#DailyDevotions Living As New Creations In Christ Jesus
Eph. 5:15-21 15Be very careful, then, as to how you live. Don’t be unwise but wise. 16And make the most of your opportunities because these are evil days. 17So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord wants. 18 Don’t get drunk on wine, which means wild living. But be filled with the Spirit 19as you speak psalms, hymns, and songs to one another and with your hearts sing and make music to the Lord, 20always thanking God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 21 As you respect Christ, submit to one another.
Paul is continuing on giving us advice that flows from the free gift of God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We really have been made different people in our baptisms. We have been re-created to be like Jesus Christ. Yet, we still also have to live in this body of death which tempts us to sin. Which is why Paul has to give this advice to us as Christians.
In this advice here he is using contrasting ways of living. One way of living is the way of darkness and the other way of living is light. We have been placed into the Light which is Jesus Christ in our baptisms so we are called to no longer walk in the ways of darkness. We are called to be careful in how we live then as saints who live in sinful bodies.
We are not to be unwise but wise. What does that mean? In our Old Testament lesson for this Sunday we go to Proverbs which tells us the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. And what is the fear of the LORD? It is to hate evil and to love good.
We are called to make the most of our opportunities. What opportunities and to what purpose? Opportunities to do good to people. As we have the opportunity to do good for people we can then use those opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ. That good news God sent his son to make atonement for their sins and was raised bodily from the dead so we too may overcome death in the resurrection.
Instead of wine, women and song Paul directs us to be filled with the Spirit and sing not tavern songs but rather psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to one another. That’s something we may not always think about congregational singing. We think we we are singing to the LORD (and we are as Paul says sing and make music to the LORD) and yet we are singing to one another, lifting up and building up one another with psalm, hymns and spiritual songs.
The Christian life is the thankful life. Paul says to give thanks for everything in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ. He doesn’t say give thanks for just the things we like. How can we do this? Because Paul also says in Romans 8 God works all things out for good for those who love him. Seriously, give this a try today. Every time there is something you don’t like give thanks to God for it because he is going to work it for your good.
Finally, as Christ submitted himself to the Father’s will for our salvation, we too are called to submit to one another for Christ’s sake. We look to the interest of others not just to our own.
Heavenly Father, give us your Holy Spirit that we may live as you want us to in devotion to Christ and service to one another. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.