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Duties of the Christian Life
Eph. 5: 15 -17
Introduction
Back to our topic about Christian living. It’s always good to talk about Christian living because into it we put into practice or we show the Lord and the world not only we know the Word of God but also,
we apply it into our daily life. Honestly, I have preached the subtopics of this message years back and now I’m mentioning it again here so as to emphasize its importance.
I. See that ye walk circumspectly (Eph. 5:15)
A. “The word “see” here is “to look at, behold, to glance”. The meaning is to be aware or to be alert.
B. “Walk” as I have mentioned in the past is “to live”.
C. Circumspectly means accurately or precisely with great care.
1. Christians must live carefully so as to avoid temptations and sin.
2. We must live wisely, morally, and truthfully,
3. To live by faith is not an easy one but one that is absolutely rewarding.
4. To live like Christ is what we all must do. While we may not be able to completely live like Him, He will enable us to do it.
Illustration: Ten Rules for Happier Living
1. Give something away (no strings attached).
2. Do a kindness (and forget it).
3. Spend a few minutes with the aged (their experience can be priceless guidance).
4. Look intently into the face of a baby (and marvel).
5. Laugh often (it is life’s lubricant).
6. Give thanks (a thousand times a day is not enough).
7. Pray (or you will lose the way).
8. Work (with vim and vigor).
9. Plan as though you will live forever (because you will).
10. Live as though you will die tomorrow (because you will die on some tomorrow). Treasury of Bible Illustrations.
D. In contrast to “fools” who:
1. Through their unbelief and hard heartedness live a sinful life
2. Live an ungodly life and cannot even understand the truth, or see his coming destruction and punishment.
3. Would rather live in darkness away from God and against God’s Laws.
4. Fools have no wisdom
II. Redeeming the time (Eph. 5:16)
A. To redeem means to buy up, in practical application, to make use of our time wisely
and make use of the time to best possible advantage.
B. Every day is a precious gift from God so we must:
1. Serve the Lord faithfully. (Josh. 24:15, Job 36:11)
2. Live a Godly life moment by moment in constant worship, praise and thankfulness
for all that He has done to us. (1 Tim. 4:8)
3. Live carefully (Eph. 5:15)
4. Be in constant communion with God through prayer.
5. Be aware of the shortness of life. (Eccl. 12:1)
6. Read God’s Word daily.
Illustration: Redeeming the Time- The following illustration is from the pen of F. F. Trench:
“A prophetess came to Tarquinius Superbus, King of Rome, and brought nine volumes of a book, demanding a high price for them. Thinking it too much, he refused, and she immediately burned three, demanding for the six the price of the nine. He still declined to give it, and she burned three more,
asking the full sum for the remaining three. He, thinking there must be something extraordinary in the books, and fearing to lose them all, gave for the three the price he had refused for nine.
“So time, as it dwindles, grows more valuable. There are three divisions of man’s life—youth, manhood, and old age; and ministers advise men to redeem all this time—youth, manhood, and old age. But in youth men conceive the price they are required to pay in self-denial too great, and they
spend it in folly. In manhood they are again advised to redeem the remainder, but they still think the price too great; and then, perhaps, when it comes to the last stage of their lives, they are glad enough to redeem what remains; but here the case is different. The prophetess still demanded but the same
price for the remaining three which she had asked for all the nine; but the old, if they are induced to redeem the time at all, which is very unlikely, will have to pay more for the last volumes than they were asked for the whole number at first—the habit of sinning so greatly increases the difficulty of
turning to God. Practical Bible Illustrations From Yesterday and Today.
III. Be not unwise. (Eph. 5:17a)
A. The word unwise here means mindless, stupid, ignorant.
B. When applied to a Christian, it would mean that he is a believer with very low doctrinal understanding.
C. This person has a very low spiritual knowledge, his applications will always be wrong, and can easily be captivated by false teaching and false spirituality.
D. He can also be a slave into the details of life and become materialistic and carnal.
Illustration: Opposite of Wisdom
The opposite of wisdom is folly, meaning the short-term self-indulgence which marks out the person who doesn’t think about long-term priorities and goals but lives on a day-to-day basis, asking, “What is the most fun thing to do now?” Your Father Loves You by James Packer,
IV. Understanding the will of the Lord (Eph. 5:17b)
A. To understand is to comprehend; by implication, to act piously.
B. To have a knowledge, or the objective truth about something.
C. Spiritually, this word refers to having the Word of God in the mind and in the soul.
D. If we have God’s Word in our mind and soul, we will grow spiritually.
E. God’s will is God’s plan from eternity. Applying to people, His will is:
1. That we will be saved. (1 Tim. 2:3,4)
2. That we will be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18)
3. The we believers will be sanctified (1 Thess. 4:3)
4. The believers will also suffer (1 Pet. 2:20)
5. For us to love one another
V. Conclusion:
It’s our duty to live circumspectly, to redeem the time, to be wise, and to understand the will of God. We can do this on our own. We can only do this by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. Will you do your duty? Will you obey Christ?

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