Walk Wisely (Ephesians 5:15-21)
Let’s look at how Paul describes the believer’s walk so far: He calls for it to be a walk in unity, that is to say humbly. He reminds believers to not walk as they used to before they believed. It is a walk in love. It is a walk in the light. Finally, he encourages the believer to walk in wisdom.
Wisdom in the Bible is always understood as the recognition that we are creatures who answer to the Creator. We are wise when we yield to His ways, His plans, and live the lives we are given on His terms. It is more than knowledge, intelligence or even common sense. It is in a certain sense a fear of God. We walk in wisdom when we walk in respect for the One who created the world in which we live. Instead of being controlled by something like alcohol, for instance, (or people, or our desires, or anything that we turn our will over to) we allow God to call the shots in our lives.
Not only that, but Paul clarifies here that the way a walk of wisdom is achieved. Just as the walk of unity is a corporate walk, the walk in wisdom needs community. We learn from each other. This is what the singing and melodies are all about in this passage. This is not a worship service. This is an example of the way communities educate each other and teach truths to be remembered. It is not the only way, but the point here is that we build each other up in our understanding of God’s ways and how to live a life of wisdom. We learn to yield to God by submitting to each other by hearing what others have learned in their walk with God.
Wisdom in the Bible is always understood as the recognition that we are creatures who answer to the Creator. We are wise when we yield to His ways, His plans, and live the lives we are given on His terms. It is more than knowledge, intelligence or even common sense. It is in a certain sense a fear of God. We walk in wisdom when we walk in respect for the One who created the world in which we live. Instead of being controlled by something like alcohol, for instance, (or people, or our desires, or anything that we turn our will over to) we allow God to call the shots in our lives.
Not only that, but Paul clarifies here that the way a walk of wisdom is achieved. Just as the walk of unity is a corporate walk, the walk in wisdom needs community. We learn from each other. This is what the singing and melodies are all about in this passage. This is not a worship service. This is an example of the way communities educate each other and teach truths to be remembered. It is not the only way, but the point here is that we build each other up in our understanding of God’s ways and how to live a life of wisdom. We learn to yield to God by submitting to each other by hearing what others have learned in their walk with God.
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