2023-Q3-L09: Living Wisely
Read for This Week’s Study: Eph. 5:1-20; 1 Cor. 5:1-11; Rev. 16:1-16; Col. 4:5; Prov. 20:1; Prov. 23:29-35; Acts 16:25.
Memory Text: Memory Text: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15-17, ESV).
Scriptures
- 1 Corinthians 5:1–11 (ESV): 5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
- 1 Corinthians 6:9-11: Or do you not know that the unrighteous[b] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,[c] 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
- Revelation 16:1-16. The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath.
- Colossians 4:5 (ESV): 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.
- Proverbs 20:1 (ESV): Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
- Acts 16:25 (ESV): 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
- Proverbs 23:29–35 (ESV): 29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? 30 Those who tarry long over wine; those who go to try mixed wine. 31 Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. 32 In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. 33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things. 34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast. 35 “They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I must have another drink.”
Notes
- Chapters 1-3. Theology
- Chapters 4-6. Application. How should we live.
- Walk:
- {4:1} in unity
- {4:17, 23} in a renewed mind
- {5:2} in love
- {5:8} in light
- {5:15} in wisdom
- 1 John 2:6: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
- Leviticus 19:2: Be holy, for I am holy.
- Matthew 5:48: You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
- Image of God. We are to be like God.
- God Creates and we Create. Rule, Work, Rest. We are empowered to do good works. The power comes from above.
Who gave Himself
- Ephesians 5:2: And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
- John 3:16
- Galatians 1:4: who gave himself for our sins
- Galatians 2:20: who loved me and gave himself for me.
- 1 Timothy 2:6: who gave himself as a ransom for all
- Titus 2:14: who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
- Giving oneself up to holiness versus the three sins
Not even named (the 3 sins)
- Ephesians 5:3: But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.
- CHI: But porneia, impurity of any kind, and covetousness must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints.
- porneia: Any type of illegitimate sexual acts
- akatharsia: All types of moral corruption, uncleanness, impurity
- pleonexia: Covetousness, greediness, avarice.
- Ephesians 5:4: Nor should there be any obscenity, foolish talk, or coarse joking, which are not fitting, but there should be thanksgiving instead.
- The joking involves sexuality.
- Ephesians 5:5: For you know that no pornos, impure, or covetous (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
- pornos, akathartos, pleonektes
Wrath of God
- Ephesians 5:6: Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
- Colossians 3:25: For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
- Wrath: God giving up and letting evil develop to its natural end.
Walk as children of light
- Ephesians 5:7-8: Therefore do not partner with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
- 1 Peter 2:9-10: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
- Pixel gods: Worships the gods formed out of pixels (light forms on: TV, computers, tablets and smartphones).
SUNDAY. “Instead Let There Be Thanksgiving”
MONDAY. Walking as Children of Light
TUESDAY. “Awake, O Sleeper!”
WEDNESDAY. Snapping Up the Bargains
From the lesson: Paul also encourages intentional discipleship with a vivid image. In the phrase “making the best use of the time” (Eph. 5:16, ESV; compare “redeeming the time,” NKJV), Paul uses the verb exagorazo (compare Col. 4:5). Drawn from the marketplace, it is an intensive form of the verb “to buy” and means “to snap up the bargains” on offer as we await Christ’s return. “Time” here is the Greek word kairos, which describes a moment of opportunity. The “time” until the end is a promising period to be used to the full. It is also a challenging time because “the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16, ESV; compare Eph. 6:13, Gal. 1:4) and because “the course of this world” is dominated by “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2, ESV).
As believers look toward the return of Christ, they live in a difficult time, one that Paul portrays as a hazardous but rewarding marketplace. They are to be as attentive in their use of the time that remains as are bargain hunters during a brief sale that offers steep discounts. Though we can’t buy salvation, the imagery is still apt: take promptly what is offered us in Christ.
THURSDAY. Spirit-Filled Worship (Eph. 5:18-20).
From the lesson: In his final argument in Ephesians 5:1-20, Paul urges believers to turn away from the mind-numbing use of wine and instead experience together the presence and power of the Spirit. Paul bans drunkenness (probably with a quotation from Proverbs 23:31 in the Greek version of the Old Testament), suggesting he has in mind the injunctions against the use of alcohol as seen in the wisdom literature (Prov. 20:1, Prov. 23:29-35). The evil things that come in the wake of drunkenness include crude, sexually explicit speech, mindlessness, immorality, and idolatry (Eph. 5:3-14). These are to be exchanged for thoughtful, Spirit-inspired worship of God. Paul’s exhortation to be filled with the Spirit is a key one that is modified by a series of verbs in Ephesians 5:19-21 (“speaking”; “singing and making melody”; “giving thanks”; “submitting yourselves”).
Paul here applies the exhortation to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18) corporately, imagining believers gathering in Spirit-inspired worship of God that nourishes unity (Ephesians 4) and that stands in contrast with egocentric, pagan behavior and worship (Eph. 5:1-18). In this sketch of early Christian worship, musical praise dominates. It has been argued that the church was born in song; and this passage, together with Colossians 3:16, provides the best evidence for the claim (compare Acts 16:25, James 5:13).
FRIDAY. Further Thought:
APPENDIX
- Indecent words vs. thanksgiving
- Works of darkness vs. works of light (good, right, and truth)
- Schemes of the devil vs. Gifts of grace (time). Bargains
- Party time (debauchery) vs. worship (filled with the spirit)
debauchery (def.). Excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures.
10 talents. The talents represent acts of mercy.
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