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. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. - Ephesians 5:15–21 ESV
What is the big purpose of your earthly life now that you belong to Jesus Christ? The New Testament reveals that God's explicit will for your life involves serving Christ by pursuing his way of life and joining him in making disciples. All of which brings glory to his name. (Col 2:6-8, 5:17, Matt 28:18-20, Acts 1:6-8)
How are you going to do this? Well, that's the million-dollar question! And it is really the question that the 'living wisely' in this Ephesians passage is focused on. 'Making the most of every opportunity is about fulfilling your purpose in making disciples as a follower of Jesus. This passage is not simply talking about just living a good life or having a nice career or family for yourself.
The book of Ephesians reveals a key aspect of God's plan. God's will is not simply for you to be independently involved in making disciples but for you to 'join God's family in making disciples of all nations together.' It is through his multi-ethnic family of families that he is revealing his wisdom even to the heavenly realms (Eph 2:8-3:11).
But this family on mission together doesn't just happen. There are all kinds of things that get in the way. Paul says we must make every effort to live wisely. Instead of simply pursuing what we want or feel is best, based on our individual appetites and desires, we are to submit to one another and pursue God's idea of family that centers us on his word so that we are filled with his Spirit and proclaiming the good news in harmony with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Living wisely and being filled with the Spirit are two sides of the same coin. The more we enter into this family life, centred on God's word and his mission, the more we are collectively and individually transformed and filled by the Spirit to live God's way and work out the specifics of our calling and purpose in Christ.
The following are quotes from the opening pages of an excellent book that looks at the biblical vision of the church as family. “When the Church Was a Family: Recapturing Jesus' Vision for Authentic Christian Community” by Joseph H. Hellerman.
“The influence that our radically individualistic worldview exerts on American evangelical Christians goes a long way to explain the struggles we face to keep relationships together. The incessant failure of marriage after marriage, along with the repeated unwillingness of persons to stay in the local church in order to grow through relational conflict, are only in part due to individual sin and selfishness. Broader cultural values are in play…
Our culture has powerfully socialized us to believe that personal happiness and fulfillment should take precedence over the connections we have with others in both our families and our churches. So we run from the painful but redemptive relationships God has placed us in…
The New Testament picture of the church as a family flies in the face of our individualistic cultural orientation. God’s intention is not to become the feel-good Father of a myriad of isolated individuals who appropriate the Christian faith as yet another avenue toward personal enlightenment. Nor is the biblical Jesus to be conceived of as some sort of spiritual mentor whom we can happily take from church to church, or from marriage to marriage, fully assured that our personal Savior will somehow bless and redeem our destructive relational choices every step of the way.
What we find in the Bible, rather, is a God who seems at least as concerned with His group (me in relationship with my brothers and sisters in Christ) as He is with the individual (me in relationship with God).
Consider Paul’s perspective. In his letters, Paul refers to Jesus as “our Lord”—that is, as the Lord of God’s group—53 times. Only once, in contrast, does the expression “my Lord” appear in Paul’s writings (Phil 3:8). This speaks volumes about the priorities of the great apostle. Paul’s overarching concern in his ministry went far beyond the personal spiritual pilgrimages of his individual converts. Paul’s driving passion was to establish spiritually vibrant, relationally healthy communities of believers in strategic urban settings throughout the Roman Empire.
We must embrace the fact that our value system has been shaped by a worldview that is diametrically opposed to the outlook of the early Christians and to the teachings of Scripture.
As church-going [North] Americans, we have been socialized to believe that our individual fulfillment and our personal relationship with God are more important than any connection we might have with our fellow human beings, whether in the home or in the church. We have, in a most subtle and insidious way, been conformed to this world.”
Questions for Discussion:
- In what ways is this teaching 'counter-cultural' in your setting? Why does ministry rooted in ‘family gatherings and structures’ instead of program-centred ministry seem so foreign to us?
- What needs to change in order to be this kind of family on mission? What priorities would you have to set in order to participate fully in this kind of family life?
- How does this scripture challenge your own thinking about belonging to a church and fulfilling your purpose?
- What steps will you take to engage in God's idea of church family so that you are wisely pursuing your purpose in Christ?
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