Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise,See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise;
8 sermons cite this verse
All right, let's turn our attention now to the subject at hand. Speaking from the pulpit of First Baptist Dallas, I titled my message, How a Christian Should Vote. Today, we're going to do something different. Today, we're going to talk about politics. Yuck! You know, just saying the word politics leaves a bitter aftertaste in your mouth. And we understand why. I mean, with all the mudslinging, the political divisions in our country, a division that extends to friendships, to homes, and even to churches, we understand why people get skittish when you talk about politics. You know, the only thing worse than the word politics is the word politician. Can you think of a worse thing to call somebody? I mean, being a politician is on the same level as being a drug dealer, child molester, or televangelist. We use it in a derisive term. Oh, he's just involved in politics, or she's a politician. We misuse the word and treat it with contempt. And it really doesn't make sense when you think about the etymology of the word politics. …
… It's what Paul talks about in Ephesians 5. Verse 15, pay careful attention then to how you walk. Not as unwise people, but as wise. Making the most of the time because the days are evil. We can only say that because we believe that at some point Jesus is coming back, right? We have that eternal perspective of our lives. Second red flag is a deterioration of morality. It's not just a denial of accountability. It's a deterioration of the false teacher's morality. And I'll just say this. Maybe some of you can relate. Maybe some of you are holier and better than I am. But I'm pretty good at saying no to sweets. Like when I want to, I can say no to sweets. Like I can see stuff in the break room. I'm good. I can do without the cupcake. It's not really that hard for me, except when I'm on a diet. Like when I'm on a diet and then suddenly saying no to that donut, that cupcake, that piece of pie is like the hardest thing that I have ever done in my life. …
… what conclusions would they come to about your God? Ephesians 5 verses 15 and 16. Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil. mature Christians they have this sense of urgency to make their lives count for Christ you're hearing that all over this conference what does your conduct say about your priorities right now this isn't about what we say is most important to us we know to say that God Jesus his glory the church the bible we know to say that those are our priorities but where but but where did most of our effort and our hours go. what has our attention in all those random moments at the margins of our day over time people notice what we really care about and if they look up to us it'll begin to be what they care about too what is your conduct saying third love what good are we to others one effective way to evaluate how you're using your time your energy your money is to ask what tangible good is all of that doing for others so who are you focused on loving right now so your friends church family your roommates neighbors, coworkers, the lost, one day a spouse, children. Who are you focused on loving right now and how specifically and tangibly are you seeking to love them? …
Ephesians chapter 5, verse 15 to 20. I was asked to work on this text, and you'll see why when we get to verse 18 and 19, 20. It's about music, it's about singing, but that's not all there is here. Look carefully, therefore, how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, redeeming 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 the Lord Jesus Christ So, Father, I ask now for me and all of us that there would be granted the fullness of the Holy Spirit. this is a great miracle it's a gift and it is a precious thing that we long for now and over and over again in our lives because we want to purchase the time in these evil days don't want anything to be wasted or slip by. …
… And 1,500 years later the apostle Paul says to the Ephesians Look carefully then how you walk Not as unwise, but as wise Making the best use of the time Because the days are evil So Moses and Paul agree We need wisdom Wisdom is needed to know how to Manage Is that the best word for it? Steward Leverage Use Our time Our attention Our energy And there's an important warning from the book of James I remember this moment so clearly On this trip with John Piper to Birmingham 20 years ago. I'm there to be the traveling assistant. I've got the schedule and got the contacts and all that. And he's just working on his messages. Some point he asked me about the schedule and I, you know, very good assistant. I got everything ready here. Tell him the schedule. And I made some kind of comment about what we were gonna do the next day. And he says, if the Lord wills. I remember the gleam in his eye and smile and smile. …
… But you'll understand that as I read verses 15 to 17, Ephesians 5, 15 to 17. Therefore, be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Here we have the comparison between wisdom and foolishness. This is a very, very prominent subject in Scripture. In fact, this may be the simplest way to understand the difference between the children of God and the children of the devil. The children of God are wise, the children of the devil are foolish. It's that simple. All real wisdom resides with those who know God, and with those who do not know God, they are bound in folly and foolishness. This is the way to understand the difference between a believer and a nonbeliever. One possesses wisdom from God, the other is a fool. So let's start with the negative aspect of it, and maybe ask the question, what is a fool? …
Starting in verse 15, he says, 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. so the first thing he's saying is be careful how you're living you know how a lot of times you wake up and you just start living right you just wake up and you do the same thing right you get up you know i i try to when i remember like the first words out of my mouth i try to just say holy holy holy is the lord god almighty who was and is and is to come because i think about how those angels have been doing that all night while i was sleeping and i just want to join with them because it helps remind me that this is not about me. …
… You go to the beginning of a paragraph, which means if we're to understand this context, we got to go all the way back to Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 15. Trust me, we're going somewhere. When you get back to Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 15, you see three sets of threes, three contrasts, three commands, and then three contexts where those commands are lived out. When you get that, it sort of pops the whole picture into view. Look at the beginning of verse 15. Therefore, be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. Contrast number one. Don't walk as unwise, but walk as wise. Verse 17. So then, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Contrast number two. Don't be foolish, understand the Lord's will. Here's contrast number three in verse 18. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit. …