Ephesians 5:15-21
“Walking the Walk”

Every once in a while a company comes up with an advertising slogan that captures the spirit of the age. Have it your way was a big one—Burger King. It set them apart from McDonald’s back in the 1970s, but type have it your way into the Google search engine these days and Burger King restaurant is nowhere among the top sites listed. Their slogan captured something beyond hamburgers. 

I mentioned McDonalds; they’ve had several over the years. Their most recent slogan, though, I’m lovin’ it, is likely used more often in other contexts than it is in hawking cheeseburgers. 

Not to stay intentionally in the junk food category, but Coke has also come up with several good slogans over the years. Best among them, though, was Coke: the real thing. When anything is considered of lasting or authentic value it is now labeled the real thing—and not because it is the only thing of its kind, or because all other products like it are only pretend, but because Coke put the phrase in the mind of our culture.

As we consider the passage before us this morning, it is so clear and explicit and practical as instruction on Christian living that it brings another famous advertising slogan to mind that is ubiquitous, just as these others are. But we’ll get back to that later. For now, let’s turn our attention to the text. In Eph.5:15-21 Paul subtotals a list of charges that clarify what it means for us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling.

Walk Wisely – 15-16

Paul begins this charge with the words, “look carefully then how you walk.” He’s telling the Ephesians to be carefully attentive to their pattern of life, because that’s what he means when he uses the word walk so freely in this letter. We used to walk in trespasses and sins (2:2) before we came to faith in Christ, but then we were saved in order to walk in good works (2:10). In fact, we’re called to walk in a manner worthy of our salvation (4:1), not as the Gentiles do (4:17) but in imitation of Christ’s love (5:2). We should walk in the light (5:8) and here now, in v.15, we should do so carefully, with wisdom.

The idea of walking is that we are moving through life step by step consistently with God’s plan. We saw last week that there is a long history of walking with God that goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. We also saw that walking in the light, v.8, consists of pursuing, and seeking to embody, that which is good and right and true, v.9—trying to discern what is pleasing to the Lord, v.10, which is equivalent to pursuing his will. And here now we see a summary statement of our walk, that it should be characterized as wisdom. So what does that wisdom look like? In Paul’s line of thought here, v.16, it consists in making the best use of time because the days are evil. Paul instructed the Colossians similarly. “Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders,” he wrote in 4:5, “making the best use of the time.” We might say, redeeming the time; that’s the Greek word. And the image is poignant if not abundantly clear. 

So, what does it really mean? Paul brought up a similar issue with the Corinthians which he worded in an even more intriguing manner: I like to call it “living as if not.” 1Co.7:29ff. reads this way—you may want to turn to it: “The appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.” Paul is addressing issues of marriage and singleness in the chapter and sets the immediate context for this instruction by referring to the present distress in v.26. “In view of the present distress,” he wrote, “it is good for a person to remain as he is.” If you’re married, stay married. If you’re single, stay single. But if you do marry you haven’t sinned. You’ve just stepped into a state that, by God’s own design, will be a bit of a distraction from the order of the world to come. You see, there will be no marriage or being given in marriage in the future Kingdom; but that Kingdom has already dawned here and now. It was initiated at the coming and life and ministry of Jesus. But it will not be fully delivered until He comes again. Until that time the future Kingdom overlaps this present age, but its full deliverance is all the while drawing nearer. And it is the calling of believers for the coming Kingdom to become more and more real and binding in our lives; more influential on the way we live. It is our calling, our promised deliverance, our home—and should be our all-consuming passion. In light of the coming Kingdom, then, and the passing nature of this world, Paul’s instruction is to “live as if not.” Are you married? Live as if not. Are you sad? Live as if not. Happy? Live as if not. New car? Live as if you had none. Negotiating a big deal at work? Live as if not. Clearly the meaning is not to ignore all of these things, or neglect them—Paul opened this chapter with some rather specific instruction on the obligations husbands and wives have to one another. 

No, this is similar to Jesus stating that “If anyone comes to (him) and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be (his) disciple” (Luk.14:26). He’s not calling for abject and unbridled hatred but, by comparison to your love for him, if your love for all else is not as hatred, you are not his disciple. Similarly here: in light of the coming Kingdom, all else that you have in this life should be treated as if it were not. You are dutifully attentive to it, but you are not attached to it to the extent that you are devastated if it’s lost. You may be saddened. You may even mourn. But even your mourning is as if not. You do not grieve as ones who have no hope (1Th.4:13). You may experience great victories in this life, and you may rejoice. But you don’t gain your ultimate satisfaction from these things. You treat them as if not. 

Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luk.10:20). Rejoice that you have a place in the Kingdom. Back here in Ephesians, then, Paul is calling us to be attentive to our walk with God, to walk wisely, not unwisely; to be making the best use of our time here in preparation for the coming Kingdom—getting ready, getting others ready. We’re called to be living as if not, because the days are evil. 

Understand God’s Will – 17

Next, Paul charges us, v.17, not to be foolish, but to “understand what the will of the Lord is.” In a couple of ways this charge seems to repeat the first one: “understand what the will of the Lord is” here in v. 17b is somewhat parallel in meaning to v.15a, “look carefully then how you walk.” We’ll get back to that in a moment.

But also, “do not be foolish,” 17a, is similarly parallel to 15b, “not as unwise but as wise.” Pro.18:23 says, “Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.” Does that image bring anyone to mind? Making a joke of doing wrong is quite often the favorite escape route from responsibility for adolescents who are caught doing wrong. But then Proverbs (22:15) also tells us that, “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.” Joking about doing wrong is also used by those who are wasting their lives in frivolous pursuits. They try to laugh off failure and idleness as though it doesn’t really matter when all the while they, and all those around them, know that their lives counting for nothing. That is the very definition of foolishness.

“Do not be foolish,” then, “but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Paul told us back in 1:9 that God’s will has already been made know to us; in fact, it is that mystery which was such a dominant theme in the first half of the letter. Jew and Gentile reconciled to God by one and the same means, and reconciled to one another in the process, forming one new man who is under the headship of Christ for all eternity. So, the will of God is defined for us here as the whole plan of salvation for the ages. The responsibility of the Ephesian believers, then, and of each of us, is to understand that will, to comprehend it or gain insight into it (nas)—to enter into it personally. The word translated understand actually means, “to set or bring together. To put the perception with the thing perceived;” to bring it together in the mind (Strong). But the calling is to far more than a mere intellectual understanding of the Lord’s will. The fact that it has already been made known is the ingredient that presses the meaning of understanding toward practical experience. 

Since we already know what the will of God is, understanding it then means we are to grasp its significance to us personally. As one commentator put it, “Let them lay hold of it and understand its implications for their day-to-day living” (O’Brien, 385). David wrote in Psa.143:10, “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God!” And we know from many other passages what that’s supposed to look like: It means presenting ourselves wholly to God, being transformed in our minds to desire then to do what is good and pleasing and perfect (Rom.12:1-2). It means having such a grateful heart that we are thankful in all situations (1Th.5:18). It means growing in holiness of lifestyle and steering clear of sexual immorality (1Th.4:3). It means combating the ignorant talk of fools by doing good, by living the life (1Pe.3:18). That is just a sampling of what God’s word says about living God’s will day by day. 

Don’t opt for the emptiness of foolishness, but revel in the unbelievably gracious opportunity God Himself has given you to embody wisdom, to walk not as unwise but as wise, to understand the will of the Lord and do it! For truly the opposite is foolishness.

My little twenty-month old daughter Noelle has taken to watching a British claymation cartoon known as Wallace and Grommet. Like most British comedy, though, it is engaging on many levels. Wallace is a capable but clueless inventor who lives alone in a house with his dog, Grommet, who virtually serves as his butler. No self-respecting British man should be forced to live life deprived of the essential services of a butler! Their house is filled with all sorts of ingenious inventions that make life easier for Wallace and are operated by Grommet. In one episode, though, they run out of cheese, which is Wallace’s favorite item to enjoy with his tea. So he uses his considerable gifts to build a spaceship and go all the way to the moon, which he supposes is made of cheese, to replenish his supply. 

I could go on, but I won’t; the point is made. How many Christians use the considerable blessings of God merely to secure for themselves more cheese? We have in Christ all of the blessings that exist in the heavenly places, one of which is a knowledge of His will, and another the enabling, the power, not only to grasp it but to live it, to enter into meaningful involvement with the plan and purpose of God for the ages. And yet, far too often all that we do with our lives and our resources and our gifts is to busy ourselves in finding more cheese, in seeking new ways to satisfy our appetites. Friends, “do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is,” and enter into it. Walk in a manner worthy of your calling.

Be Filled by the Spirit – 18-21

There is likely no more often referenced passage in this oft quoted letter of Ephesians that c.5, v.18: “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” Let’s handle a few technicalities quickly before we see what this verse is telling us. First, “don’t get drunk with wine” is an imperative; it is a command. In fact, Paul is quoting from Pro.23. But it is not the primary charge of this verse as the context makes evident. As the flow of vv.19-21 make clear, “be filled with the Spirit” is the primary charge. “Don’t get drunk with wine,” then, is more of a comparative backdrop in order to appreciate more fully what “be filled with the Spirit” means—perhaps continuing the old self/new self metaphor.

Second, debauchery can be defined as a life lacking in restraint, or marked by indulgence (Webster). It appears only two other times in Scripture. In Tit.1:6 it should not be characteristic of the children of an elder, and in 1Pe.4:4 it is referring to the former lifestyles of recent converts. “The corresponding adverb is used of the ‘riotous living’ in which the prodigal son” indulged in Luk.15:13 (Bruce, 379). It should be avoided even if it doesn’t result from drunkenness.

Third, the words translated “… with the Spirit”—“be filled with the Spirit”—are literally only “in Spirit”—“be filled in Spirit.” Because of that some have questioned whether the verse has been accurately handled when we say, “Be filled with the Spirit.” Is it best to understand this verse as saying that we should be filled with the Spirit as opposed simply to being filled in our human spirits? I believe the best answer is, “Yes and no, but mostly, yes!” Let me explain. Primarily, that wording, “in Spirit,” occurs in three other places in Ephesians and each time it clearly refers to the Holy Spirit: 2:22 “You also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit;” 3:5 which speaks of the mystery being revealed to the “holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;” and 6:18 where Paul urges “praying at all times in the Spirit.” Thus, it is clear that Paul uses this phrase here in Ephesians as referring to the Holy Spirit: we are to “be filled with the Spirit.” 

Why, then, would I have said, “Yes and no?” Well, it’s because I believe the best translation would be “by the Spirit” rather than “with the Spirit.” And the difference is somewhat significant. If we say “be filled with the Spirit,” the Spirit is that with which we are filled. But if we say “be filled by the Spirit,” the Spirit is the One Who is filling us—most likely with “all the fullness of God,” the whole Godhead, just as Paul mentioned back in 3:19. In 4:13, then, he also mentioned attaining to “the fullness of Christ.” And now here in 5:18 is the mention of the Spirit, with that unique, “in spirit” construction. Taken together it seems most responsible, then, to understand the verse as teaching that it is the Spirit of God Who fills us with all the fullness that this letter has referenced. This also aligns Ephesians nicely with the parallel passage in Col.3:16 that teaches us to “let the word of Christ dwell in us richly,” which is evidenced by the same sort of behavior that follows on this charge to “be filled by the Spirit.” 

Finally, in this list of technical issues, the verb “be filled” is a passive-imperative. Think about that! That should be an oxymoron—like relaxing-activity or American League-baseball—just making sure you’re with me. A passive imperative: give yourself to doing an action which by definition can only be done to you. But then, that is the pattern of the Christian life: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phi.2:12-13). So what is our part? What do we work on? We work on the very things that God is working in us to accomplish. And here in this passage it is not at all hard to see what those are: the passive imperative verb is followed (19) by five participles that essentially result from it but, therefore, also provide a target for our actions. Underline these: We (1) address “one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” We (2) “sing and” (3) “make melody to the Lord in our hearts.” (4) We “give thanks always and for everything to God in Jesus’ name.” And (5) we “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Let’s look at them in order.

First, we address “one another in our singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” Think about that: we are to address one another in music. Col.3:16 takes it a step further using the words teach and admonish. O’Brien (395) stated it this way: “The apostle has in view mutual instruction, edification, and exhortation which take place in a range of songs prompted by the Spirit.” Now, there doesn’t appear to be any clear reason or real merit in seeking to distinguish between what constituted a psalm, a hymn, and a spiritual song; the emphasis simply seems to be on the full range of music that is prompted by the Spirit and edifying to the body, giving evidence of the Spirit’s filling. Think for a moment, though, about the level to which this raises our corporate worship. Music is a God-appointed, Spirit-enabled means of teaching and exhorting one another, and is evidence of being filled by the Spirit.

Second and third, we are to “sing and make melody to the Lord with all our heart.” This is not like a different activity than we just described. Rather the structure and word choice in the original suggest that it is the opposite side of the same coin. But clearly the emphasis has shifted now to the fact that our singing is “to the Lord” rather than “to one another,” but the idea is that both are being accomplished at the same time. 

Fourth, we are to give thanks, always, for everything, to God the Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We spoke quite a bit about the importance and benefits of giving thanks as we addressed v.4 so I won’t go into that again here. But do not be tempted by that to diminish the importance of giving thanks as an indication of being filled by the Spirit, nor as an action pursued in order to cooperate with the Spirit.

Fifth and finally, we are to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” And believe it or not it is challenging to know exactly what is meant here. There really are two very viable possibilities. First and most familiar, this could be a call to mutual submission within the body of Christ—a call to very symmetrically functioning relationships. After all, passages like Rom.12:10 teach us to “Love one another with brotherly affection” and to “Outdo one another in showing honor.” A strong case can be made for the fact that leadership is really servanthood. Jesus Himself said to His disciples, “Let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves” (Luk.22:26). However, the word submission itself is not really used in symmetrical relationships. By definition it refers to the subordinate person in an authority structure. And we can see how much confusion has been introduced into the understanding of, say, Christian marriage by losing our handle on the definition of that word submission. That is what lends weight to possible interpretation #2, which truly seems to handle the word more responsibly. Paul’s charge here could mean that one expression of our being filled by the Spirit is that we submit appropriately to those who have been placed in authority over us. And we do so “out of reverence for Christ,” or, more accurately, “out of fear of Christ,” Who is the Head over us all. With this interpretation we’re also set up nicely for the passages that follow: namely, three illustrations of how this understanding of “submit to one another” plays out in the body. And it also neither diminishes nor conflicts with the instruction of other passages toward humility and servanthood in relationships

I like this second option, and I also believe it better captures the flow both of the immediate context as well as of the letter as a whole.

Conclusion

So, what are we to do with this? As I mentioned earlier, I believe Paul it giving us a subtotal on his instruction that began back in 4:17, instruction on no longer living like the Gentiles. And I believe it is summary instruction that is clear in its meaning as well as in its importance. I believe he shows us that it is God’s priority for us. And I also believe that he shows us that it’s our priority before God—To walk in wisdom by living as if not; to live in the will of the Lord, not in foolishness; and to be filled by the Spirit, singing to God and one anther, giving thanks always and for everything, and submitting to those who have been given leadership over us.

So, what remains? I told you there was an advertising slogan that kept coming to my mind this week in reference to this passage. Once we’ve heard the passage all what remains is for us—with due deference to Nike—is to Just Do It. Look carefully to your walk—make the most of the time. Hunger for the will of the Lord. Yearn to be controlled by His Spirit, to be filled with all His fullness, to the extent that all of your involvements are evidently worship to the Lord and edification to His people. Just pursue this list of participles! 

This is such an important passage of Scripture that I don’t want to let it pass simply with the treatment we’ve given it this morning. I’d like you to come back this evening so that we can talk about it further—drive it home, so to speak. Can I expect to see you back this evening? And just to whet your appetite a bit, consider this. Paul tells us to live victoriously and to avoid excesses of the flesh. Moody once illustrated this truth as follows: “Tell me,” he said to his audience, “How can I get the air out of this glass?” One man said, “Suck it out with a pump.” Moody replied, “That would create a vacuum and shatter the glass.” After many impossible suggestions, Moody smiled, picked up a pitcher of water, and filled the glass. “There,” he said, “all the air is now removed.” He then went on to show that victory in the Christian life is not by sucking out a sin here and there, but rather by being filled by the Spirit with all the fullness of God.