Walk in Wisdom
To live morally is to live wisely. Biblically, a “fool” is not so named because of intellectual limits, but because of unbelief and the consequent abominable deeds (Ps. 14:1; Rom. 1:22). He lives apart from God and against God’s law (Prov. 1:7, 22; 14:9), and can’t comprehend the truth (1 Cor. 2:14) or his true condition (Rom. 1:21, 22). Certainly believers are to avoid behaving like fools (see Luke 24:25; Gal. 3:1–3).
Ephesians 5:1 is the word mimics, so that the verse can be translated: “Be ye imitators of God as beloved children.” This sets the theme for the section. Paul is simply arguing that children are like their parents, a fact that can be both encouraging and embarrassing to those of us who have children.
God is love (1 John 4:8); therefore, “walk in love” (Eph. 5:1–2). God is light (1 John 1:5); therefore, walk as children of light (Eph. 5:3–14). God is truth (1 John 5:6); therefore, walk in wisdom (Eph. 5:15–17). Of course, each of these “walks” is a part of Paul’s exhortation to “walk in purity.”
Believers are to walk in love (5:1–7), please God by avoiding evildoers (5:8–14), and walk in wisdom (5:15–17). The church is enabled to do this by the empowering (filling) of the Holy Spirit (5:18). When this happens, believers can together praise God, constantly offer thanksgiving in all things, and mutually submit one to another (5:19–21).
Two indications of a person’s character are what makes him laugh and what makes him weep. The saint of God sees nothing humorous in obscene language or jests. “Foolish talking” does not mean innocent humor but rather senseless conversation that cheapens the man and does not edify or minister grace to the hearers (Eph. 4:29).
Christians, by conducting themselves as “children of light,” expose the “deeds of darkness.” These deeds, however, refer here to the deeds of other believers who are not walking in the light. This is because only God can expose and convict unbelievers’ deeds (1 Cor. 5:12–13). Believers, on the other hand, can expose evil deeds among other Christians within the church. This the Corinthians failed to do (1 Cor. 5).
Premarital and other immoral sex, insolent speech and sexual humor were as common in ancient pagan society as they are today. Paul did not water down God’s standards to accommodate the culture; instead he warned that those who engaged in this lifestyle would not be among God’s people in the world to come. On vice lists and “inheriting” the kingdom of God, see comment on 1 Corinthians 6:9–10
Paul grounds this series of moral imperatives (chiefly regarding sexual purity) in two realities: our present identity in Christ, and the future judgment of Christ. Regarding the former, Paul tells the Ephesians to act as saints (v. 3) and to walk as children of light (v. 8). Concerning the latter, he admonishes them based on the coming wrath of God (v. 6) and the coming light of Christ (vv. 13–14). Both realities (present identity and future judgment) are connected to the gospel. The gospel connects to our present identity because it is the good news of our changed allegiance; the gospel connects to future judgment because it gives a gracious warning for those who profess the lordship of Christ with their mouths but deny him by their works (Matt. 7:21–23; Titus 1:16). Grace covers all the sin of those who trust in the finished work of Jesus upon the cross. Judgment does not await those who are united to Christ, but an unrepentant life turned from God has no assurance of that union.
“They which practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:21, literal translation). “Whoremonger” is a translation of the Greek word pornos, from which we get our word pornography, and it means “one who practices fornication—illicit sex.” The morally unclean and the covetous will join the fornicator in judgment. Paul equates covetousness with idolatry, for it is the worship of something other than God. These warnings deal with the habitual practice of sin, and not the occasional act of sin. David committed adultery, yet God forgave him and one day took him to heaven. Certainly David was disciplined for his sin, but he was not rejected by God.
In Paul’s day, there were false Christians who argued that believers could live in sin and get away with it. These deceivers had many arguments to convince ignorant Christians that they could sin repeatedly and still enter God’s kingdom. “You were saved by grace!” they argued. “Therefore go ahead and sin that God’s grace might abound!” Paul answered that foolish argument in Romans 6. “Sin in the life of a believer is different from sin in the life of an unsaved person!” Yes—it’s worse! God judges sin no matter where He finds it, and He does not want to find it in the life of one of His own children. I personally believe that no true Christian can ever be lost, but he will prove the reality of his faith by an obedient life.
Every time I take a plane to a meeting, I must surrender myself and my luggage to a special inspection, and I am happy to do so, because this inspection helps to detect bombs. I have never been afraid to walk through the “detection tunnel” or have my luggage pass through the X-ray equipment, because I have nothing to hide.
Circumspect comes from two Latin words which mean “looking around.” The Greek word carries the idea of precision and accuracy. “See that you walk carefully, with exactness” is the meaning. The opposite would be walking carelessly and without proper guidance and forethought. We cannot leave the Christian life to chance. We must make wise decisions and seek to do the will of God.
Because we live in dark times, we need frequent reminders to wake up (v. 14) and to watch out (v. 15). This means discerning what is pleasing to the Lord (v. 10) and walking in countercultural obedience to him: not unwise, but wise (v. 15); not foolish, but understanding (v. 17); not drunk on wine, but filled with the Spirit (v. 18). The world wants to press us into its mold (Rom. 12:2), but we have been given a different pattern.
“Therefore look carefully how you walk.” (This is behind the rendering in the ASV, NASB, and NIV.) Or does “careful” modify “walk”? If so, the idea is, “Therefore look that you walk carefully” (cf. KJV). This second alternative is preferred because better Greek manuscripts place akribōs closer to the Greek word “walk” and because in the New Testament the Greek imperative “look” (blepete) is never modified by an adverb. Believers then, are to walk (live) carefully, so as to be wise or skillful and thus please the Lord. The manner for this careful, precise walk is making the right use of every opportunity (cf. Col. 4:5), and the reason for this careful walk is that the days are evil. Many are walking in sin, and since the time is short believers must make full use of their time to help turn them from darkness to light. This necessitates wise conduct.
It is a mark of wisdom (v. 15). Only a fool drifts with the wind and tide. A wise man marks out his course, sets his sails, and guides the rudder until he reaches his destination. When a man wants to build a house, he first draws his plans so he knows what he is doing. Yet, how many Christians plan their days so that they use their opportunities wisely? True, we cannot know what a day may bring forth (James 4:13–17). But it is also true that a planned life can better deal with unexpected events. Someone said, “When the pilot does not know what port he is heading for, no wind is the right wind.”
Life is short (v. 16a). “Buying up the opportunity—taking advantage of it.” An old Chinese adage says, “Opportunity has a forelock so you can seize it when you meet it. Once it is past, you cannot seize it again.” Our English word opportunity comes from the Latin and means “toward the port.” It suggests a ship taking advantage of the wind and tide to arrive safely in the harbor. The brevity of life is a strong argument for making the best use of the opportunities God gives us.
The days are evil (v. 16b). In Paul’s time, this meant that Roman persecution was on the way (1 Peter 4:12–19). How foolish to waste opportunities to win the lost when soon those opportunities might be taken away by the advances of sin in society! If the days were evil when Paul wrote this letter, what must be their condition today?
God has a plan for our lives (v. 17b). Paul alluded to this plan (Eph. 2:10). If God saved me, He has a purpose for my life, and I should discover that purpose and then guide my life accordingly. He reveals His plan through His Word (Col. 1:9–10), His Spirit in our hearts (Col. 3:15), and the working of circumstances (Rom. 8:28). The Christian can walk carefully and accurately because he knows what God wants him to do. Like the builder following the blueprint, he accomplishes what the architect planned.
Paul explains the “filling” in verse 18 with four participles in verses 19–21. To be under the sway of the Spirit (instead of intoxicated by strong drink) leads to speaking in song, singing in your heart, giving thanks to God, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Not everyone submits to everyone, but all are called to submit to the proper authorities in their lives—and all are called to live sacrificially for the sake of others in their lives (v. 2), a theme that will get much expression in the following verses, even for those in authority. Being “Spirit-filled” has less to do with spontaneity and exuberance, and more to do with living a life marked by the ordinary and glorious fruit of the Spirit (cf. Gal. 5:22–23).
Knowing and understanding God’s will through His Word is spiritual wisdom. For example, God’s will revealed to us is that people should be saved (1 Tim. 2:3, 4), Spirit-filled (v. 18), sanctified (1 Thess. 4:3), submissive (1 Pet. 2:13–15), suffering (1 Pet. 2:20) and thankful (1 Thess. 5:18). Jesus is the supreme example for all (see John 4:4; 5:19, 30; 1 Pet. 4:1, 2).
Only after one understands what pleases God (v. 1) can he carry it out in his life.
5:18. Going from the general to the specific, Paul explained how wisdom, as an intellectual and spiritual capacity, works out in one’s conduct. Verse 18 includes a negative command and a positive one. The negative is to abstain from getting drunk on wine with which there is incorrigibility. The word asōtia is translated debauchery (NIV, RSV), “excess” (KJV), “riot” (ASV), and “dissipation” (NASB). All these give the idea of profligate or licentious living that is wasteful. In this verse the literal sense of incorrigibility seems best, for a drunken man acts abnormally. Rather than controlling himself, the wine controls him. Conversely, the positive command is, Be filled with the Spirit. Thus a believer, rather than controlling himself, is controlled by the Holy Spirit.
Thus in this relationship, as a believer is yielded to the Lord and controlled by Him, he increasingly manifests the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23). The Spirit’s indwelling (John 7:37–39; 14:17; Rom. 5:5; 8:9; 1 Cor. 2:12; 6:19–20; 1 John 3:24; 4:13), sealing (2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30), and baptism (1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27) occur at the time of regeneration and thus are not commanded. However, believers are commanded to be filled constantly with the Holy Spirit. Each Christian has all the Spirit, but the command here is that the Spirit have all of him. The wise walk, then, is one that is characterized by the Holy Spirit’s control.
Paul then gave four results of being filled with the Spirit. First is communication with one another with psalms (psalmois, OT psalms sung with stringed instruments such as harps), hymns (hymnois, praises composed by Christians), and spiritual songs (a general term). Second is communication with the Lord by singing and making melody (psallontes, singing with a stringed instrument) in the heart. Church music, then, should be a means of believers’ ministering to each other, and singing should be a means of worshiping the Lord. Third is thanking God the Father (cf. 1:2–3, 17; 3:14) continually for all things (cf. Col. 3:17; 1 Thes. 5:18). Fourth, Spirit-controlled believers are to submit to one another, willingly serving others and being under them rather than dominating them and exalting themselves. But basic to Christians’ attitudes toward others is their reverence for Christ. Paul next elaborated on this subject of submission (Eph. 5:22–6:9).
5:18 And do not be drunk with wine. Although Scripture consistently condemns all drunkenness (see notes on Prov. 23:20, 21, 29–35; 31:4, 5; Is. 5:11, 12; 28:7, 8; cf. 1 Cor. 5:11; 1 Pet. 4:3), the context suggests that Paul is here speaking especially about the drunken orgies commonly associated with many pagan worship ceremonies of that day. They were supposed to induce some ecstatic communion with the deities. Paul refers to such as the “cup of demons” (see notes on 1 Cor. 10:20, 21). but be filled with the Spirit. See notes on Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 6:3. True communion with God is not induced by drunkenness, but by the Holy Spirit. Paul is not speaking of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling (Rom. 8:9) or the baptism by Christ with the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13), because every Christian is indwelt and baptized by the Spirit at the time of salvation. He is rather giving a command for believers to live continually under the influence of the Spirit by letting the Word control them (see note on Col. 3:16), pursuing pure lives, confessing all known sin, dying to self, surrendering to God’s will, and depending on His power in all things. Being filled with the Spirit is living in the conscious presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, letting His mind, through the Word, dominate everything that is thought and done. Being filled with the Spirit is the same as walking in the Spirit (see notes on Gal. 5:16–23). Christ exemplified this way of life (Luke 4:1).
5:19–21 These verses summarize the immediate personal consequences of obeying the command to be filled with the Spirit, namely singing, giving thanks, and humbly submitting to others. The rest of the epistle features instruction based on obedience to this command
5:19 speaking to one another. This is to be public (Heb. 2:12). Cf. Pss. 33:1; 40:3; 96:1, 2; 149:1; Acts 16:25; Rev. 14:3. psalms. Old Testament psalms put to music, primarily, but the term was used also of vocal music in general. The early church sang the Psalms. hymns. Perhaps songs of praise distinguished from the Psalms which exalted God, in that they focused on the Lord Jesus Christ. spiritual songs. Probably songs of personal testimony expressing truths of the grace of salvation in Christ. making melody. Lit. means to pluck a stringed instrument, so it could refer primarily to instrumental music, while including vocal also. in your heart to the Lord. Not just public, but private. The Lord Himself is both the source and the object of the believer’s song-filled heart. That such music pleases God can be seen in the account of the temple dedication, when the singing so honored the Lord that His glory came down (2 Chr. 5:12, 14).
5:20 giving thanks always for all things. See note on 1 Thess. 5:18; cf. 2 Cor. 4:15; 9:12, 15; Phil. 4:6; Col. 2:7; Heb. 13:15. Believers’ thankfulness is for who God is and for what He has done through His Son, their Savior and Lord.
Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us. The Lord is the supreme example in His self-sacrificing love for lost sinners (4:32; Rom. 5:8–10). He took human sin upon Himself and gave up His very life that men might be redeemed from their sin, receive a new and holy nature, and inherit eternal life (see note on 2 Cor. 5:21). They are henceforth to be imitators of His great love in the newness and power of the Holy Spirit, who enables them to demonstrate divine love. a sweet-smelling aroma. Christ’s offering of Himself for fallen man pleased and glorified His heavenly Father, because it demonstrated in the most complete and perfect way God’s sovereign, perfect, unconditional, and divine kind of love. Leviticus describes 5 offerings commanded by God for Israel. The first 3 were: 1) the burnt offering (Lev. 1:1–17), depicting Christ’s perfection; 2) the grain offering (Lev. 2:1–16), depicting Christ’s total devotion to God in giving His life to please the Father; and 3) the peace offering (Lev. 3:1–17; 4:27–31), depicting His peacemaking between God and man. All 3 of these were a “soothing aroma to the Lord” (Lev. 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2, 9, 12; 3:5, 16). The other two offerings, the sin offering (Lev. 4:1–26, 32–35) and the trespass offering (Lev. 5:1–19), were repulsive to God because, though they depicted Christ, they depicted Him as bearing sin (cf. Matt. 27:46). In the end, when redemption was accomplished, the whole work pleased God completely.
5:21 submitting to one another. Paul here made a transition and introduced his teaching about specific relationships of authority and submission among Christians (5:22–6:9) by declaring unequivocally that every spirit-filled Christian is to be a humble, submissive Christian. This is foundational to all the relationships in this section. No believer is inherently superior to any other believer. In their standing before God, they are equal in every way (Gal 3:28). in the fear of God. The believer’s continual reverence for God is the basis for his submission to other believers. Cf. Prov. 9:10.
