed by human authors that exalt the Lord. We also find examples of this in Scripture. For instance, before they left the Upper Room on the night of His betrayal, Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn (Mt 26:30). Paul and Silas were also singing hymns while in prison (Acts 16:25). As one study notes, these are “compositions addressed directly to God, like the modern song ‘How Great Thou Art.’ ” Hymns for Him!

Third, We Should Sing Spiritual Songs

If we were to talk about psalms exalting God and hymns lifting up Jesus Christ, how would these be different? One commentary notes that these are probably “songs of personal testimony expressing truths of the grace of salvation in Christ.” Another similarly says they are “about the Christian experience, like ‘Amazing Grace.’ ” We read about such songs existing in heaven (Rv 5:9).

Again, such music should mark the Christian church. Even more so, such should be the communication of believers with one another. When we see someone in need of encouragement, you may find the right thing to say in words of the Spirit in the psalms or in His work as recorded in hymns and spiritual songs. Of course, not all music is equal (psalms being inspired), but Christians who are filled with the Holy Spirit should be able to speak spiritual truths with one another, however haltingly or, at times, off-key. This should be our heart, bringing us to the next point:

Those Filled with the Spirit Sing to the Lord (v. 19b)

singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord

We have the second and third of five present participles here, but they seem to speak of the same reality. One word communicates the idea of singing while playing instruments, while the other focuses on just the singing. Either is acceptable in the worship of our Lord; I had a worship professor (Dr. Paul Plew) who often told us that the most beautiful instrument ever created is the one which God made, the human voice.

The main point is that this music is conducted in both mind and spirit, not to be separated (1 Cor 14:15). The biblical concept of the heart includes the mind, everything a person thinks. Thus, music to the Lord should be a lifestyle for a believer, whether in the gathered assembly or in private.

To put this another way, praise is not to be lip-service but heart-service. God isn’t interested in the person who sings to Him when they have no care for His ways. He says, “Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Am 5:23–24). In context, this would be the Lord Jesus, though the parallel in Col 3:16 says “to God.” This would not be a strong argument for Trinitarian theology, but it is nonetheless interesting.

As tempting as it was to stop the sermon here, there are a couple more consequences of Spirit-filling in this passage. Let’s examine those briefly.

Those Filled with the Spirit Thank the Lord (v. 20)

always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

The fourth of five participles here continues the consequences of being Spirit-filled. Paul had already said that we should have gracious speech toward one another (v. 4). This should be speech not just toward each other, but also toward God. Following the prepositions in this verse, our thankfulness should result in out giving thanks for everything, in Jesus’s name, to God the Father.

First, We Always Give Thanks for Everything

Again, consider the parallel passage. Paul said the same thing there: “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Col 3:16–17). Other passages communicate this reality (1 The 5:18; cf. 2 Cor 4:15; 9:12, 15; Phil 4:6; Col 2:7; Hb 13:15).

This Spirit-filled mindset challenges how we encounter life. When we recognize that God has a purpose in everything (Rm 8:28), even in what we would consider to be bad or negative, then we cease viewing our experiences as obstacles to our success and happiness. As an example of this, Corrie Ten Boom talks about praising God for fleas while in the concentration camp — it kept the Nazi guards out and granted freedom of study. We have trouble remembering to thank God for our food; one of the hindrances to the Spirit’s control in our lives is certainly our ingratitude.

We Always Give Thanks in Jesus’s Name

Jesus had told us to pray in His name. In John 14:13–14, we read, “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” This doesn’t mean that we use His name as an incantation to get what we want; this is about being filled or controlled by the Holy Spirit. Praying in Jesus’s name means that we pray according to His will (cf.1 Jn 5:14–15). This is why it’s so important to understand the will of the Lord (v. 17) — we must learn through the Spirit to pray better.

We Always Give Thanks to God the Father

This really goes back to the first point. Eventually, Jesus will hand over the kingdom to our “God and Father” (1 Cor 15:24). We need to understand that everything comes under the plan and sovereignty of the Lord God. If we can stop thinking about what we want and more about what would glorify God, then we would become more thankful.

There is one other consequence of Spirit-filling.

Those Filled with the Spirit Submit to One Another (v. 21)

and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

Of the five participles we’ve noted today in connection to the Spirit’s filling, this is the only one not translated by the NASB with an -ing ending. However, the ESV has “submitting,” keeping the participial pattern. Of the five, though, this one passive, which the NASB captures with the word “be”; perhaps “be submitting” is a bit clunky.

This verse, with its command for submission, is an important hinge into the rest of the chapter. Whenever we talk about submission in a 20th and 21st century context, it’s popular to go to another book to note that all are equal in Christ (Gal 3:28). Of course, that statement alone is true, but Galatians is addressing salvation, not social order. All Christians have freedom in Christ, but as Paul said in Galatians 5:13, do “not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

Paul gives a number of examples that follow through the end of this chapter and into the next. He isn’t the only one; Peter also said this. He said we are to submit to “every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority” (1 Pt 2:13). He also said in 1 Peter 5:5, “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

In the following verses here, the Holy Spirit defines this submission in hierarchy. This is a military term meaning “to line up under.” From 5:22–6:9, we read about Christians lining up under one another within the Christian household: wives under husbands, children under parents, slaves under masters. We’ll take time to examine each of those in the coming weeks.

Note for now that this is to be done “in the fear of Christ.” The Spirit-filled believer submits in reverence to the Lord. Indeed, the verses after this will also emphasize the duties of those in authority. As the Reformation Study Bible notes here, “Regardless of their social rank, all Christians should pattern their social behavior on the humility and kindness of Christ (4:32–5:2; cf. Luke 22:24–27; John 13:14–16).” That is a life under the sway of the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion

Again, the filling of the Holy Spirit means that everything falls under the sway of the Bible. What we think about everything is defined by Scripture. What we feel must be informed by God’s Word, meaning that we must adjust our emotions. Finally, what we choose to do in life must conform with what the Spirit records in these pages.

If this is the case, then we will communicate spiritual truth with one another. We will sing to the Lord and be thankful for all that He gives us. We will submit to the authority He’s ordained in our life. If you find that you fell short in this this year, know that He’s gracious; He forgives but also grants you the ability to grow in your submission to Him.