Bible Mastery - Ephesians 5:6-8

Thanks for listening to the Bible Mastery Podcast, brought to you by Teleios. In this episode, William and Jeanette Stewart will cover Ephesians 5:6-8.

The Bible Mastery Podcast brings you verse-by-verse teaching that’s clear, grounded, and life-changing. We take the Bible at its word—interpreting it in a normal, literal way—so you can uncover its deep truths about salvation, spiritual well-being, and daily living. Our goal is simple: to help you understand Scripture and equip you with the tools to interpret it confidently, without getting lost in noise or speculation.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hello, and welcome to the Bible Mastery Podcast, sponsored by Teleos and hosted by co-founders Bill and Jeanette Stewart. Here, we give you verse-by-verse teaching from the truth of scripture that's clear, grounded, and life-changing. Our goal is to help you understand the Bible and equip you with tools to interpret it yourself confidently and correctly. Thanks for joining us.

SPEAKER_02 0:42

Hopefully, this is the first book of many that will bring you. We're going verse by verse to discover the Word of God. We are starting in the epistles because it's the epistles from the book of Romans to Revelation chapter 3, which are the marching orders for the church. All scripture of the Bible is scripture. But these books, the apostolic letters, are directed specifically to the church and give us the most up-to-date uh revelation uh to the word of God, except revelation, but that's in the future. So, in terms of the current time. And then we chose Ephesians because it is an efficient power-packed book that is wonderful by verse by verse. So it's most efficient way we thought to give you the messages of the New Testament. So, Jeanette, I didn't even let you say hi. I apologize.

SPEAKER_03 1:40

I just wanted to talk. We just do want to welcome you back and thank you if you're joining us by just listening or by video. We're glad to have you with us today.

SPEAKER_02 1:51

Great. So we should start. Remember the context. We are in the lifestyle section of Ephesians chapter five. Paul has just told us, he's he's given us a list of sins that should not characterize our lives in a persistent way, hinting that a true believer who has believed by faith alone on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ would not behave this way over time. And uh that brings us to verse six. So, Jeanette, I will hunt the ball to you. I know you love football analogies.

SPEAKER_03 2:31

And just expanding that context just a bit, and thank you for that great review, Bill. Remember in verse one, um, he says that we are supposed to mimic God as dear children. And we did talk a couple of weeks ago about how children have the characteristics, family characteristics, you know, maybe how they look uh genetically, uh they might resemble their parents, but they also learn habits and expressions and gestures. And so you can identify kids uh often to the family they belong to by how they act. And so this is the bigger context here that we need to be identified with God because we are in his family. Remember, chapter one, we've been adopted into the family of God.

SPEAKER_02 3:19

So then I didn't look like my parents. Does this tell me something?

SPEAKER_03 3:25

I think you did actually.

SPEAKER_02 3:27

Oh. Well, that's probably a good thing.

SPEAKER_03 3:31

Okay, that is a good thing, right? Thank you for that. So, verse six then says of chapter five, let no man deceive you with vain words. For because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Well, okay, who is the you? Well, remember now he's speaking to believers. So um we are believers. This is expanded then beyond the Ephesians to people who live in the church time, which we do. And he says, Don't get deceived, let nobody deceive. And the word deceive is literally to seduce you into an error, to purposefully, you know, tell you something is incorrect in order to set you down the wrong pathway. So he's saying, don't let that happen. And what kind of deception is he talking about here? He says, vain words. Well, the Greek word vain is kinos. I think I always like to associate it with the gambling game kino. I don't know. Because your pockets were.

SPEAKER_02 4:44

We used to live in Vegas, we didn't see it anymore. It used to be they would get money to that game while you sat in a restaurant.

SPEAKER_03 4:51

But uh Yeah, so maybe the pockets were so empty the game went away. So anyway, empty words, and this is just the normal word for in Greek for words logos. So he's basically saying, don't let yourself be carried away, seduced away with empty words, uh, because he says, because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. So remember, we from chapter two used to be children of disobedience under uh Satan, but we are regenerated people when we believe we are born again, we're adopted into God's family. So now we are children of God, should be mimicking him, characterized by him. And the these things, I think he's referring back to all the sinful behaviors that we covered last week. So he's basically saying don't fall into error, don't start thinking that all those bad behaviors might be okay. He goes, these are not what should characterize you. These those things are what characterizes uh unbelievers, and don't get deceived. Bill, do you want to add to that? I'm sure you have some good, wise words to add.

SPEAKER_02 6:15

Well, nice description, just several points in two questions. First point is wrath. Remember, this orgy in the original Greek is an important concept because this is generally referred in mentioned, it refers to God. His anger. And his anger gets a limited, purposeful wrath that's just that will come upon unbelievers. So it's not an anger that is just will keep going and going past the sin. God will bring the punishment to unbelievers in a just way based on what they did. Second point, children of disobedience. That's not really a term we use a lot in modern culture. And to the um Greeks and Romans, I think even the Hebrews, it meant the, or at least the Greeks and Romans, it meant that you were equal to what was described. So when somebody said Christ is called the Son of God, he's equal to God, son of David, he's equal to David, coming from that lineage. So sons of disobedience, I think it's a way to emphasize the fact these people were sin. They were in their character equal to sin. Do you want to comment on those two points?

SPEAKER_03 7:29

Or no, thanks for bringing that up. Um, I agree with that, and and just a reminder again that this children of disobedience phrase is a direct uh repetition from chapter two, verse two. So we have seen it before, and it's exactly right. It is talking about unbelievers.

SPEAKER_02 7:46

Good. So then my first question is you know, we're in the lifestyle section. So how do we make this practice for um vain words, empty, deceived? How are people deceived into sin? We know Satan does this, he could do this even for believers by using their emotions to make them open to sin. But those who are uh how how about the world? How does the world act again a believer to deceive them?

SPEAKER_03 8:20

It's a really good question. I think really we're talking here about how do we practically apply this, right? And I think, you know, the behaviors that we talked about last week. Um, let's just take one that was covetousness, you know, you want something that's not your own. I think there is deception in what we see around us. And I would say it happens first in what we allow into our minds. You know, we're regenerated people, we should be thinking about the things of God. And remember, we covered last time in verse four that the antidote to uh these bad behaviors is being thankful. So if we're thankful and content for what God has given us, where we are, then the seduction to other things um is certainly limited, but it's what we allow into our minds. You know, don't fall into the trap of thinking, oh yeah, I'd really like to have that, and you're coveting something that's not yours. Instead, you know, uh be thankful for what you have. That will be just one example. So I think it starts in what we allow into our thoughts.

SPEAKER_02 9:28

True. And I you raised a really good point. I'm not, I think the verse is more directed towards people outside the person with vain empty words. Now, I guess you could tell yourself vain empty words in your own mind. And I certainly do that. But I think in context, it's more people's let no man deceive you with vain empty words. So I'm thinking, how does society do that? You know, I think they rationalize when we call a man to sin, they rationalize their actions. Well, it's not that bad. You know, you'll gain this, you won't feel bad. Come on, we're all doing it. You know, it's a group effect, and and they minimize the results and play up whatever temporary benefit there is. What do you think? Any other ideas?

SPEAKER_03 10:23

I see exactly what you're saying. You know, going back to the idea of covetousness, I think one way I think the world seduces us with that is with advertising, right? You see ads for you know beautiful looking people with gorgeous everything, and they're trying to make you think that if you purchase this product, that's who you will be. That is the world deceiving us.

SPEAKER_02 10:46

So it's odd that nobody's ever asked me to do one of those ads.

SPEAKER_03 10:51

Me neither.

SPEAKER_02 10:54

I don't understand. Well, anyway, go on with your good point.

SPEAKER_03 10:58

No, that was it.

SPEAKER_02 11:00

Well, I think when it comes to the sexual immorality, you know, there's the same thing, yeah, the partner that might seduce you with, you know, this is okay, you know, it's our love. Uh, you know, joy, yeah, who will know. And so uh, yeah, I mean, we have to be very careful. I think I that it really then comes back to what you were saying, Jeanette, about what with what you fill your mind. You know, if you sit around, think about lust or another person or material things, pride, as we talked about in 1 John 2, 16. Um, that's what's going to come out of your actions. So if you're filling your mind with scripture and you prove what the will of God is, what the will of God is, like in Romans 12, 2, and you see it's good, you see its results, and it's long-term results and stability of fruit, then you'll you'll learn to love that and will help you avoid thinking about those things and in terms of sin and being deceived.

SPEAKER_03 12:06

Good points. Okay, if you want to take us to the next verse.

SPEAKER_00 12:10

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SPEAKER_02 12:37

Yes, I said I had two questions, but I guess we only just had one.

SPEAKER_03 12:41

Well, you're only allowed one.

SPEAKER_02 12:42

I would like to have a hard time counting. I get confused after one, I think. Uh five, seven. Be not e you, therefore, partakers with them. The Greek word for partaker here is soon meticos. So this really is connected with the we also conjunction, but I think we can take by context that uh there is a connection to verse seven, which is appropriate in Greek grammar, and we got to be partakers. So I think it comes down to the question then, okay, what is partaking with the non-Christian? And we go from 2 Corinthians 12, excuse me, 6, 12, I think, and not to be under equally yoke, um, bound with them. Uh, however, to contradistinction, is that a real contradistinction? That we are left in the world purposely by Christ to spread the gospel and to be his servant. So we do interact with unbelievers every day. I mean, I hope so. How else will we have a witness? How else will we will we live our lives commercially, get our kids educated? So, where's the limit of that relationship? What do you what do you think, Judette?

SPEAKER_03 13:59

It's a really good question. And I think here we're talking about how we're characterized. We're really talking about lifestyle, right? And so I think he's basically saying, we'll we'll cover this a little bit more in verse eight. I'm maybe getting ahead of myself, but I think to be a partaker, he's basically saying, don't let these things characterize you. You know, you are not an unbeliever. We are mimicking God as his children. So again, we do have to interact with all people, and you know, we're supposed to, uh, but it's how we interact with them. Are we buddy-buddy with unbelievers and their lifestyle characterizes ours? Or, you know, are we um really um making sure that their messaging doesn't take us the wrong way and deceive us?

SPEAKER_02 14:55

And that's all true, but what I'm asking is though practically the only one to help our listeners of five, what limits do you set any relationship, albeit buddy, buddy, non-believer, as to keep from being lowered and sinner? Or can you make any uh moves or guidelines, I should say?

SPEAKER_03 15:18

Yes, I think you know, it's probably controlling um the relationship, you know, that maybe we invite those people into our environment rather than us going into their environment to be characterized by it. Uh, maybe that's one way to say it. How do you think on this?

SPEAKER_02 15:38

Yes, I certainly agree. I I think again, back to your point, Earl Asperz, the first step in not being partakers is filling your mind with scripture, renovating your mind to think like God. So you're not even attractive to put yourself in a position with a person who would bore you sexually, uh, would defraud you, lead you into crime, and uh hang out with bad people. So um you're you're doing the things you should be doing, as you say, then you won't be doing the things you shouldn't be doing. So that's the first step. I think that the next step is you know to, as you said, control the relationship, which I think is best done by atmosphere. And otherwise, you don't go to a disco with striptease acts and drugs with a bunch of people who do those things, and you're outnumbered and you're out controlling the environment, it's just not really a good place to live the Christian life or tell your buddies about the gospel. So maybe it's better to invite them to the local coffee shop where it's quiet and still one-on-one, and you control the environment. And uh you can have those conversations. I likewise in um working for an unbeliever, you're controlled, make sure you're controlled by either a contract or an um employee manual.

SPEAKER_03 17:10

No, I think that those are good points.

SPEAKER_02 17:13

Okay, so hey, uh third verse.

SPEAKER_03 17:15

So verse eight, today. Yeah, we're on a roll. Two weeks of doing more than two verses. Let's see. So verse eight's great. It says, for you were sometimes darkness, but now light in the Lord, walk as children of light. So again, the importance of the little conjunctions. The first one at the at the beginning of the verse is four, and this, of course, in Greek is gar. So it's basically saying, okay, based on what I just said, now pay attention to this. So he's saying, don't be a partaker. And here's the reason why you shouldn't be a partaker, because you were in times past darkness. Now, darkness um just is the regular word skotos for darkness. Um, he doesn't say you were in darkness, he says you were darkness, and then he says, but so this is again is a great contrast. On the other hand, now you're light in the Lord. So walk, and that's a very important word, parapateo for our lifestyle, how we um look at everything that we do as a child of the light. So we are regenerated people, we are new people, we're not dark anymore, we are light, we belong to God. So our lifestyle should reflect him. So I think this really tells us why we should never be characterized, we should never be partaking uh in a way that it defines us with unbelievers. What would you add to that, Bill?

SPEAKER_02 18:55

I appreciate your description. I will just add two points. One is walk, fair potato is an active action. It's not passive, right? So when I'm tired, when I have to have exercise, to get up and walk, I have to make myself do it. And you have to plan where you go and make sure you don't stump getting there. So to walk in the light, again, you have to know how to do it and you have to actively do it. So God helps, and the spirit helps us put the death, the deeds of the flesh, Romans 8:13. But we eat really an issue, and um that's uh and and God works through us in our lives on a way. So that that's an important issue, I think. The other thing I'll mention, and this is a little bit dissociated, is that when we read the epistles, there's really three types of passages. One, I'll put these into our salvation passages, and then there's Christian walk, or life passages, and then there's Christ coming again passage, and they don't tend to intermediate very much. So right now we're in a we're coming into a well with a lifestyle passage and intermediate series, so I just contradicted myself. But there are words associated with the lifestyle and Christ coming again and salvation. Dark and light are salvation, salvation words. We lived, we as Jeanette said, we were darkness on believer, and now we walk in that light. We have God's word as sort of a moral flashlight to help us walk and not stumble. So I think that sort of gives you a hint that's comparing our prior life to our common life. I think it's related to our Christian walk because as opposed to when we were darkness, we now do walk in that light. That was probably confusing, but Jeanette, can you clarify for me?

SPEAKER_03 21:03

Good point. And I think what you're raising here about lifestyle and darkness and light is really good because you know, when the lights are out and you're trying to walk somewhere, you will stumble. You know, there are things, there are uh obstacles in front of you that you don't see, so therefore you fall down and hurt yourself. And, you know, we are not darkness anymore, we're light. So our lifestyle should be um under the exposure of God's light. You know, God is truth, God is light, God is all things that are good. And so actively participating in that through applying scripture to our lives, through being obedience that will prevent us from stumbling in life. So we have been moved, you know, we were transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. So that should be what characterizes us.

SPEAKER_02 21:56

Yeah, from Colossians uh one thirteen, I think. So, yes, well said. Okay, so let's summarize. I'm not sure about the comments tonight. Three great three great verses. After Paul tells us not to be characterized by sin, we are told to limit this, we don't do this because we walk in the light. And this is putting God's word, and so we know God's word, so we're not deceived by people's intentions that make us sin. And of course, they want to make us sin. We partakers with them, but we don't fall into their environments or uh lack, contraction, guards in our societies, that we could be hooked by them into bad behaviors to control the environment. And by that way, we are free to walk in the light and mimic God back in those nonstop. Wise passengers. Any closing comments?

SPEAKER_03 23:07

No, these are wonderful verses. You know, again, it's so practical and basically telling us this is how to live. And you know, God's word is good for us. People sometimes are afraid of scripture, it's gonna ruin their lives. Just on the contrary, it makes your life so much better.

SPEAKER_02 23:25

So true. And it keeps on going in these verses. Please come back next week. We'll look forward to seeing you then.

SPEAKER_00 23:33

Until then, bye-bye.

SPEAKER_02 23:34

Bye-bye.

SPEAKER_00 23:36

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Bible Mastery Podcast. Join us next week for another exciting episode.

SPEAKER_01 23:47

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