Third Pass at This Weekend's Bible Lesson: Ephesians 5:15-20

[Go here and here to look at the first two passes. In the first of these, you'll find an explanation of what the passes are all about.]

15Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16making the most of the time, because the days are evil. (see previous comments on these two verses from the second pass at the lesson)
(6) William Loader interestingly points out that Paul, in urging the Ephesians (and us) to make "the most of the time," is calling Christians to "exercise good time management."

It's admonitions like these which lay behind the Christian notion that "idle hands are the Devil's workshop," an idea that is unfairly maligned, seen as prompting Christians to joyless adherence to grim duty.

But that's absurd! There is an immutable law of displacement within the human soul. When we're not about God's business, we're inevitably about the Devil's.

This doesn't mean that we're all to be monks, nuns, or pastors. "Whatever you do, do it unto the Lord," is another of Paul's admonitions. Biblical faith has a deep appreciation of the value of both work and leisure. Whatever our work or leisure time activities, our aim should be the same, expressing worship for God by loving Him and loving others.

When this intent is displaced from our lives, we can become followers of Christ, but slaves of the devil, the world, or our sinful selves.

(7) Colossians 4:5 is similar to this passage. But there, time is to be used wisely in relation to non-Christians. Here, the general issue is the Christian ethical or moral life.

17So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
(1) This is one of three contrast statements that are found in the passage. In fact, the entire passage, according to The New International Bible (NIB), contains "groups of three" structuring.

• 3 "not...but" statements (vv.15b, 17-18)
• 3 types of music (v.19a)
• 3 participial phrases (19a, 19b, and 20)

(2) Foolishness is marked by trying to define truth and goodness to suit our own impulses and desires. But the Bible believes in objective truth, defined and revealed by God. There are ambiguities in life, to be sure; this is an underlying theme especially in the Gospel of Matthew. But Jesus Christ, as He says of Himself in the Gospel of John, is "the way, the truth, and the life," the foundational Reality of the world against which truth claims are to be measure. Through Christ, we see that the will of God is that we repent, receive new life through Christ, and seek, with the Spirit's power, to live out the life style of love God, love neighbor.

Wisdom is conducting oneself in ways that are consistent with our faith. Of course, no follower of Christ ever lives completely wisely. This is where the practice of "daily repentance and renewal," asking God to help us make midcourse corrections and to grant us the forgiveness we need to live, comes in.

18Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit,
(1) Once more, we see the phenomenon of spiritual displacement. But the contrast here isn't between wine and the Holy Spirit. It's between drunkenness, a dependency on alcohol for feeling good or good times on the one hand, and reliance on the Holy Spirit, Who can guide us in personally fulfilling and God-pleasing life styles.

(2) The passage draws on these Old Testament words:

Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
Those who linger late over wine,
those who keep trying mixed wines.
Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.
At the last it bites like a serpent,
and stings like an adder.
Your eyes will see strange things,
and your mind utter perverse things.
You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
like one who lies on the top of a mast.
“They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt;
they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
I will seek another drink. (Proverbs 23:26-35)

(3) Paul has previously prayed in this letter that God would fill the Ephesian believers with the Holy Spirit. But as I asked in this post:

If believers are filled with the Spirit, why do they need to be filled again? Billy Graham deals with this well in his fantastic book, The Holy Spirit. He says that out of the abundance of His life, God gives His Spirit to all when they come to believe in Christ. But those believers can also be filled again and again, for their consolation; for reminders of God's love, presence, and power in the midst of trying circumstances; and for sharing Christ with others by our words and actions.

19as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts,
(1) When we allow God's Spirit to displace self-driven living and let God's wisdom direct our "walk" through life, worship is the basic attitude of our lives. See here.

20giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1) Christians aren't meant to thankful for the bad things that happen to us. But when you know Christ is always with you and that He has given an inviolable future with God to you, you have the capacity to cope with what comes your way. See here.