Ephesians 5:17

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. WHEREFORE - since ye need to walk circumspectly, choosing the right opportunity of good. UNWISE, [ afrones (G878)] - different Greek from Ephesians 5:15; 'foolish,' 'senseless.' UNDERSTANDING - not merely knowing as a fact (Luke 12:47) but knowing with thoughtful understanding. THE WILL OF THE LORD - how each opportunity is to be used. The Lord's will ultimately is our "sanctification" (1 Thessalonians 4:3); and that "in every thing," mea...

17._Wherefore be ye not unwise. _He whose “delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates in it day and night,” (Psalms 1:2,) will triumph over every obstacle which Satan can oppose to his progress. Whence comes it that some wander, others fall, others strike against a rock, others go away, — but because we allow ourselves to be gradually blinded by Satan, and lose sight of the will of God, which we ought constantly to remember? And observe, that Paul defines _wisdom _to be, _understanding what the will of the Lord is _ “How shall a young man,” says David, “direct his way? By attending to thy word, O Lord.” (Psalms 119:9.) He speaks of youths, but it is the same wisdom which belongs to old men....

15-21 Another remedy against sin, is care, or caution, it being impossible else to maintain purity of heart and life. Time is a talent given us by God, and it is misspent and lost when not employed according to his design. If we have lost our time heretofore, we must double our diligence for the future. Of that time which thousands on a dying bed would gladly redeem at the price of the whole world, how little do men think, and to what trifles they daily sacrifice it! People are very apt to complain of bad times; it were well if that stirred them more to redeem time. Be not unwise. Ignorance of our duty, and neglect of our souls, show the greatest folly. Drunkenness is a sin that never goes alone, but carries men into other evils; it is a sin very provoking to God. The drunkard holds out to his family and to the world the sad spectacle of a sinner hardened beyond what is common, and hast...

Verse 17. _WHEREFORE BE YE NOT UNWISE_] Μη γινεσθε αφρονες· _Do_ _not become madmen_. Here is a most evident allusion to the _orgies_ _of Bacchus_, in which his votaries acted like madmen; running about, tossing their heads from shoulder to shoulder, appearing to be in every sense completely frantic. See the whole of the passage in _Livy_, to which I have referred on Ephesians 5:12. _BUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE WILL OF THE LORD_ IS.] It is the will of God that ye should be _sober, chaste, holy_, and _pure_. Get a thorough understanding of this; acquaint yourselves with God's will, that ye may know how to glorify him....

BE YE NOT UNWISE - Be not fools in the employment of your time, and in your manner of life. Show true wisdom by endeavoring to understand what the will of the Lord is, and then doing it....

EXPOSITION EPHESIANS 5:1 BE YE THEREFORE IMITATORS OF GOD, AS CHILDREN BELOVED. These words are closely connected with the preceding. In Ephesians 4:32 he had urged the example of God in one very momentous matter; he now urges it in a more general sense and on another ground. We ought to forgive men because God has forgiven us—all admit that; but moreover, we ought to imitate our Father in his forgiveness and in his loving spirit, be-because beloved children should always imitate, and will always strive to imitate, what is good in a beloved father. Forgiving love is one of the great glories of our Father; it has been made peculiarly attractive in our eyes, because it has been exercised by him towards us; every consideration, therefore, ought to ind

WHEREFORE BE YE NOT UNWISE,.... No one would be thought to be unwise, but such are, who do not redeem time, and are ignorant of the will of the Lord; believers should not act the unwise part, neither in their talk, nor in their walk and conversation, nor in their use of time: BUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE WILL OF THE LORD [IS]; or "of God", as read the Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions: there is the secret will of God, which is the rule of all his proceedings; and is unknown to men, till facts make it appear; this is always fulfilled, and sometimes by persons who have no regard to his revealed will; to this the wills of the people of God should be always resigned: and there is his revealed will, which lies partly in the Gospel; which declares it to be his will, that Christ should work out the salvation of his people, which is what he came to do; that whoeve...

Ephesians 5:1. _Be ye therefore followers of God,_ Or, imitators of God,- Ephesians 5:1. _As dear children;_ Children are naturally imitators. They are usually inclined to imitate their father; this is, therefore, a most comely and appropriate precept: «Be ye therefore imitators of God, as dear children.» Ephesians 5:2. _And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor._ What a path to walk in! «Walk in love.» What a well-paved way it is! «As Christ also hath loved us.» What a blessed Person for us to follow in that divinely royal road! It would have been hard

3. THE WALK IN HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS Chapter S 4:17-5:21 _ 1. Not as the Gentiles walk (Ephesians 4:17)_ 2. The putting off and putting on (Ephesians 4:20) 3. Followers of God (Ephesians 5:1) 4. Exhortations (Ephesians 5:3) At this point the exhortations to walk in separation begin. The “therefore” of Ephesians 4:17 refers us to the “wherefore” of Ephesians 2:11. What Gentiles are in their natural c

THE WAY OF LIGHT AND THE WAY OF DARKNESS. There are other sins which among God's people, should be literally unmentionable fornication, uncleanness, coveting, filthiness, foolish speech, improper jesting. (The true seemliness of speech is thanksgiving.) No one who practises any of the above can inherit the Kingdom. Let no sophistries deceive you; God's wrath befalls the disobedient dissociate yourselves from such things. You have passed from darkness to light and must walk accordingly. Goodness, righteousness, truth these are the fruits of Light. You must test things, and discover what is well-pleasing to the Lord. Nay, you must not only avoid participation in the unfruitful deeds of darkness; you must show them up for things are being done in secret which it is shameful even to mention. Things are always made manifest when they are shown up by the light: for whatever is made manifest _i...