Walking In Wisdom (Epesians 5:15-21)

Walking In Wisdom
Ephesians 5:15-21
St. Peter’s Anglican Church
November 2, 2025

Last week was Reformation Sunday.

It is the day we celebrate an event over 500 years ago on October 31, 1517 when a young Monk named Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses or questions for discussion on the door of the Wittenberg Chapel.

That’s how they did things in those days because they didn’t have You Tube, chat rooms or Twitter.

If you wanted to discuss theology or something you nailed your questions on the church door.

Those 95 Theses were the proverbial shot heard around the world and they became the start of what is now known as the Protestant Reformation … of which we are heirs.

As Luther was studying the Book of Romans the Lord revealed to him one foundational truth – “the just shall live by faith.”

Hence, one of the themes of the Reformation was sola fide – by faith alone.

The other foundational doctrine that came out of the Reformation was sola scriptura – the Scriptures alone are our sole rule of faith and practice.

This is essential because some of the teachings of the Roman church were not based on the Scriptures.

Every church has traditions, but in Bible believing Protestant Churches, such as the REC, those traditions are subservient to the Scriptures.

In the Roman church Scripture and Tradition have almost equal weight. That is why you have teachings such as the perpetual virginity of Mary and purgatory.

The thing that triggered Luther’s 95 Theses was that the Catholic Church was teaching that salvation could be bought or earned by the works you did.

In fact … in order to finance the construction of St. Peter’s in Rome, they were basically selling salvation on the street corners by the way of Indulgences.

The purchasers of these indulgences thought that by paying money they would get out purgatory faster and into heaven. You see how one false teaching leads to another!

Luther saw the heresy in this dogma of the church as he seriously studied the Book of Romans.
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I would note that there is a difference between doctrine and dogma.

Doctrine is that which can be proved by the Scriptures, but dogma is the teachings and practices of the church that sometimes have their basis in the Word of God and sometimes do not.

In the case of indulgences — not only can they not be proved by the Word of God — but they are in fact heresy.
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Martin Luther challenged the church leaders because he really wanted to know the truth. He wanted to be as faithful to the Word of God as possible.

The Church’s response to him was to put a contract out on his life and Luther had to go into hiding.

The blessing of this was that while he was hiding in the Wartburg Castle he was able to translate the New Testament into German … so that the Scriptures would then be available in the language of the people!

What Luther started eventually became the Protestant Reformation, of which we are the descendants today. We believe that we have been justified by faith in Christ alone — sola fide!.

That is — because of our faith in Christ as Savior — we are accounted as righteous before God.

It doesn’t mean that we are made righteous.

Rather when God looks at us through Christ, He sees the righteousness of Jesus Christ, and not our sin.

Following this … we believe then … that our works are the evidence of our salvation.

As James says: ““For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.””

This is exactly what we see in the passage that is before us today from Ephesians 5:15-21.

This passage is part of Paul’s continuing exhortation to the Christians at Ephesus — and us — as to how we should walk as a result of all that God has done for us through the Lord Jesus Christ.

This book of Ephesians tells us that God has chosen us before the foundation of the world to be His children.

It also tells us that we have been adopted into His family — that we are no longer at war with Him — we have forgiveness of our sins … access to God through the Son — and other blessings of our salvation.

But as a result of all that God has done for us, we are then to ““walk worthy of the calling that we have received.”” as you can read in Ephesians 4:1.

This worthy walk is the evidence of our faith in Christ as Savior and Lord. These are our good works, if you will.

If we consider the whole of the book of Ephesians, the 1st three chapters spell out all that God has done for us through the Lord Jesus Christ and the last three chapters is the application of what that means …

and so the Apostle Paul calls what we do or don’t do, our “walk.”

Note what he says in 5:15: – ““See then that you walk circumspectly”.

The idea here is to be very diligent and careful in our walk, always looking out for danger.

The temptations of the world are all around us … the lusts of the world … if you will.

In context it means that as a result of who we are and what God has done for us we are to be careful in our walk because others are looking at us.

Think of the positive result Erika Kirk had when she said publically that she forgave the man who killed her husband.

But also think about what happens when someone who is a well known Christian falls into sin and how it reflects on all of us.

As a result of the behavior of some … the REC and the ACNA have to do background checks on clergy and any church workers … such as Sunday School teachers, day care workers, etc.

I asked the Bishop if clearance by the US Secret Service was acceptable for me, and he said yes

But … our church insurance policy had to be upgraded to cover any liability that the church might have and I had to send proof of my degree and ordination.
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As Paul continues in Ephesians 5, he goes on to tell us what walking circumspectly entails – ““not as fools but as wise””.

As Christians we are not to walk as the people of the world live … indulging in foolish pleasures and desires … but as those who have been taught the truths of God’s Word — what He desires for us.

In a sense, we have the wisdom of God reveled to us, and therefore we are to walk in that wisdom.

As Luther said: “A simple layman armed with Scripture is greater than the mightiest pope without it.”

Back in Ephesians 5:8, Paul puts it another way: ““For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.””

The light of the gospel has been revealed to us — therefore we are to walk as those who have received the light.

One of the ways that we are to do this is seen as Paul goes on: ““redeeming the time, because the days are evil.””

If you walk around Center City Philadelphia … people are walking around looking at their phones … which can be dangerous.

If you go into a restaurant … you see people sitting at their tables … looking at their phones.

It is estimated that the average American spends 4-5 HOURS a day looking at their phones … with the younger generation spending 6 hours.

I guess … we can say … that is not the greatest use of our limited time here on earth.

That is why Paul goes on: ““Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.””

And what is the will of the Lord — to know His Word and to live by it to the best of our ability.

We will not do it perfectly … we know that … but we are to strive to do it the best that we can. … and then confess our sins when we can’t!

He then tells us what we are not to do and then what we are to do.

This is often the case throughout the Scriptures — not just what not to do … but what to do instead.

As you’ve heard me say before … Paul calls it putting off and putting on.

Putting off the old man — that is, before Christ — and putting on the new man — after Christ.

First, what not to do — ““And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation;””

This is not just a prohibition on drinking wine — although we aren’t to get drunk.

Paul could be referring to a form of worship — such as to Dionysus — also known as Bacchus, the god of wine, where people got drunk in their worship.

This worship is dissipation — which means an indulgence in sensual pleasure.

On the contrary, Paul tells them ““but be filled with the Spirit.””

In other words, instead of being drunk worshiping the god of wine … we are to be filled with Spirit of God — the same Spirit that raised up Christ from the dead.
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When we acknowledged Christ as Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit came into our lives.

But … as the Scriptures teach … we are to be continually filled with the Spirit and as we do so, we are to let the Spirit control our actions and our reactions.

In a parallel passage in Colossians 3:15-16 we read:

““And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.””

As we read and study God’s Word, then the Word of Christ by his Spirit will dwell in us and we will know what to do and what not to do.

Jesus, in his prayer for all Christians before his death for us and our salvation … says in John 14:26:

““But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.””

One of the things that we are to do is contained in the concluding words of our passage –

““speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.””

This does not mean that we should go around singing to each other … nothing wrong with that … but rather this has reference to our true worship of God.

Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs should be part of our worship of God — which in our case, they are.

As we do this we are to be singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord.

Christians should be the most joyful people in the world … considering all that God has done for us.

Personally, there is nothing more depressing than a dour Christian — and on top of that … it is a poor witness to what God has done for us.

Again … think of all the blessings that have received from God — forgiveness of sins, fellowship with God, a place reserved in heaven for us …

Now, this does not mean that our lives will be a bed of roses.

On the contrary … Jesus has promised us tribulation — that is, troubles in this world.

But, in spite of the troubles that we have, we can still be joyful and make a joyful noise unto the Lord, as the Scriptures says.

I am reminded of the account in the book of Acts, where Paul and Silas after being beaten with rods, where thrown into prison which you read about in Acts 16.

Now, were Paul and Silas having a pity party for themselves?

No, we read in Acts 16:25:

““But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.””

They were praying and singing — why, because they had the joy of their salvation in their hearts.

And after God sent an earthquake and the cell doors opening and no one escaping … this led to the salvation of the jailor AND his family!

No doubt they were also giving thanks to God as we read on another occasion.
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We have much to be thankful for — as I said all the blessings of our salvation.

Therefore we are to give thanks always to God in the name of Jesus Christ.

And then we see the concluding words of our passage exhorting us to follow the example of our Savior — ““submitting to one another in the fear of God.””

Regardless of our social or economic status … we are to follow the example of our Savior — in humility and kindness.

We read these words in Philippians 2:4-8:

““Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.””

This is the example that our Savior has given us that we are to follow.

Remember, God has given us all things for life and godliness — that is, how to live in this world and to gain access to the world to come.

He has given us His Word to live by here on earth — seeing things as we do here in Ephesians.

He has also told us how to get to the world to come — to heaven when this earthly life is ended … and that it is ONLY by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Again, the rallying cry of the Reformation – sola fide – by faith alone.

Let us be thankful that God has revealed these things to us, because they really are a matter of life and death …

And so … ““See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.””

AMEN!