Theological Commentary: Click Here
Ephesians 5
is largely a common sense chapter. Paul
gives us good advice for living. He
encourages us to behave in ways that build up the community around us. He wants us to allow the light of God to
shine through us.
Here are
some of the things that Paul encourages us to do. Rather than getting drunk, fill ourselves
with the Holy Spirit and lift one another up with joy and praise. Rather than make foolish decisions, wait upon
and pursue the will of the Lord. Don’t
partner with empty actions. Don’t allow
our lusts to rule over us. Speak words
of encouragement instead of filthiness or crude jokes. Husbands and wives should love each other.
These words
simply make sense. If we are going to be
God’s people, we need to reflect God’s ways.
If we are going to reflect God’s ways, we need to live in truth. We need to be building up the community
around us. We need to be observant about
the needs of others around us. We need
to speak truthfully about the lives we see round us.
What Paul is
really getting at here is something that we all know through our lived
experience. It’s one thing to talk a
good talk. It’s an entirely different
thing to walk the walk. Words sound
hollow when we say them but live contrary to our words. We come across as hypocrites when we do
so. Paul wants to make sure that our
testimony is supported by, not hindered by, our actions.
There is
another side to this as well. Paul also
wants to make sure that we remain in God’s will. He wants to ensure that we receive the inheritance
of God when we have finished with this life.
When we fill our life with sin, we risk abandoning God and forfeiting
His grace. Paul wants to make sure that
we firmly hold on to what God has offered us through His own graciousness. We live righteously not just for others, but
to keep ourselves headed in a right direction.
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