So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life.
Ephesians 5:15-18
Paul continues the same thought on the difference between light and dark. Given all of these considerations – putting off the deeds and the influence of the darkness and putting on the deeds of light and living in the light, Paul now says don’t like like fools. Live according the light you have received. This goes back to the concept of the teaching we receive from those gifted to bring us into the light – the enlightenment God has given us. We know clearly how we ought to live. We have been instructed by the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers in order to know the truth and not be influenced by every wind of doctrine or every false teaching or temptation from the devil. We know we are in a battle between light and dark. So live then as people of the light – not people of the darkness. Take care how you live according the light, the teaching, the wisdom you have received. It is a no-brainer. Given all we know of the truth make the most of every opportunity you have to live as children of the light even though the time and society in which we live would seek to pull us from the teaching we hold to. This is true of the Ephesian living in the midst of the darkness. It is true also of us in 21st Century.
The Ephesians lived in a city known for vice, excessive sexual freedom, drunkenness and revelry, along with false teaching and errant practices. Note too what John writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the book of Revelation:
“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven gold lamp stands:
“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for Me without quitting. But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love Me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to Me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. But this is in your favour: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do. Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.
(Revelation 2:1-7
Having been taught the truth the Ephesian church were clinging to it in the midst of all kinds of strange cultic teaching. Don’t lose control of your faculties says! Paul. Don’t act thoughtlessly and don’t get drunk with wine as those among whom you live. When you do those things you lose self control. Be thinking people and be in control of your faculties. If you don’t, you will lose self control and an awareness of truth and succumb to life style around you. Rather be aware of what the Lord wants you to do at all times. Sober words for people stuck in the midst of a society which gave free reign to its desire for pleasure. Knowing all we know or have been taught by the Lord through the gifts He has given to the body, we need to persevere in the teaching we have received and the life of obedience to Christ. If you have a firm grip on the truth you will not be swayed by the false. If you are rooted and grounded in the truth, if you hear, understand, remember, decide, act on it and persist in acting (after David Wong) then you will not be swayed from the truth.
Keep your wits about you people and don’t yield ground.
Anon
Life is too short to waste time; Get rid of anything that isn’t Godly.
Anon
If you put God’s holiness on one side of the scale, with the universe on the other side, the universe goes up. Like air.
John Piper
It’s not the will to achieve that matters it’s the willingness to maintain that makes all the difference.
Robb Thompson