Bible Study

The Gift of Eternal Life Berean Bible Study Course

Part II--The Process Of Reconciliation With God

F. Lesson 12--We Must Be Faithful In Serving The Lord

8. READ: EPHESIANS 5:15-20

a. What should we be very careful about?

Answer: Christians should be very careful about how we live. We should live as wise, and not as unwise, children of God, (verse 15). The wise Christian makes the most of every opportunity, (verse 16).

MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:

• Ephesians 5:2 tells us to live a life of love, just as Christ loved us. Here, we are to live a life of wisdom, making the most of every opportunity, "because the days are evil."

Colossians 4:5 tells us to "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity."

• How a Christian lives in the world, and how the world sees us--living what we have been taught by Christ, and not just mouthing the words--may cause those in the world to come to repentance. In these evil days, God is still showing His patience so that all might come to repentance:

2 Peter 3:9: "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

• If we live as unwise or foolish people, we have no strategy for life and miss opportunities to live for God in an evil environment. We, as His children, are His teachers--those who spread His Truths by our teaching and by the lives we live.

Ephesians 6:13 admonishes Christians to "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

• Christians do not live by their own wisdom. They are very careful to live by the wisdom of God. The wisdom of God is Christ. Christ is wisdom FROM God. Everything Christ spoke and did was from God.
• That wisdom from God is righteousness, holiness and redemption. The Christian's life is lived in righteousness--the wisdom of God, which is Christ. Christians live in holiness and purity--the wisdom of God, which is Christ. Christians live in redemption--the wisdom of God, which is Christ.
• Christians do not live by the wisdom of the world. The wisdom of the world to a maturing Christian is foolishness, darkness, and death. But the world is puzzled by the simplicity of God's plan of reconciliation. The life a Christian lives by faith is not based on men's wisdom, but it is based on God's power, which is Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:20 through 2 Corinthians 2:10 tells us about this wisdom from God upon which we rest our Christian lives by faith and carefully live daily as His wise children:

"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him. It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, Who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.' When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him'--but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit."

• And James 3:13-18 says that earthly "wisdom"--unspiritual "wisdom"--is of the devil:

"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the Truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."