Author: Will

Ephesians 5:19 – Sing to God!

Posted on by Will

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

Truth to Learn

Singing God’s praise is a sign of being filled with the Spirit.

Behind the Words

“Speaking” is from the Greek word laleō, meaning “to utter words,” that is, “to talk” or “to speak.”

The word “psalms” is transliterated from psalmos, derived from the verb psallō, meaning “to sing.” The words “making melody” later in this verse are translated from psallō. Originally, psallō referred to the touching or plucking of a stringed instrument. Later it referred to the singing of a song accompanied by a musical instrument. A psalm tells a story of man’s deliverance or tells of God’s mercy to us.

The word “hymns” is transliterated from the Greek word humnos (hymnos), which is a declaration of praise regarding God’s greatness. According to the church father Augustine, a hymn had three characteristics: it was sung, it was praise, it was sung to God.

The words “spiritual songs” are translated from two words, pneumatikos and odē. Pneumatikos, derived from pneuma, meaning a spirit, refers to that which pertains to the spiritual world. Odē is the Greek word translated “songs.” Derived from the verb adō, it is a general term for a song.

“Singing” is from the Greek word adō. Throughout the Bible this word refers specifically to singing praises to God.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul commanded us not to be drunk with wine, allowing it to control our thoughts and actions. Instead he said, be filled with the Spirit of God, allowing Him to control our thoughts and actions.

Now you may ask, “How do I know when I am filled with the Spirit?” The Apostle answers that question with three different forms of evidence. The first is in today’s verse and the others are described in the following two verses. The first evidence of being Spirit filled is “singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” When a person is filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit, he or she cannot help himself or herself. The Spirit within us will break out in song. This singing will usually be accompanied by musical instruments, and it will be songs of praise to God for who He is and for what He has done. These songs will be “spiritual songs” because they are the result of the Spirit of God bursting out through our voices.

What you may not realize is that the only singing that many early Christians heard before coming to Christ was singing that accompanied drunkenness and idolatry. It’s interesting to note that Paul says that these songs were a form of “speaking to one another.” The Greek actually says “speaking to yourselves.” These were messages of praise and encouragement that church members sang to church members.

Application

When we realize what God has done for us, we are filled with joy. That joy is often expressed in the form of singing. How wonderful it is to join together with our brothers and sisters each week, lifting our voices up in song. So, be filled with the Spirit and lift up your heart with songs of praise to God!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

Ephesians 5:18 – Spirit Filled Living

Posted on by Will

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

Truth to Learn

Be filled with the Spirit, not with yourself.

Behind the Words

“Drunk” is translated from the Greek verb methuskō, which is derived from methu (or methy), a fermented, alcoholic wine. Methuskō represents a state of intoxication greater than oinōsis (being under the influence of wine).

Oinos is the Greek word translated “wine.” It is a generic term for wine. The same word refers to “new wine,” also called “the fruit of the vine,” (which we would call grape juice) as well as fermented wine containing alcohol.

The word “dissipation” is translated from asōtia, which is composed of the privative a, meaning “not” and a form of the verb sōdzō, meaning “to save.” Thus, asōtia literally means “unsavedness,” that is, “acting unsafe.” This word is used to describe someone who freely indulges himself in his own appetites and lusts, that is, a prodigal.

“Be filled” is from the Greek verb plēroō, which means “to fill up until no more can be added.”

Meaning Explained

Here is another example of Pauline style teaching (don’t do one thing, do something else instead). He says, “Instead of filling yourself up with wine, causing yourself to become drunk, be completely filled-up with the Spirit.”

There are two commands given in this verse: “don’t get drunk” and “be Spirit filled.” However, there is some ambiguity in the grammatical structure of this verse. The reason for this ambiguity is the fact that the verb form that indicates passive voice, imperative mood (allow someone or something to do something to you) is identical to that which indicates middle voice, imperative mood (do something to yourself). The only way to determine which is correct is by context. I believe the proper interpretation is “don’t cause yourself to become drunk with wine; allow yourself to be filled with (or by) the Spirit.”

Paul’s reason for not getting drunk is that drunkenness leads to “unsavedness.” He is not saying that when you get drunk you lose your salvation. What he is saying is that when you get drunk, you act unsaved (and unsafe). We’ve all seen people who are drunk, and we all know what happens when someone who is drunk gets behind the wheel of a car. Remember in verse fifteen Paul said not to walk as unwise people, but as wise people. And in verse eleven he said to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. Wise people don’t get drunk, and drunkenness doesn’t produce spiritual fruit.

Instead of being under the influence of alcohol and letting alcohol control our actions, we need to be under the influence of the Holy Spirit, and we need to let the Spirit control our actions.

Application

Anything that distracts us from submissive fellowship with God leaves less room for the Holy Spirit. It could be alcohol, drugs, lying, stealing, cheating, selfishness, anger, or many other things. These are all indications of being filled with self. But, when we submit ourselves to God and focus on the good of others, God’s Spirit will fill us. What are you filled with?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

Ephesians 5:17 – God’s Will?

Posted on by Will

Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Truth to Learn

Christians need to understand God’s will.

Behind the Words

“Be” is translated from ginomai, which primarily means “to begin to be” or “to become.” It implies a change of state from one condition to another.

Aphrōn is the Greek word translated “unwise.” It is made up of the negative particle a and a form of phrēn, meaning “understanding.” Thus, the word aphrōn literally means “without understanding.” It is variously translated as “unwise, foolish, mindless, ignorant, or stupid.”

The word “understand” is from the Greek verb suniēmi, which is made up of sun, meaning “together” and hiēmi, meaning “to send.” The root meaning of suniēmi, therefore, is “to put together,” that is “to understand or comprehend.”

“Will” is translated from thelēma, which is derived from the verb thelō, meaning “to will,” “to purpose,” or “to determine.” There is another word translated “will” in the New Testament. It is boulomai, meaning “to be disposed or to intend.” It does not indicate that action is taken regarding the decision, whereas thelēma is resolved and is acted upon. God’s will is almost always referred to as thelēma, because He always does that which He determines. Man’s will, however, is expressed in the New Testament as boulēma. Thus, we can think of thelēma as determined will and boulēma as desirous will.

Meaning Explained

We are to be imitators of God, loving others as Christ loved us. We are to avoid the unfruitful works of darkness, forsaking any close fellowship with others who do such things. We are to allow the light of God to shine through us. We are not to allow the comforts of this world and the allure of sin to lull us to sleep. Instead we are to wake up, getting up from among those around us who are spiritually dead and taking a good look at the way we are living our lives. We shouldn’t live like those who are ignorant of God. Instead, we should make the most of every day because the world is full of evil.

Therefore – we should not be ignorant of God’s will for our lives. Instead, we should learn what God’s will is. How can we know what God’s will is for our lives? Paul told the Christians in Rome to do several things to know God’s will:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

We need to offer our bodies (our lives) on God’s altar, allowing Him to use us however He wants. We need to resist conformity to the world around us. We need to be mentally transformed by consistently reading and studying His word. If we do these things, then we will know God’s will for our lives.

Application

Knowing what God wants from us takes a lot of commitment and dedication. If Jesus was willing to learn and do God’s will, how can we do any less?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

Ephesians 5:16 – Time and Eternity

Posted on by Will

redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Truth to Learn

You only have one life. Live it with eternity in view.

Behind the Words

The word “redeeming” is translated from the Greek word exagoradzō, which is made up of ex, meaning “out of” and agoradzō meaning “to buy” (the marketplace of the first century was called the agora). Hence, exagoradzō, literally means “to buy and take out of the marketplace.” Figuratively it refers to “rescuing something from loss.” This is the sense in which Paul uses it in today’s verse.

“Time” is from kairos, for which there really is no English equivalent. A different Greek word, chronos, refers to a space of time, that is, a succession of minutes. Kairos, on the other hand, can refer to “an occasion or opportunity,” or it can refer to an indefinite period of time, “a season.” As used here, it probably refers to “the lifetime that we are currently living.”

“Evil” is translated from ponēros, which is derived from ponos, referring to “sorrow, pain, or hard labor.” Ponēros properly refers to the influence or the effect of that which is bad. A different Greek word, kakos, refers to “that which is inherently bad.”

Meaning Explained

In order to fully understand today’s verse, we have to combine it with yesterday’s:

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Yesterday we learned the word “circumspectly” probably should have been translated as “carefully.” And, though we didn’t touch on it yesterday, the word “fools” is really “unwise ones.” So, we are to keep an eye on our own behavior, being careful to live in God’s light, loving those around us and behaving as God would have us behave.

Throughout his writings, Paul gives us a lot of things that we shouldn’t do and even more things that we should do. Some Christians will grasp hold of one or two things he says and cling to those ideas almost to the exclusion of all the others. The result is often a “splinter denomination” that doesn’t further the cause of Christ. Other Christians are so ignorant of what the New Testament teaches that they are easily swayed by beautiful sounding sermons that are not based on Biblical truth. Paul says we should not live like such unwise people, but as wise Christians, those who know God’s truths and who have learned how to properly apply what they have learned.

Why is it so important for us to live our Christian lives carefully and with wisdom? Because we live in an evil time! The influence of the world system under Satan’s leadership is not godly, it is evil. Without the light of Christ, this world will not get better, it will only get worse. So, rescue every minute you have in this life. Don’t let your life slip away filled with evil actions or indifference. Use every minute you have to live the kind of life that glorifies God.

Application

Our life on this earth is short. We can live it focusing on self and appear before the Judgment seat of Christ empty handed. Or – we can totally give ourselves over to God, so that He will receive all the glory. If we do the latter, we will receive crowns that we can cast at His feet with gratitude.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

Ephesians 5:15 – Carefully, not Fearfully

Posted on by Will

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

Truth to Learn

Be careful that you live a godly example, loving others.

Behind the Words

“See” is translated from the Greek verb blepō, which is one of several verbs used with regard to seeing. Blepō refers to the ability to see or perceive, as opposed to being blind. It also means “to look at” something, that is “to observe.”

“Walk” is from peripateō, which we learned earlier in this chapter is a metaphor for how a person lives his or her life.

The word “circumspectly” is translated from akribōs, which is derived from akribēs, meaning “accurate or exact.” Akribōs means “accurately, diligently, carefully, or exactly.”

The word “wise” is from sophos, referring to someone who possesses wisdom (the ability to understand and skillfully apply what one knows). In the New Testament, however, this word also implies an understanding of who God is and what He wants from man.

“Fools” is translated from asophos, which is made up of a, meaning “not” and sophos, meaning “wise.”

Meaning Explained

Paul has been teaching us to avoid close fellowship with those who live their lives in an ungodly manner. In yesterday’s verse he challenged us to wake up and to stand up from among the dead ones. In doing so, Paul tells us that God will give us His light. That is, not only will He illuminate us with the understanding of His word, He will give us His light to shed on the dead ones around us.

Now Paul gives us a couple more nuggets of truth regarding how we should live. He starts today’s verse with “See then that you walk circumspectly.” This is one of the few times I think the NKJV is poorly translated. The English word “circumspectly” means “looking around,” that is, “being cautious.” This is not the message Paul is giving us. He is not saying “be cautious.” He is saying “be diligent, exact, or careful” regarding how you live your life.

A literal translation of the first part of this verse is “Then observe how carefully you walk.” In other words, Paul is telling us to observe ourselves, to look at our own manner of living. As we shed the light of God’s truth on those who are living for themselves, producing unfruitful works of darkness, we need to be aware of how we are living. We need to be careful that we are living a godly example. Too many Christians live their lives in fear – in fear of attacks from our enemy, or in fear that God will punish them for sinning. God does not want us to live in fear, but in hope. Others have learned a set of rules and are living their lives based on those rules. Often this produces a legalism that looks a lot like the Pharisees of Jesus’ time.

In the opening part of this chapter Paul said, “Be imitators of God and walk in love.” If we are watching our own manner of life, we should see godly, loving actions and nothing else.

Application

Instead of living in fear, live your life imitating God and loving those around you. If you do, you won’t have to worry about whether or not you’re breaking the rules. Rather, do as James said, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

Ephesians 5:14 – Rise and Shine!

Posted on by Will

Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."

Truth to Learn

We need to wake up and shine the light of Christ.

Behind the Words

The words “He says” are from the verb legō, which we learned a couple of verses back means “to relate something verbally,” that is “to put forth in words.” It is expressed here in the third person singular, so it could be translated as “He says” (referring to God) or “it says” (referring to Scripture).

“Arise” is translated from egeirō, meaning “to awaken.” It is used in the Bible to indicate awakening from sleep or from death.

“Sleep” is from kathuedō, made up of kata, meaning “down” and heudō, meaning “to sleep.” Katheudō refers to the act of lying down asleep (also used as a metaphor for death).

The word “dead” is from nekros, which apparently is based on nekus, meaning “a corpse.” Nekros is expressed here in the plural, so it could be translated “the dead ones.”

“Give you light” is translated from the verb epiphauskō, which is made up of epi, meaning “upon” and phauō, meaning “to shine.” Epiphauskō means “to shine on” or “to illuminate.”

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse seems to be a loose quotation from Isaiah:

Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. (Isaiah 60:1-2)

Earlier in this fifth chapter of Ephesians, Paul told us to walk in love and not to be fellow partakers with those who habitually commit unclean actions. His reasoning is that we were once darkness ourselves, but now we are children of light. He also told us that the works of darkness are unfruitful, but we are to show the fruit of our actions as goodness, righteousness, and truth. Instead of hanging around with those who commit the unfruitful works of darkness, we are to expose their deeds by shining God’s light on them. It is to this end that Paul now quotes Isaiah.

The word arise (egeirō), when used in the command form as it is here, is intended as a proclamation to arouse someone from sleep. Paul’s point is that we were once dead in our trespasses and sins, living like the rest of the world. Now, however, we are children of light, so we should wake-up to see all the evil around us and shine the light of God on those around us. He is also reminding us that the light is not our light, it is the light of God’s holiness which Christ has given us. We’ve been awakened by the light of God’s truth and mercy; now we are to shine that same light on the spiritually dead people around us.

Application

When we are joined in close fellowship with children of darkness, God’s light is not shining in us. It doesn’t matter whether we are committing the same sinful acts or simply being quiet while they do them. If we are not letting the light of God’s word expose their deeds for what they really are, then we are not walking in the light. When we are not walking in His light, God says, “Wake up, and let My light shine!”

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

Ephesians 5:13 – Be The Light

Posted on by Will

But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light

Truth to Learn

God’s light exposes sin for what it is.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “exposed” is elegchō, which we learned back in verse eleven means “to rebuke or to chastise,” that is, “to stand against something and expose it for what it really is.”

“Are made manifest” is translated from phaneroō, which is the verb form of phaneros, meaning “visible or apparent.” Thus, phaneroō means “to make visible,” “to reveal,” or “to expose.”

“Light” is from phōs, which is based on the verb phaō, meaning “to shine” or “to make apparent.” Phōs refers either to physically perceived light or to spiritual enlightenment. In today’s verse the definite article (the) is included with “light.” Therefore, it is a specific light, it is the light.

Meaning Explained

Two verses back Paul said that we are not to have any close relationships with the unfruitful works of darkness. Instead, we are to stand against and expose such evil actions. But then, in yesterday’s verse he told us that it is disgraceful or shameful to even talk about such things. On the surface that looks like a paradox. How are we supposed to expose and resist the works of darkness if we aren’t supposed to talk about them?

In today’s verse, however, we are told how things are exposed. This word “exposed” is the same verb as used in verse eleven, where we were told to “expose” these unfruitful works of darkness. Also notice in today’s verse that things which are exposed are revealed, or made visible, by “the light.” So the answer to the paradox is that we are to expose the unfruitful works of darkness by means of the light.

What does Paul mean by “the light?” Let’s see what is referred to as “light” elsewhere in the Bible? In John’s first general epistle (1John1:5) he refers to God as light. Then, in his gospel account (John 1:6-9) he refers to Jesus as the light. Peter, however, refers to the prophetic Word of God as a light (2Peter 1:19), and Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthians, talks about the light of the gospel (2Corinthians 4:4).

Now let’s put this all together. Going back to verse eleven we see that instead of having close fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, we are to expose them (with the light). There are times when we encounter the works of darkness, either because we see them or because we are invited to join-in by others. Instead of joining in with such deeds or approving them, we need to recognize them for what they are and bring God into the picture. We need to be a witness to those doing these deeds. This is the time to remember Bible verses that talk about such sinfulness and quote them. This is the time to talk about the consequences of sin and the free gift of eternal life that God offers. But – we need to shed the light in love and with grace, then walk away, having no close fellowship with the deeds or those who practice them.

Application

Quoting the Bible is an effective way of exposing sin for what it really is. However, if you can’t think of what to say, then let your own life be an example of what God is like. If you live what you believe, others will see God in you.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

Ephesians 5:12 – No Sordid Details

Posted on by Will

For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

Truth to Learn

God knows the sordid details; we don’t have to talk about them to Him or to others.

Behind the Words

“Shameful” is from the Greek adjective aischros, which refers to “that which is indecent, dishonorable, inappropriate, filthy, shameful, or disgraceful.”

The words “to speak of” are translated from the verb legō, which originally meant, “to lay something down” or “to lay forth.” Later it came to mean “to relate something verbally,” that is “to put forth in words.”

“In secret” is translated from the adverb kruphē, which is based on the verb kruptō, meaning “to hide or keep secret.”

If we preserve the word order in the Greek, this verse becomes “for the things secretly being done by them, it is shameful even to mention.” In Greek, word order indicates emphasis. The fact that secrecy is mentioned first, indicates it is Paul’s emphasis.

Meaning Explained

You will recall that in yesterday’s verse Paul told us, not only do we need to avoid close fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, we need to expose them for what they really are and stand against them. But today’s verse seems to contradict what we are supposed to do. How can we expose those things if it is disgraceful to even speak about them? The answer to this enigma is given to us in tomorrow’s verse. So, without getting ahead of ourselves, let’s see what we can learn from this verse.

First of all, talking about the things which are done by people who perform these barren, fruitless activities is itself disgusting. It is not the type of conversation that strengthens our brothers and sisters. Remember what Paul told us in the previous chapter of this letter?

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29)

Talking about the specifics of crude and disgusting things does not build up others, it only drags their thoughts down into the gutter. That’s not good and it’s not necessary. And don’t get caught in the trap of thinking that you have to talk about these things in order to inform others what is wrong with them.

One of the questions we have to ask ourselves is, “Why are these works of darkness always done in secret?” Here’s what Jesus said about that:

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19)

It is sufficient to know that whatever things that a man (or woman) does in secret, that which he or she tries to hide from others, is not God- honoring and does not produce goodness, righteousness, and truth. If man tries to hide it, it is evil!

Application

Too often I have heard blatant gossip and disgusting descriptions shared in the name of “prayer requests.” Remember that it is inappropriate to talk about such things. Instead of sharing the sordid details in a prayer request, simply ask others to pray with you for the needs of someone else, and when asked for details, simply say “God knows the details.”

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

Ephesians 5:11 – Expose Darkness

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And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

Truth to Learn

Christians should always do what is right, avoid what is wrong, and expose evil for what it is.

Behind the Words

The words “have … fellowship” are translated from the Greek verb sungkoinōneō, which is made up of sun, meaning “together with” and koinōneō, meaning “to participate” or “to have fellowship,” or “to share things in common.” The prefix sun indicates that this is more than ordinary fellowship; it implies a stronger, mutual relationship.

“Unfruitful” is from akarpos, made up of the privative a, meaning “not” and karpos, meaning fruit. Thus, this word refers to something that is barren, not producing any fruit.

“Rather” is translated from mallon, which is the comparative of mala, meaning “very.” So we can see that mallon compares two things but giving more emphasis on the second. When combined with the Greek word de (“but” or “and”), it means “but more so.”

The word “expose” is from elegchō, which in Classical Greek meant “to shame” or “to disgrace.” In New Testament Greek, however, it means “to rebuke or to chastise,” that is, “to stand against something and expose it for what it really is.”

Meaning Explained

Back in verse eight Paul commanded us to walk like children of light. As God’s children we are to show forth the light of goodness, righteousness, and truth, which things are the evidence of our being part of God’s family. Then, in yesterday’s verse, Paul told us that by living like children of light, we learn by experience what pleases our Father.

As we saw earlier, Paul’s teaching style is such that he often tells us what not to do as well as what to do. Here is another example, although here he tells us what to do before telling us what not to do. The thing we are to do is “Walk like children of light.” The thing we are not to do is “have close fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.” Notice that when we walk like children of light, we produce fruit, but the works of darkness do not produce fruit. If you read through the gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke, you will see several references to trees that do not bear good fruit; they are to be cut down and cast into the fire (Matthew 3:10, Matthew 7:19, Luke 3:9, Luke 13:7, 9). Likewise, when Christians stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, our works will be judged. Those which are good will produce rewards, but those which are worthless (unfruitful) will be burned up in the fire.

But, Paul does not stop there. We are not to simply avoid the fruitless works of darkness; we are to expose them for what they really are and stand against them. The world that we live in is controlled by Satan (see Ephesians 2:2, John 14:30, John 16:11, & 2Corinthians 4:4) and his influence seems to be getting stronger daily. It’s not politically correct to be critical of others, but when we see ungodliness, we need to call it what it is, rather than ignoring it or sweeping it under the rug.

Application

Are you living for God? Is He your supreme authority? Are you doing all you can to be pleasing to Him? Well done! But, are you exposing and resisting evil at the same time? That’s what light does to darkness. Be light in a dark world.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

Ephesians 5:10 – Just Do It!

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finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

Truth to Learn

We please God by doing, not just knowing.

Behind the Words

“Finding out” is from the Greek word dokimadzō. The basic meaning of this word is “to test something to determine its worth.” It is the word used of testing a precious metal like gold by subjecting it to extreme heat. This process burns off the dross, leaving only the pure metal which can then be weighed to determine its value. Metaphorically, dokimadzō is sometimes used to indicate an examination of something to gain a fuller understanding. In other words, it means “to discover” or “find out.” This seems to be the sense in which Paul uses the word in this verse. It is used here as a participle indicating ongoing action (not just a one-time event).

The word “acceptable” is translated from the Greek noun euarestos, which is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and areskō, meaning “to please.” Therefore, euarestos refers to something that is “well pleasing” or “very pleasing.”

“Lord” is translated from kurios, which is based on the word kuros, meaning “supremacy.” Thus, kurios refers to someone who has supreme authority over someone else.

Meaning Explained

In order to fully understand the meaning of today’s verse we have to read it along with verse eight, omitting verse nine, which is a parenthetical clause. Thus, we have:

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light …  proving what is acceptable to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:8, 10)

From this we see that the purpose of us walking as children of light is that we might be continually proving (or discovering) what pleases God. The use of the Greek word dokimadzō here is unusual. However, it is used in a similar manner in Romans 12:2 which reads:

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The word here translated “prove” is dokimadzō. The sense of this word in both today’s verse and Romans 12:2 seems to be that of discovering by experience. By walking as children of light (displaying goodness, righteousness, and truth), we learn what it is that pleases God.

There is a very important principle here that we must not miss. The blessings of a close fellowship with God cannot be experienced by gaining a head-knowledge about what He wants from us. We must put into practice what we learn. Yes, it’s important to study the Bible, but in order to please God we have to live what we learn! Only then can we truly discover what pleases Him. I think that’s what James was getting at when he said:

Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (James 2:18b)

Application

In order to receive all the blessings from God that you possibly can, you have to be a blessing to Him? Not only do you have to learn how He wants you to live, you have to put it into practice.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.