- Do not allow others to deceive you: (5:6-7): Paul is warning the believers not to fall into deception as many unbelievers say, they could commit any number of sins and still enter into heaven. Some bring lot of arguments and say a believer can repeatedly commit sin any number of times. But we must realize that we are saved by grace through faith. We must not put God to test, keep on committing sin so that God’s grace may abound. This is a very deceptive Also we must understand that a Christian is not sin less but he sins less and less and less as the time passes.
- Illuminate yourself: Walk in the light: (5:8-9; 11-14): We are light unto this world. As children of light, our actions should be above reproach both morally and ethically so that we would reflect God’s goodness and love to others. We can also help people to find their way to Christ. We know that the mind of the unsaved person is blinded by Satan (2 Cor. 4:3-4) and by sin (Eph. 4:17-19). Only when we witness and share Christ, the light would enter into them so a child of God can lead the lost souls out of darkness into God’s wonderful fight. The fruit of light just like the “the fruit of the Spirit” consists of goodness, righteousness and truth.
Light reveals God. Light also exposes what is wrong. No surgeon would willingly operate in darkness lest he made a false move and take a life. How could an artist paint a true picture in darkness? The light reveals the truth and exposes the true character of things. This explains why the unsaved person stays clear of the church and the Bible. God’s light reveals his true character, and the exposure is not very complimentary. It is important to avoid the fruitless deeds of darkness which is nothing but any activity which results in sin. As believers we must even go to the extent of exposing such wrong things, because our silence may be interpreted mistakenly as approval. Yes God needs people who can take a stand for the truth and expose the deeds of darkness. Paul especially spoke this to the church Ephesians to wake up and realize the dangerous condition into which some of them are slowly slipping into it.
Some people go to the extent of experiencing so that they may expose the expose the rotten or sinful life. But it is not true. A person who has deliberately gone through, would definitely fall into sin. All that we need is just put on God’s light so that we can see everything. There is no need to perform an autopsy on rotten body to expose its rottenness.
- Inquire God’s will: (5:10,17): In all matters it is important for every believer to find out what is God’s will in his or her life. If a believer does not what is God’s will, he or she must ask God so that His will may be completely fulfilled in their life. Many Christians feel that discovering or seeking God’s will is a mystical experience. It is not true. When God saved us, He saved us for a purpose and with a perfect plan. He reveals His plan to us through His Word. So every believer must continue to spend as much time as possible with the Word and know God’s plan in our day-to-day life and our ultimate goal also.
- Involve in God’s work – Use every opportunity: (5:15-16): We must know that opportunities do not come often. We must make use of time and at the same time redeem every opportunity. Paul says that the days are evil. We need to have a sense of urgency and act upon every possible opportunity to tell the Gospel to others.
Ex: An old Chinese memorable saying: “Opportunity has a forelock so you can seize it when you meet it. Once it is past, you cannot seize it again.” Our English word opportunity comes from the Latin and means “toward the port.” It suggests a ship taking advantage of the wind and tide to arrive safely in the harbour. The fleeting life is a strong argument for making the best use of the opportunities God gives us.
In Paul’s time, this meant that Roman persecution was on the way (1 Pet.4:12-19). How foolish to waste opportunities to win the lost when soon those opportunities might be taken away by the advances of sin in society! If the days were evil when Paul wrote this letter, what must be the condition today?
- Do not get drunk on wine: (5:18a): Getting drunk with wine is associated with the old way of life and its selfish desires. Wine is also a depressant. It may give a temporary high but ultimately depresses the human beings. Here Paul gives a contrast.
- Immerse in Holy Spirit: (5:18b): All the believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit when they have believed accepted Christ. But all are not filled with the Holy Spirit. Filling of the Holy Spirit directly depends upon how much we yield to the Holy Spirit. Filling of the Spirit is a continual experience. The filling of the Spirit empowers us for worship, service and testimony. Just as the unbelievers are under the influence of wine, the believers can be under the influence of Holy Spirit which keeps us stable reflecting God’s character.
- Use music to encourage others and worship God: (5:19): All the hymns, songs and music which are directed to God could provide a means for praising God. There is no wrong in using music to make our worship more melodious and even attractive to outsiders. Our main motto should to worship and praise God and be grateful to Him for all that He has done to us.
- Be thankful for all things: (5:20): Giving thanks to God in all circumstances is the true character of a believer. We must give thanks not only for our blessings, but also for the problems, the difficult experiences where He is strengthening us to face them making us more balanced and stable Christian. We must all remember that God’s ways are different and “in all things God works for our good if we love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). Further “no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless” (Ps.84:11b).
- Enjoy God’s fellowship: Submit to one another: (5:21): Submit to one another is becoming inferior to others. In a relationship, each partner can have a conciliatory attitude that will help the relationship. Submitting to one another is associated by Holy Spirit. When we see the command in (5:18) as“be filled with the Holy Spirit” followed by a series of good acts viz., speaking, psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, giving thanks to God and submitting to one another.