Ephesians 5:15-20
Be very careful, then, how you live--not as
unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are
evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do
not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the
Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and
make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father
for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There
is a big difference between “living the good life” and living a good life.
Pretty much everything we see and hear today is holding out the carrot of
living the good life. The poster child for this quest has been “the most
interesting man in the world” who promoted Dos Equis beer. On scene, he was
portrayed as having everything anyone would want. The problem with this quest
is that it is always just beyond our grasp.
“Living
the good life” is a quest for self-indulgence, self-fulfillment, and
self-satisfaction. It is based on money, power, and prestige. In many ways, it
has become part of the fabric of American society. Our constitution says that
we have inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness. Today, people read this as life, liberty, and guaranteed
happiness.
The
Bible gives us a vastly different picture of what it means to live a good life.
First, and foremost, a good life is not self-centered, it is God centered. As
Jesus said in Matthew 16:24-26, the only way to really gain life is to let go
of it for him. When we hold onto the enticements of the world, they pull us
down, and we sink further into a very selfish world. When we let go of those
enticements, we are free to achieve the purposes for which God created us.
In
Ephesians 5, Paul gives us some specific steps to living a good life. First, we
must live intentionally and wisely. There are many pitfalls and sidetracks
along the way. We need to be careful about the choices that we make. The wise
person doesn’t just look at the choice before him, but looks beyond that choice
to the eventual outcomes. We live in evil days. If we live only for today, as
the world calls us to do, we will forfeit our future.
Second,
Paul tells us to seek the Lord’s will. This is the point where many Christians
get stuck, because they think of God’s will in very specific, individualistic
terms. Who should I marry? What school should I attend? What career path should
I take? These are not unimportant questions, but they are secondary to seeking
God’s will. God has clearly defined His will in scripture. Jesus summarized it
for us Mark 12:30-31. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The
second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment
greater than these."
The
rest of the New Testament fleshes this command out for us in practical terms.
For example, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Be joyful always; pray continually; give
thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
If you would take the time to look up the “one another” passages in the New
Testament, you would comply an extensive list of practical examples of God’s
will for you. It is as we strive to obey these things that God makes secondary
choices more clear.
Paul
goes on to tell us that living a good life is the opposite of “living the good
life” as defined by the world. Instead of being controlled by the value system
of the world, we are to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. As followers of
Christ, we have become new creations, with a new life within us. That life
comes through the presence of the Holy Spirit. We can choose to resist the Holy
Spirit and we will live with the internal conflict. Or we can willingly comply
with the Holy Spirit and find the peace and joy that God has promised.
Finally,
Paul reminds us that living a good life means living well with others. “Living
the good life” is most often about what I can gain. If a particular person adds
nothing of value to my life, then I am free to turn away from them to someone
who can give me what I want. Living a good life is discovering that we need one
another. It is not so much about what I can get from another person as what can
I give to them. It is living an others-centered life, just as Christ did. Jesus
said that living for others is what will set us apart from the rest of the
world. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you,
so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my
disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35
I
come back to where Paul begins in Ephesians 5:15. Be very careful, then, how you
live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because
the days are evil. How we live each day of our lives is an investment
in eternity. We can choose to chase “the good life” and at the end we will
discover our bank account is empty. Our we can choose to live a good life in
Christ, and when the end comes we will discover the eternal blessings He has
stored up for us.
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