- Overcomer Literature Trust
- Swindon
- Wiltshire
CHRISTIAN ACCURACY.
By W Hay Aitken.
“Be very careful, then, how you live -
not as unwise (fools) but as wise” (Eph. 5 v15).
In addressing these words to us, Paul is acting according to his usual method of coupling privilege with obligation. He has been speaking of the glorious change which had taken place in these Christians at Ephesus, and which takes place in every one who is brought to accept the salvation offered by God. There is hardly a more startling description of the state of an unconverted person than is to be found in these words, “For you were once darkness” (v8). How terrible it is to think that someone may not only be in darkness but may be darkness itself, that they should not only fail to see the light but that they should carry about with them a power of darkness, constantly warring against the light of the Sun of Righteousness and endeavouring to produce an eclipse of His glory in the hearts of others.
After this Paul makes an equally strong statement, “But now you are light in the Lord” (v8). He does not say, You have light or You are enlightened, but You are light.
It is a true and glorious thing to know that we are enlightened, that we are basking in the light of the Divine smile but that is not all. We are light. Just as the moon reflects the rays of the sun, so the Church and the individual members of the Church who were once emissaries of darkness become light in the Lord, reflecting the light which they have received. “Now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light” (v8).
Then we have two consequences which must follow our being light and walking as children of the light. The first is suggested by the direction, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness” (v11). There is no such thing taught in the word of God as a half-and-half religion, partly of the flesh and partly of God, partly of sin and partly of holiness. It is not to such a life that we are called. Such a life is a monstrosity when looked at in the light of the Scriptures. It is altogether different from the life set before us in the Bible, where we find that we are made new creatures and have put off the old nature with its deeds.
We are also called to act aggressively against this darkness. We are to “expose them” (v11). It is our privilege to put on the armour of light and in that armour to work against the darkness. We shall be mighty in our war as we ourselves are walking in the light and letting our light shine. Let us have our full face turned to our Sun, and so shall we arise and shine for our light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon us.
The Way of Life.
Having called our attention to our character as children of God, Paul proceeds to give practical advice, “Be very careful, then, how you live” (v15). The words “Be very carful” could be translated “Beware how you live” and brings us down to the details of everyday life and being careful with the little things. Many whose theology is correct and whose conduct is not inconsistent, dishonour the God whom they profess to serve and bring discredit on their faith because of their way of life.
Many Christians are spoken of with a ‘but’. ‘She is a real Christian, but she is a terrible talker’. Another is ‘a very worthy man, but he has such a bad temper’. These buts arise from our allowing ourselves to think lightly of the little things, and so we do not live as we should.
It is startling to think that such a warning is necessary amongst those who profess the Name of Christ. Many who will not tell a lie, begin by touching up a report or exaggerating the details of their own work until the truth is overlaid and lost beneath the mantle of fiction. When once such a habit is formed it will be fostered by him who is the father of lies, and will with equal certainty produce an estrangement between us and Him who is the Truth. Let us watch against the beginnings of this evil. Beware of exaggeration. “Be very careful how you live”.
Paul strengthens his case with the words, “Not as unwise (fools)”. This is very strong language applied to those who know Christ. We are accustomed to hear the word fool applied to those who do not know the Lord. We hear of the fool who says in his heart, “There is no God”. We hear of the rich fool who is engrossed with his gains and forgets God, but remember there are other foolish people spoken of in the Scriptures. There are the foolish virgins, those who had been brought near to God, who were waiting for their Lord, and yet they are called foolish because they were not ready when He came. They knew that their lamps would not burn without oil, they knew it was to be had from ‘‘them that sell’’, and yet they did not provide themselves with sufficient oil. Therefore Christ calls them foolish and this folly is the only charge made against them.
These are not the only persons who, although religious, are spoken of as fools. There were some who showed their folly by their slowness of heart to believe in the resurrection of Christ (Luke 24 v25), and in after-years, kindred spirits equally displayed their folly in making difficulties about the resurrection of the body (1 Cor. 15 v36). There were the foolish Galatians who were bewitched by legal arguments (Gal. 3 v1), but in Ephesians 5 another form of folly is spoken of, not the folly of the legalist but of those who believe that moral laws are not binding on Christians.
The Wrong use of Gifts.
I cannot understand Christians giving themselves over to iniquity, but I can understand how some, copying the example of the prodigal son, will fritter away their precious gifts, little by little. It is these little, unnoticed things that do it. A few careless words, a few angry words, a little indulgence, a little conformity to the way of the world, a little loss of communion with other Christians, that brings discredit on our profession, instead of adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour and bringing glory to God.
It is often the case that God’s most precious gifts are His ordinary ones, and yet for that very reason we undervalue them. How many of us, who would shrink from wasting money have no worries about wasting time. We may obtain more money but we can never win back a lost hour. We think much of years but little of hours, but the hours make the years, and we wonder how the time has gone, as one year after another slips by.
Paul calls us not to walk as fools, but as wise. True wisdom is something more than the avoidance of folly. The writings in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes continually point out the moral contrast between wisdom and folly. With Solomon, wisdom is personified and we cannot fail to see in the attributes of wisdom the character and person of Him Who is the Word of God. In His light it is our privilege to see light. The wisdom of the Lord Jesus Christ was folly in the eyes of the world, and it still is. Paul tells us not to be unwise, pursuing the fickle fancy of a moment, or swayed by a passing pleasure, but to “find out what pleases the Lord” (Eph. 5 v10). This is the great secret of true wisdom and there is deep joy in such a discovery.
Knowing God’s Will.
Understanding His Will must make us wise. Many live without any definite aim. We shall be wise as to the value of things, not fretting or worrying ourselves about the things of a passing day, enduring as seeing the invisible. We shall be wise in not wasting our energies on unprofitable actions, nor on the other hand, encumbering ourselves with the weights and hindrances of a life of self-indulgence.
We shall be wise in our relationship with others, wise to win souls, not living for ourselves but for Him who has bought us, and for all because they are His. Not endeavouring to ease our consciences with a superficial service, but laying ourselves out, like good fishermen at the Master’s word, to catch men.
Wise in our recognition of our dependence upon the invisible resources of God. The unwise virgins took no extra oil with their lamps, our wisdom is to show itself in our being filled with the Spirit, for only thus shall we be ready for every emergency, and ready and waiting for our coming Lord.
Finally, to be wise is to live in the light of eternity and in the presence of God. Thank God, the citizens of Zion have nothing to fear from either and everything to gain. They are wisest who know most of each.
It is written, Jesus Christ is made our wisdom. “We preach Christ crucified, the power of God and the wisdom of God”. Let us thank Him that He has made us conscious of our own folly, for that is the first step towards true wisdom, and then let us honestly, by faith, claim Him to be our Wisdom. Trust Him to allow us to see things as He sees them, and as He enlightens us, let us give ourselves to Him in full surrender, to make proof in our own experience of the good, perfect and acceptable will of God.