Ephesians 5:18-21
18b
but be filled with the Spirit,
19 addressing one another
in psalms and
hymns
and
spiritual
songs,
singing
and
making
melody
to
the Lord
with
your heart,
20 giving thanks
always
and
for
everything
to
God
the
Father
in the name
of our Lord Jesus
Christ,
21 submitting to one another
out
of reverence for Christ.
I
realized today, as I was reading in Ephesians 5, that Paul provides
details on what it looks like to be filled with the Spirit. Instead
of giving additional commands, which I previously thought that he
did, he seems to be unpacking what believers who are filled
with the Spirit live like.
Paul begins by admonishing believers to walk,
or live, wisely. He says that believers should walk “not as unwise
but as wise” and that they should make “the best use of the time”
since “the days are evil” (v. 15, 16). Then Paul places a
“therefore” at the beginning of verse 17. In other words, in
essence, he is saying that since the days are evil believers are to
live wisely and not be foolish. Instead we are to discern and
understand what the will of the Lord is (v. 10, 17). Additionally,
living wisely includes being filled with the Spirit rather than
filled with alcohol (18). Now, this is where he defines some elements
that characterized a person that is filled with the Spirit (see
diagram above).
First, he says that believers filled with the Spirit
address one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (v. 19).
This comment seems strange at first. Sing to each other? Paul wrote a
similar comment in Col. 3:16. Here he points out that this type of
singing teaches and encourages other believers. Commentators disagree
on the distinctions between the meanings of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. He is
probably either pointing to Old Testament psalms or contemporary
songs. Some commentators, and I agree, think both may be included
here.
Second, he says that those who are Spirit-filled sing and make
melody to the Lord with their hearts (v. 19). The fact that he adds
“with your hearts” must mean that someone can sing to the Lord
without their hearts involved. We all know what that is like.
Occasionally we feel like we are just going through the motions. When
a person is filled with the Spirit, however, they cannot help but
make music to the Lord with their hearts.
Third, he claims that they
give thanks at all times and for everything to the Father in the name
of Jesus (v. 20). Every believer knows that the Spirit is necessary
for this type of thankfulness. No one can sustain a heart, mind, and
mouth of thanksgiving through the storms of life without the work of
the Spirit.
Lastly, he says that they are submissive to one another
out of their reverence for Christ (v. 21). Put differently, their
reverence for Jesus moves them to submit to each other. I can hear
another verse ringing in my ears after reflecting on this one – “in
humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Phil.
2:3).
I have recently
realized how unthankful and ungrateful I can be. The verse above really brought on conviction. Particularly the fact
that Paul writes that we are to be thankful always. This is not a
rare phrase for Paul either. He mentions many times in which he gives
thanks, even constantly, for a variety of situations and people. We
know that he had a challenging life as well.
It does not stop there. He admonishes other believers to do the same. In Ephesians
5:20, he says that those filled with the Spirit should give “thanks
always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ.” In Colossians 3:17, he writes that in whatever we do
we should give thanks. “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do
everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the
Father through him.” Also, in 1Thessalonians 5:18, Paul says
directly to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will
of God in Christ Jesus for you.” So there it is; it is God's will
for believers to give thanks in all circumstances. Ouch!
My family is going through a
challenging season of life that seems to have been filled with
trials. We have prayed for God to heal ailments, remove situations,
and various other similar prayers. At times it has seemed as if he has been silent and things have gotten worse. The season seems to continue
getting more challenging. Other times we see his hands clearly at work pulling things together for his glory and our good. In the process we have discovered that
being a thankful person is easy when all is going well, but when life
seems to be falling apart then it becomes much more difficult.
Feelings of frustration rise up and a grateful spirit evaporates.
Paul was not a person who was unacquainted with suffering. He knew it
intimately and yet he remained thankful. So when he tells us to be thankful we can't respond by saying, "But Paul you don't understand!" Also we know that his words were inspired by the Spirit, and as a result, we know that it is a message from God. God wants us to be thankful always.
We do not know if Paul struggled and fought for a thankful heart through his afflictions. He does not give us enough
information to discern whether or not he did. But it must have been
fight for him. Paul was not Jesus. He wasn't perfect. He was a sinner, though he was a
Spirit-filled and Spirit-empowered one. Therefore it must have been a
fight for him. Regardless he won that fight. We know this because he
says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I
have kept the faith” (2Ti 4:7). He made it to the end thankful,
serving God, and victorious by the power of the Spirit.
May we make it to the end victorious as well -- even if we stumble to get there. We won't be sorry that we did. It was also Paul who wrote, "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal" (2Cr 4:17-18). So the trials are preparing us for eternal paradise. Maybe this was Paul's secret? He fixed his mind on the eternal paradise rather than the present suffering. So, again, it is a fight, or rather a war, for thankfulness. We might not win every small battle, but as long as the war is taken then the prize is won. Eternal paradise with Jesus. And really the war is not up to you. It was already taken by Jesus. Because of his life, death, and resurrection he has overcome this world, sin, and Satan. Rest in that today and thankfulness wells up.
