Walk as children of light, filled with God’s Spirit

In Ephesians chapter 5, Paul describes believers in Jesus Christ as children of light, living in an evil world of darkness.  As such, Christians are responsible to make the best use of their time, which means they will have to swim against a general tide of evil every day (verse 16).  One evil that is always characteristic of the world’s darkness is drunkenness, which usurps and corrupts the basic self control God intended His most intelligent creatures to direct their lives by (verse 18).  In order to use their time to glorify God and preserve their souls from the wrath that comes upon those who practice evil (verse 6), Christians are instructed to “be filled with the Spirit.”  Comparing drunkenness with the filling of the Spirit is intentional.  More than once Scripture highlights the parallels and differences; see Acts 2, for instance.  One very prominent thought is that the individual comes under the control of an external influence.  The result is behavior that transcends the normal.  In the case of alcohol the effects are destructive to self and others.  The Bible calls this “debauchery,” a degree of abuse and harm unknown when the person is sober.  The wonderful opposite is true of being filled with God’s Spirit!  The verses that follow, Ephesians 5:19-6:9, give us the blessed fruit that results from being “drunk” with the Spirit in our every relationship—to God and others.  Those who are filled with the Holy Spirit will be characterized by joy, thanksgiving, and humility.  People overindulge in alcohol in a vain effort to be happy.  What unbelievers vainly seek in drunkennness, believers find in the Spirit.  More on this tomorrow.