Living a Balanced Christian Life (Ephesians 5:15-17)
Ephesians 5:15-17
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,
making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
We live in a sinful world so Paul writes in v15 “Be very careful then, How you live. We are to be wise or skillful so we can please God. Paul says we “ to make wise use of every opportunity.
But why would Paul say this?
Paul is telling us that “the days are evil” Many are walking in Sin, and since time is short, we the believers must make full use of our time to do the Great commission. We are called to bring the lost from darkness to light.
In a nutshell, Paul is asking the believer to wake up!
He is asking us to quit sleep-walking, he is begging believers to make the most out the day God has given to us.
Whether we agree with Paul or not, the truth is that a lot of Christians drift through life like they are sleepwalking. They never make the most of opportunities to live for Christ and serve Him. But is Ephesians 5:15, Paul is practically saying that a believer should be wise enough to a wise man marks out his course in this life because only fools drift with the wind or tide. By Vers 16, he opines that life is too short to pass up any opportunity. He is practically screaming that we need to meet it; and seize it. he is calling for a balanced Christian life as only balanced believers are guaranteed to outlast everyone else.
In 2 Peter 3:17, Apostle Peter says:
Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.
Peter substantiates Paul’s assertion by asking the believer to not allow the errors of evil people lead him or her down the wrong path and make him/her lose his/her balance.
Paul explains how to go about living a balanced life in Ephesians 4, and we see Jesus modelling this lifestyle in John 17. The “how to” are as follows:
- “Love God with all your heart”: You were planned for God’s purpose not yours, So your purpose is to love God through worship.
“Love your neighbor as your self”: You were shaped for serving, So your purpose is to show love for others through ministry.
“Go make disciples”: You were made for a mission, so your purpose #3 is to share God’s message through evangelism.
“baptize them into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit”: You were formed for God’s family, So your purpose #4 is to identify with His church through fellowship.
“teach them to do all things that I have commanded you”: you were created to become like Christ, So your last purpose is to grow to maturity through discipleship.
In closing, my prayer for you is that the grace to live a balanced Christian life be impacted in you in Jesus name.
God BLESS you
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