THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS the world’s songs-, and indicates that there are such songs as the Holy Spirit prompts and teaches. Paul by using all these words means to bring out the many-sidedness and abounding charac ter of the praise of the Spirit-filled man mentioned in the context. When one is filled with the Spirit, the vocal music (singing) he makes, and the instru mental music too (for the Greek word for “ making melody” means literally, “ playing instruments” ) will be “ with” his “ heart,” and further, it will be “ to the Lord,” i. e., to His glory and praise, and not merely to please men or to win applause for self. SATURDAY, August 15. Eph. 5:20, 21 The second result of being Spirit- filled is “ giving thanks.” The Spirit- filled man is always a thank-full man. He may not be always shouting hallelu jahs with his lips, hut his heart will he full of hallelujahs. The 20th verse throws a whole flood of light upon the subject of thanksgiving: (1) Whom to thank: “ God, even the Father” (R. V.). (2) When to thank: “ Always.” (3) For what to thank: “ For all things.” Everything that comes to us is ordered by. our Heavenly Father. Even the schemes of evil men and Satan God has foreknown and taken up into His great plan of love. He makes “ all things” to “ work together for” our “ good” (Rom. 8:2 8), so we can and should return. thanks to Him for all things. Happy is the man who has learned in practical everyday life to thank God for all things. (4) How to return thanks: “ In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” All our approach to God, either in prayer, worship or thanksgiving must be through Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Heh. 7:25; John 14:13-14; Heb. 10:19). The third result' of being Spirit-filled is found in verse 21: the Spirit-filled man will not be self-assertive (Gal. 5:22, 23); he will he ready to-subject (R. V.) himself to others, not out of fear of them, but “ in the fear of (reverent regard for) Christ” (cf. ch. 6 :7). How many there are who claim to be Spirit- filled who fail at this point. SUNDAY, August 16. Eph. 5:22 Paul now makes application to! the home life of this principle of subjecting ourselves one to another. He shows how the Spirit-fiiled woman and the Spirit-filled man will conduct them selves in the home. Wives who are
722
Acts 4:31. ' Each new emergency of life and service makes necessary a new filling. A continual new filling is neces sary, not merely because “ we are leaky vessels and live in an atmosphere of worldliness and sin, but also because our capacity is continually enlarging. To be “ filled with the Spirit” is to have the Spirit take complete possession of every faculty of mind and heart; it is to have our thoughts, our affections and our will completely under His control. The word for “ Spirit” in the original is with out the definite article, but this con struction is very“ common in the New Testament, when the Holy Spirit is undoubtedly meant (cf. Matt. 22:43, R. I V ; Rom. 8:9; Col. 1:8, R. V.; § Tim. 3:16; Rev. 1:10, R. V .). An exact trans lation would be, not as in the Authorized Version and Revised Version, “ be filled witli the Spirit,” but “ he ye getting filled in (the) Spirit.” “ In” is far more expressive than “ with,” it sets forth the truth that the Spirit is the atmosphere in which the believer lives, and he must be continually breathing in and getting filled with the being and character and power of the Holy Person in whom he lives. This is the secret of power in life (Gal. 5:22, 23), power in prayer (Rom. 8:26," 27; Eph. 6.18, Jude 20) and power in service (Acts 1: 8; 1 Tliess. 1 :5). FRIDAY, August 14. Eph. 5:19 In verses 19 to 21 Paul indicates some of the results of being continually getting filled with the Spirit. The first of these is that the Spirit-filled man is a song-full man. The Holy Spirit is “ the oil of gladness’ (Heb. 1:9) and the one who is filled with Him will be filled with song. Where many are thus filled they will he “ speaking one to another X literally, to themselves) in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. They will not sing the songs of the drunkard (Amos 8:10) or the love-sick swain, hut songs of praise to Jesus (John 16:14). As to .the difference between “ psalms” and “ hymns and “ spiritual songs” it is difficult to define absolutely. “ Psalms” were the Old Testament Psalms, or those of like char acter: perhaps the thought of a hymn with an instrumental accompaniment is in it, but this cannot be pressed too far. Hymns were rhythmic utterances of praise, where the praise element is prom inent. “ Songs” , (literally, “ odes’ ) is a more general word for lyric pieces, songs of praise and exhortation. Spirit- to distinguish them from
Made with FlippingBook Annual report