"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." Ephesians 5:15-17
Whenever, these days, reference is made to keeping commandments, someone will immediately conclude that we are suggesting that we must keep the commandments in order to be saved. That is not the case. We are saved by God's grace alone, and that has nothing to do with our works or our walk. Our walk does not determine our destiny, but our salvation should define our walk, as is very clear from the New Testament. Many years ago one of my parishioners said, in essence, "We have been concerned that you may be preaching salvation by works." My response was, "I am not preaching salvation by works, but salvation that works." I will stand by that position today.
Disobedience to the revealed will of God got us into this mess. A salvation that gets us out of it should put us back on track and initiate a purpose of heart to learn "what the will of the Lord is," and by the power of His grace, to do it.
We observed last week that Enoch's walk distinguished him from all of his contemporaries and radically altered his destiny. In Christ we have obtained by faith a radically altered destiny, and should be found walking in contrast to this present evil world. In the chapter at hand we are instructed, as believers, to "walk in love." Other passages will indicate that love is the atmosphere of faith; love for God and Christ, love for our fellow believers, love for the lost of this world and even love for our enemies.
Our text for last week exhorted us to "walk as children of light," and I John 1:7 implies that we are to walk in the light, which is essential to our fellowship with Christ. We have observed that the "light" is especially associated with and derived from the Word of God. The prophet Isaiah declared, "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them [Isa. 8:20, my italics]." If love is the Christian's atmosphere, light is his environment.
Today's text exhorts us to "walk circumspectly." I once heard that defined as 'the way a cat walks on a wall covered with broken glass.' It is to walk with the intellect, emotions and will all engaged and aligned with the will of God as revealed in His Word. It involves discernment and discipline. We will never walk consistently "as children of light" if we do not apply ourselves to the challenge of making Biblically informed choices, refusing the evil and choosing the good.
Knowing the right is one thing, and a necessary prerequisite; but, doing right is another. Adam knew the will of God, but chose to ignore it. It was not for lack of knowledge that he failed, but for the lack of the will to do it. Since that time the will of man has been in bondage to sin. The scripture says, "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: And these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would [Gal. 5:17]." Among other things, it was to liberate us from that bondage that Christ died for us.
Redemption—true redemption—includes the renovation of our intellect: "We have the mind of Christ [I Cor. 2:16];" our affection: "set your affection on things above… [Col. 3:2];" and our will: The believer is so equipped "That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God [I Pet. 4:2]." All of this is wrought in those who walk by faith in Jesus Christ; "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made [us] free from the law of sin and death [Rom. 8:3]." Hence we are exhorted "Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh [Gal. 5:16]," and assured, "There is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit [Rom. 8:1],"
Those who walk accordingly— circumspectly— walk as wise. Those who walk contrary walk as fools. That is not my judgment, but the judgment of the scriptures. Which are you?
"Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."
Yours for our good,
"Pastor" Frasier
Whenever, these days, reference is made to keeping commandments, someone will immediately conclude that we are suggesting that we must keep the commandments in order to be saved. That is not the case. We are saved by God's grace alone, and that has nothing to do with our works or our walk. Our walk does not determine our destiny, but our salvation should define our walk, as is very clear from the New Testament. Many years ago one of my parishioners said, in essence, "We have been concerned that you may be preaching salvation by works." My response was, "I am not preaching salvation by works, but salvation that works." I will stand by that position today.
Disobedience to the revealed will of God got us into this mess. A salvation that gets us out of it should put us back on track and initiate a purpose of heart to learn "what the will of the Lord is," and by the power of His grace, to do it.
We observed last week that Enoch's walk distinguished him from all of his contemporaries and radically altered his destiny. In Christ we have obtained by faith a radically altered destiny, and should be found walking in contrast to this present evil world. In the chapter at hand we are instructed, as believers, to "walk in love." Other passages will indicate that love is the atmosphere of faith; love for God and Christ, love for our fellow believers, love for the lost of this world and even love for our enemies.
Our text for last week exhorted us to "walk as children of light," and I John 1:7 implies that we are to walk in the light, which is essential to our fellowship with Christ. We have observed that the "light" is especially associated with and derived from the Word of God. The prophet Isaiah declared, "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them [Isa. 8:20, my italics]." If love is the Christian's atmosphere, light is his environment.
Today's text exhorts us to "walk circumspectly." I once heard that defined as 'the way a cat walks on a wall covered with broken glass.' It is to walk with the intellect, emotions and will all engaged and aligned with the will of God as revealed in His Word. It involves discernment and discipline. We will never walk consistently "as children of light" if we do not apply ourselves to the challenge of making Biblically informed choices, refusing the evil and choosing the good.
Knowing the right is one thing, and a necessary prerequisite; but, doing right is another. Adam knew the will of God, but chose to ignore it. It was not for lack of knowledge that he failed, but for the lack of the will to do it. Since that time the will of man has been in bondage to sin. The scripture says, "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: And these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would [Gal. 5:17]." Among other things, it was to liberate us from that bondage that Christ died for us.
Redemption—true redemption—includes the renovation of our intellect: "We have the mind of Christ [I Cor. 2:16];" our affection: "set your affection on things above… [Col. 3:2];" and our will: The believer is so equipped "That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God [I Pet. 4:2]." All of this is wrought in those who walk by faith in Jesus Christ; "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made [us] free from the law of sin and death [Rom. 8:3]." Hence we are exhorted "Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh [Gal. 5:16]," and assured, "There is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit [Rom. 8:1],"
Those who walk accordingly— circumspectly— walk as wise. Those who walk contrary walk as fools. That is not my judgment, but the judgment of the scriptures. Which are you?
"Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."
Yours for our good,
"Pastor" Frasier
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