Ephesians 5:17 17On account of this do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
Paul continues his comparison of activities associated with the old life of the world and the new life in Jesus Christ. Beginning in 4:25, Paul has given the readers many clear examples of both negative and positive behaviors. They should have clear images in their minds by this point of how believers should live in their cultural setting. Verse 17 is a broad statement that covers all of the vices and virtues. The opening of this verse connects the following ideas with the class to walk in obedience from the previous verses. The way of foolishness results when a person disobeys God. Wisdom results from following the leading of the Holy Spirit who seeks to transform us into the holy and righteous image of God.
The readers now should now be informed. Paul warns them of being foolish. A different word is used here (aphrones) than in the previous verse (asophoi). Foolish describes someone who lacks good judgment or makes uninformed choices. The Ephesians have no excuse now. They should know the will of the Lord for several reasons: 1) the Holy Spirit is working in them, teaching them what it means to love and be united as a church, 2) they have godly leaders who are training up the church, and 3) Paul has clearly given them directions in this letter. They should understand well how believers should live. This will help them make daily decisions. Likewise for believers today, we have much knowledge and understanding of God’s will. The problem is not information but faith and obedience. We must seek God’s grace in our lives and then respond in faith and obedience in order to follow through with what God has purposed for us (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Paul makes this even clearer in the next verse by giving a warning about getting drunk with wine. Becoming drunk with wine is an example of wanton lack of self-discipline and self-control. It takes a certain carefree attitude to indulge in wine to the point of getting drunk. Debauchery is recklessness and unconcern about one’s behavior. Wine, other alcoholic beverages, and various drugs cause a person to lose control of the thinking process. Many more decisions can come as a result of this. These decisions may even end up hurting people.
The way to know the will of the Lord is to be filled with the Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God will direct those who submit in humility. One of the primary ways this happens is through our conscience. As we study God’s words, we learn more about how God has directed people throughout history. We learn from their experiences. The Holy Spirit helps us recall and apply these teachings to our lives and brings these ideas to our minds through conviction. The Holy Spirit is more than an awareness or consciousness of good and evil but is also a personal presence who can also show open doors and close doors for us. The Spirit will put blocks in our ways as warning about sin. The Spirit also teaches us the ways of Christ and helps our old ignorant minds understand and apply the truth that is found in Christ.
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