In order to walk deliberately we must put off and put on. It’s that last one that causes us to shake our head in wonder. How can I be filled with the Spirit? Is the sovereign Spirit who blows wherever He will at my beck and call? Well, He may not be but He is within you and working in you. Thus, we might say that the believer is to be filled or draw down on the resources the Spirit provides.

As we come to the end of our series on walking in the book of Ephesians it is appropriate that Paul would urge believers to walk carefully.[1] The adverb “carefully” has the idea of walking deliberately. I can just imagine a young person carelessly trundling along only to hear his mother bark out familiar commands, “Stand straight!” and “Pick up your feet!” She is rather forcefully telling her son how he is to walk.  She is coaching him to walk deliberately rather than haphazardly. There is nothing wrong with guidance and Paul gives some Spirit inspired guidance regarding a careful walk.

Negatives and Positives

We don’t have to go to the Christian bookstore in order to find a book on how to walk carefully.  Paul describes a deliberate Christian walk.  It is a familiar concept. Instead of put off and put on the Apostle tells us to “not” do this “but” do something else. The pattern “not…but” is obvious in verses 15-18.  A careful walk is not unwise walk but wise.[2] It is not foolish but one that understands the will of the Lord.[3] And it is not drunk but filled with the Spirit.

Thus, in order to walk deliberately we must put off and put on. It’s that last one that causes us to shake our head in wonder. How can I be filled with the Spirit? Is the sovereign Spirit who blows wherever He will at my beck and call? Well, He may not be but He is within you and working in you. Thus, we might say that the believer is to be filled or draw down on the resources the Spirit provides.

The Participles

Paul explains by giving us participles. A participle is the part of speech that further explains or defines the action of a verb.  So, the verb “be filled” with the Spirit is explained by the five participles that follow.  What are they? They are addressing (speaking), singing, making (melody), giving (thanks) and submitting.  If you want to know what it means to be Spirit filled this is a good place to start.

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