THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS
721
brightness that results from absolute separation from the world, and thus we will “ reprove” the hidden things of darkness and transform them into light. Paul gives^verse 14 as if it were a quota tion from 'the Old Testament, but it is not a quotation of any single passage in the Old Testament, but rather an inspired summary of what God says in several verses taken together (cf. Isa. 60:1;, 51:17; 52:1, 2). The believer who is having fellowship with “ dark ness’ in its unfruitful works is asleep and is among the dead (cf. ch. 2 :1). God calls on him to “ awake, and arise from (among) the dead,” to separate himself from the dead, and then “ Christ shall shine upon” him (cf. 1 Cor. 6: 17, 18). There are many today who need to hear this call of God. WEDNESDAY, August 12. Eph. 5:15-17 In verse 15 Paul resumes his exhorta tion to a holy life, after the parenthesis about light and darkness found in verses 7 to 14. He tells us that we must “ look therefore carefully how we (ye) walk.” The word “ carefully” (R. ,V.) is hardly an adequate translation of the word used. The exact meaning of the word is “ accurately,” or “ exactly.” The thought is that there is need that we study the steps that we take and take them with precision (under the minute guidance of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit) because it is easy to make a misstep. This figure of walking as applied to the Christian life is used seven times in this epistle. It is well to bring the passages together and note the character of thé believer’s walk as set forth in these passages. We should see carefully to it that we do not walk “ as unwise, but as wise.” In order to do this we must “ buy up the opportunity” (v. 16, R. Y. mar gin). Opportunities for shedding light upon the darkness and bearing fruit for Christ ordinarily escape us, and we must lay hold of them as they pass, even at the price of constant and careful watch fulness (cf. Col. 4 :5). How many oppor tunities flee from us unseized, the price was too great for our indifference. The reason why we must “ buy up the oppor tunity” (take possession of it at any cost) is that “ the days are evil.” Paul’s days were, so are ours, therefore we must be alert to seize every opportunity. The evil of the times is not a call to discouragement and repining, but rather to constant wakefulness and untiring activity. The evil of these days is also a call to us not to be “ foolish, but under stand what the will of the Lord is.” The
word translated “ foolish” is not the ordinary word for “ foolish,” and its exact force is “ mindless,” or “ senseless.” The one who does not “ understand what the will of the Lord is” is foolish, no matter how much of a scholar he may be. The way to understand what the will of the Lord is is by absolute submission to that will, by the study of the Word (2 Tim. 3:15), by prayer (John 1:5-7), and by the teaching of the Holy Spirit (v. 18; cf. John 16:12, 13). THURSDAY, August 13. Eph. 5:18. The 18th verse contains the whole secret of succesfsully carrying out the exhortations of verse 15 to 17. If we are “ filled with the Spirit” then shall we walk as we ought to walk, “ not as unwise, but as wise.” We shall also “ redeem the time,” and we shall not be “ foolish,” but “ understand what the will of the Lord is.” This verse tells us something that we must not be, “ drunk with wine,” and something that we must he, “ filled with the Spirit.” Unnatural intoxication from alcoholic liquors should be renounced: supernatural Stim ulation from the wine qf God (cf. Isa. 55:1) should be constantly sought. Any degree of alcoholic intoxication is utterly forbidden; to be filled to the uttermost with the Spirit’s presence and power is as positively commanded. The Christian who gets drunk is disobeying God: so also is the Christian who is not con tinually being “ filled with the Spirit.” The Bible abounds in warnings against drunkenness (e. g., Prov. 20:1; 23: 30-35; Luke 21:34; Rom. 13:13; 1 Cor. 5:11; 6:10; Gal. 5:21; 1 Tim. 3 :3). How much wine may one drink without being at all “ drunk” ? Who can tell? The only absolutely safe way is not to touch it at all. In wine is “ excess’” (A. V.) or “ riot” (R. V.). Neither the translation of the Authorized nor Revised is adequate. The word means the dissoluteness that throws away the restraint of conscience and reason and God. Paul does wisely to follow up warnings against impurity with warn ings against drunkenness. The two go hand in hand. Drunkenness always leads to impurity of imagination, of speech and of action. The command to be “ filled with the Spirit” is of immense import ance and of perpetual force. Just what does it mean? The tense of the verb points to a continuous process. We are not to get filled once or twice merely, but to be continually getting filled. Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:4 and again in Acts 4:8 and again in
Made with FlippingBook Annual report