Ephesians 5:15-17 ESV
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
The Days are Evil
Evil has always existed, well at least ever since Satan, who
I think was Lucifer (an angel in heaven), who wanted to be God, rebelled
against God with a third of the angels, and they were cast out of heaven down
to the earth. At least, this is what I have always been taught. Here are some
verses that appear to teach that:
[Is 14:12-14; Lu 10:18; Rev
9:1; Heb 12:22; Rev 12:3-9]
Still the Scriptures do teach us much about Satan (the
devil), that he is our main (primary) enemy, that he is on a warpath against
us, and his main goal is to lead us away from faith in Jesus Christ and back
into sin. And so we are to resist him, and to flee temptation to sin, and we
are to draw near to God in full assurance of faith, instead. For Satan (the
devil) is a roaring lion prowling around seeking someone to devour.
[1 Pet 5:8-9; Jas 4:7-10; 2 Tim 2:22; Eph 6:10-20]
So, at least ever since the devil became the devil (Satan),
evil has existed. And ever since the devil tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden,
and she sinned against God, and her husband Adam did, too, we who are humans
are born with sin natures, in the image of Adam. We are separate from God and
we are unable, in ourselves, to be acceptable to and approved by God.
[Rom 3:21-26; Rom 5:12-19; 1 Co 15:21-22,42-49]
But the Scriptures also teach us that in these last days
that evil will increase and get even more evil and that the devil (the dragon,
Satan) will make war against those of us who keep the commandments of God and
who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Then the beast (who is of the dragon, the devil)
will be allowed to make war on the saints of God and to conquer them, and so
here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.
[Rev 12:17; Rev 13:1-18; Rev 14:6-13]
And, if we are at all paying attention to what is going on
all around us, and within the institutional church, and within our governments,
and with regard to the “gospel” that is largely being taught to prospective
believers in Jesus, and to those already professing faith in Jesus Christ, we
can’t help but see that these prophecies in the book of Revelation are at least
partially being fulfilled in our day and time, and things are getting worse by
the day.
We can’t help but see that the world is not headed in a good
direction but in a bad direction, especially morally and with regard to true
faith in Jesus Christ. But it isn’t just the world we are talking about here.
It is the majority of those professing faith in Jesus Christ, at least here in
America, who are on a massive more and spiritual decline. There is not much of
a distinction at all between the world and the church anymore, and it gets
worse by the day.
And so many people, including professing Christians, are
blinded to it all, and they don’t see at all what is going on. They don’t see
the subliminal messages in social media memes and in advertisements and in
music and in many preacher’s sermons. They don’t see the twisting of Scripture
and the trickery that is going on within the gatherings of what is called “church.”
So they just go on with their lives as usual, just living for the pleasures of
this world or just living normal everyday lives lacking in true zeal for God.
How You Walk
So, especially because the days are evil, and they are
getting more and more evil by the hour, we who profess faith in Jesus Christ
are to look carefully at how we are walking, i.e. at how we are conducting our
lives, in practice, on a day to day basis. Are our lives fully surrendered to
Jesus Christ? Is he truly Lord (Owner-Master) of our lives who is directing our
paths? Or are we still basically living for ourselves, doing what we want?
We have many people in America who profess Christianity as
their religion, and who believe they are Christians. We have many who profess
faith in Jesus Christ and believe their sins are all forgiven and that when
they die that heaven is guaranteed them, regardless of how they lived on this
earth. And we have many people who attend weekly services of what is called “church,”
though I think that may be on a decline since March of 2020.
But we don’t have many people whose lives are sold out to
Jesus Christ to do his will and to obey him in all things. We don’t have many people
who are sharing the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ as a matter of
practice, of life course, with other people, and who are discerning of and who
are refuting the lies of Satan that many within the gatherings of what is
called “church” are now teaching as truth. Many people are being deceived by
master liars.
And that is also a sign of the times in which we live, the
huge master deception, which is taking place today, even among those professing
faith in Jesus Christ. So many professing Christians are believing the lies
over the truth and are believing just about anything they hear if they believe it
is from a reliable source or if it just sounds good to them. And they don’t or
they won’t even consider that they are believing lies, they are so deceived.
So, we need to be people who study the Scriptures in
context, and who are listening to the Lord and to his word and who are obeying
it, in practice, and who are not obeying sin, i.e. who are not habitually and
deliberately sinning against the Lord and going our own way and doing our own
thing without regard for what God wants for our lives. And we must be walking
(in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and not according to the
flesh.
And we must pray for much spiritual discernment to be
discerning of the lies and the manipulations of truth so that we are no longer
deceived. But then we have to obey the Lord. For we can’t be discerning of evil
if we are still dabbling in what is evil and if we are not willing to forsake
our lives of sin in order to follow our Lord in obedience to his ways. For the
Christian life is a life of surrender to God, of dying to sin, and of living to
God and to his righteousness, and for the glory and praise of God. To God be
all the glory!
Oh,
to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer
Lyrics
by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897
Music
by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897
Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s
treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Oh, to be like Thee! full of
compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the
fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.
O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.
O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy
love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.
Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy
fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg
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