“Foundations for Family Life” (Part Two)

This week we are looking at Ephesians 5 in order to see the foundational platform on which a strong family can be built. We began by seeing the foundational need for wisdom, and today continue in Paul’s letter to consider..

THE NEED FOR GOD’S WILL (v.17)

So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:17)

If we are to be wise in the use of our time, it must be because we are building our lives on God’s priorities. This means a clear commitment to being in and doing God’s will! What does that mean? Here we find two opposite sides of a coin-

• Do not be foolish- literally, “Stop becoming foolish.” It speaks to people who are already displaying foolish attitudes toward life! Ignorance of our duty, and spiritual neglect show the greatest folly. Why? Because only when we are investing the time we have in that which is eternal do our lives really become what shows God to the world.
• Do understand God’s will- While there are countless elements of God’s will that are unknown to us, Bible teacher John MacArthur pointed out 5 things that we can know with certainty are God’s will. It is His will for people to be:

1.    Saved- Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim 2:4).

2.    Spirit-filled- “…understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:17b-18).

3.    Sanctified- “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Thess 4:3).

4.    Submissive- “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” (1 Peter 2:13-15).

5.    Suffering (yes, at times, this is true)- “For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” (1 Peter 3:17).

THE NEED FOR THE SPIRIT’S CONTROL

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, (Ephesians 5:18)

Again, Paul’s teaching is rooted in contrasts:

• Do not be drunk with wine-  It describes the self-destructive nature of sin, particularly as it pertains to the use and abuse of alcohol. (see Prov. 23:29-35)
• Do be filled with the Spirit- that is control, in contrast to a state of intoxication with wine which makes men out of control. The control of the Spirit is necessary as we yield to His leading in our lives, which is why He was dispatched by Christ to begin with!

We’ll add another foundational need tomorrow…