7-31-25 Study of Revelation Ephesians Chapter 5:15-17 Walking in Wisdom Part 1

➡ This Bible study focuses on the book of Ephesians, which helps us understand our identity and purpose according to God’s plan. It emphasizes the importance of wisdom in leading a Christian life and differentiates between a fool, who lives apart from God, and a wise man, who lives in accordance with God’s principles. The study also highlights that we are born into foolishness, but through accepting Christ and pursuing sanctification, we can gain wisdom and live a life aligned with God’s divine principles.
➡ The text discusses the concept of a “fool” in the context of religious belief, suggesting that a fool is someone who denies God, worships themselves, and mocks sin. It emphasizes that everyone is inherently a worshipper, either of God or of themselves. The text also suggests that a fool’s actions and words, driven by their own opinions rather than truth, can negatively influence others. It concludes by urging individuals to seek truth and align themselves with God, rather than conforming to worldly views.
➡ The text emphasizes the importance of wisdom, which is seen as living by divine standards and accepting divine truth. It warns that those who reject wisdom and divine standards, choosing instead to live by their own opinions and desires, will face negative consequences. The text also highlights that salvation is the only way to transition from foolishness to wisdom, and this involves a transformation that includes receiving the Holy Spirit and living a different life. Wisdom is not just about knowledge, but also about how you live your life.
➡ This text emphasizes the transformation that comes with becoming a Christian, highlighting the shift from self-centeredness to God-centeredness. It underscores the importance of living a wise, humble, and loving life, walking in unity and light. The text also stresses the need for self-assessment, urging individuals to evaluate their actions and fruits to confirm their salvation. It concludes by outlining three key understandings for a wise Christian: knowing God’s rules for their life, recognizing their limited time, and understanding God’s specific purpose for them.
➡ The text discusses the spiritual transformation that occurs when one accepts salvation through Christ. It emphasizes that wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption are immediate gifts received upon salvation, making one accountable for their actions. The text criticizes the idea of gradual spiritual growth after salvation, arguing that these qualities are inherent upon accepting Christ. It warns that without these qualities, one’s salvation may not be genuine.
➡ Salvation teaches us to live righteously and godly, and it gives us wisdom and knowledge of God. If you’re saved, you should grow in wisdom and godliness, and if you’re not, you should seek salvation. The Holy Spirit teaches us to differentiate between righteousness and sin, and if you want more wisdom, you simply need to ask God. Remember, you’re responsible for your life and actions, and if you’re not living a godly life, you should question your salvation.
➡ The text emphasizes the importance of living life consciously and carefully, guided by wisdom and understanding. It encourages us to be aware of our surroundings and the challenges of the world, and to make choices based on the teachings of God. It stresses that we are responsible for our own actions and decisions, and that we should strive to live in a way that aligns with our spiritual beliefs. The text concludes with a prayer for guidance, understanding, and protection.

Foreign. Okay, guys, welcome. This is our Thursday night Bible study. We’re in the book of Ephesians, which is an outgrowth of the Book of Revelation, because we have to know who we are, what we are, and how we conform to the life that Christ set out for us before the foundation of the world. So in order to understand your livelihood from Revelation 4 forward, you need to first understand who you are. And that’s what we’re doing in the book of Ephesians. Now, we’ve already gone through chapters 1, 2, and 3, which lays out the plan, the program, the implementation of God’s creation.

Guys, get that? It’s God’s creation. Chapters 1, 2, and 3 is about God’s creation. He gives that to you in a manner by which you can understand from beginning to end. We only know creation from Genesis 1, which is not true. You will not have Genesis 1 or Genesis 2 without Ephesians 1, 2, and 3. You get that? So if you want to understand creation in its total environment, you must understand Ephesians 1, 2, and 3. And that’s not cursory understanding. That’s fundamental understanding. Because why, without the understanding, you gain no wisdom. And if you have no wisdom, you cannot walk a Christian life.

Because it’s only in wisdom that you get the understanding of salvation and transformation that we’ve been harping on for months, guys. So that’s where we’re at tonight. We’re into Ephesians 5, looking at. Starting at verse 15 through 17. We probably will just get through verse 15, by the way, tonight we might not get any further than that because there’s so much information that you need to obtain in these three verses to apply to your understanding, to gain the wisdom to walk the Christian life. And we’ll go as far as we can. We’ll deal with it just like usual.

We’re going to go as far as we can tonight is based upon the time and based upon how God uses me and talk to me as fast as I can to get through this Scripture. So in Ephesians 5, 15, and 17, it says this. See then that you walk. What’s that? Conduct yourself. You got that? That’s what it means, conduct yourself circumspective. Not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. Now, beloved, there’s no question in my mind but that we live in a world full of fools.

Oh, you want to test that the whole world is fools? In fact, every one of us were born into this world, which came from a terminal state of congenital foolishness. Patience. So you were born into this world with a demonic spirit controlled by the Prince of Power era, with nothing more than your focus on chaos. That’s foolishness. He tells you how you were born in this world. You’re born in this world as foolish people. And unless you were saved, transformed, and are walking in the sanctified condition of Christ, you’re still fool. Continues on. Otherwise known as the sin nature.

Now, that’s how it is. There’s no conditions or if, then, or. Or whats or buts or whatever. You’re one or the other, and you’re bor. As a foolish person. Man is a f. Born as a fool. Proverbs 22:15 says, this foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child. Question that. That’s a statement. That’s not a condition. You’re. You are or you’re not. It says specifically, foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child because Ephesians 2 says, you are born in this world with a demonic spirit controlled by the Prince of Power, error, and living in a total focus of chaos.

Man is born in a state of foolishness. Now you say, what do you mean by that? When we think of a fool, we think of someone who does irresponsible acts or who speaks irresponsible words. That’s how we were taught. Oh, but the Bible doesn’t define it that way. The Bible defines a fool as one who exists apart from God. Got it. The only way, if the Bible is the truth, the only way you can be a fool is to live apart from God. So when you understand the truth about Scripture and then you understand the truth about your walk with Christ, you can clearly discern a fool or not get that.

A fool is one who exists apart from God. A wise man is one who lives in accord with God’s divine principle. Sanctify. Those of you are not actively working on sanctification, you’re full. That’s scripture, guys. That’s scripture. Oh, and if you’re a fool, what you’re not saying because why you’re not a wise man who’s living with God’s divine principles. You guys want to walk a fence line? Fence line is full. A fool is one who exists apart from God. A wise man is one who lives in accord with God’s divine principle. That’s the biblical definition for those two concepts.

Man then is born separated from God. Right. We get that Ephesians 2. He is born a fool. He’s born in a situation where God’s wisdom is completely absent from their life. Now, let me tell you how that kind of works out. There are characteristics of foolishness. And if you’ll look with me at Psalms and Proverbs for a moment, I’m going to try to show you some that may sum all of that, those concepts up for you. Much of the book of Proverbs deals with the fool, by the way. You want to know what a fool actually does? That’s who you are when you enter this world.

And that’s how you are until you accept Christ as your Savior. Go look at Proverbs. That’s a focus of almost all the scriptures in Proverbs. In fact, you’d need to to do a very detailed study of 31 chapters to have a comprehensive view in Proverbs. But let me see if I can break this down. Extract a few thoughts at least from Psalms, and try to paint for you a portrait of a few fool so you can see yourself. Okay, let’s just do that. First of all, Psalms 14:1 gives us a basic definition of for a fool.

Psalms 14:1 says, the fool has said in his heart there’s no God. Oh, if you have not accepted Christ as your savior, then in your heart he says there’s no God. Are you getting what I’m saying? There’s no if. Then here there’s no conditional statement. The fool has said in his heart there is no God. Now that’s the beginning of it all. And it isn’t necessarily that there is only intellectual position. This is what I would call practical atheism. Even though the fool may know in his mind intellectually there is a God. That’s how what atheists do, they know there’s a God, they just don’t want to accept it.

So in their mind intellectually, they know there’s a God. He lives as if there is not. And that’s why the next verse of the next line of the same verse says this. They’re corrupt. They have done minimal works. In other words, this kind of atheism results in total corruption. It is a practical atheist. Where’s our government today? Who’s the government? Where’s Kane? He knew there was God. He experienced God. God. What judged him, changed him. He knew there was a God. He experienced him. They didn’t believe he was a fool. You know there’s God. You’ve been taught there’s a guy.

You come here to listen that there’s a guy. If in your heart you have not accepted God as who God is, your fool. So the first thing that is characteristics of a fool is that he lives a life which by its function denies God. Oh, you know, but you want to live in this world. You’ve denied God. You can’t have one foot on each side of the fence. It is an anti God way of living and that is the way it is with human nature. We come into this world and we live an anti God life even though we were told God gave you your life.

Even parents that don’t believe in God understand that God gave them a child. Those people cannot know the things of God. In fact, to a full First Corinthians 2:14 says this. The things of Gods are what foolishness? The natural man. What’s the natural man? The natural man is that which you were born in this world to be. Natural man. You live in this world as a physical being. Instead of understanding. You live in this world as a spiritual being with a physical life experience. The natural man understandeth not the things of God. They are foolishness to him.

You see, to be, to be a fool. Foolishness in wisdom and wisdom is foolishness. And so the first characteristics of a fool is that he practically denies God. In other words, God has no binding force on him. That’s the key, guys. You live your life like you want and God has no binding force on you. Oh, now let’s think about it, Christian. Those of you that you think, you say and think you walk with Christ and oh, live the ways of this world. And I continue to say you’re not safe. Why? Because God has no binding force over you.

The law of God does not bind the conscious of a fool. He is pragmatically atheistic. He live apart from God. The second thing is that no man can live without God. Oh, we’re all God driven. We have to worship something. That’s how we’re built. What do you worship? Do you worship God or you worship yourself? It isn’t a question of do you worship. It’s only a question of whom do you worship. Everybody bows somewhere. You do it every day. Immediately when you wake up, you bow somewhat. That’s the reason why I’ve said the first thing you should do when you wake up is thank God for His blessings that gave you the opportunity to open your eyes and figure out that day what he’s going to have you do.

Why? Because then you set your mind on things above and not things on this earth. And so if there is no true God, man will inevitably constitute a false God. Because you got to have a God to worship. You guys got that. You’re made to worship and you worship either the one true God or you don’t, which in all cases will tend to be a God of what? Your own creation. Why? Because that satisfies you. You have no problems there. There’s no one looking over you. There’s. You got. You got this. That is exactly what Proverbs 12:15 talks about.

The second characteristics of a fool. Because he denies the true God, he inevitably becomes his own God. Proverbs 12:15 continues says this. The way of a fool is right in his eyes. They’re always right. You do no wrong. Nobody can say anything about you. I’m always doing things right. Men, you have this argument with your wives all the time. They criticize your driving. They criticize the fact you don’t take the trash out on time. They criticize the fact that your life inside of the home is not godly. And you say, oh, you know what? I’m good.

Little details make significant impact to your mindset of thought that creates the environment that exists you as being what, your own God. And so then becomes the one who determines truth and error. He then becomes the one who articulates for his own way of living right and wrong. Now, as a result of this, as a result of denying God, as a result of setting yourself up as a guide, you will inevitably mock sin. I’m not sinning. You accuse me of sinning me. How foolish is that? We’re all sinners and we’re all going to seek death because of it.

But you want to mock that process, you’ll mock it in Proverbs 14 and 9 as it says fools make a mock of sin. You’re going to say, I’m infallible, I don’t sin. I didn’t do those things that you’re being accountable, held accountable for. Oh, by the way, guys, I’m talking about myself here too. All right? One condition we all have is we all are sinners. The question is, is how to deal with it. Fools mock sin. Fools makes their own rules and fools want to justify their own behavior. Self assessment. Guys, are you the one that’s holding yourself up as being righteous or is God doing that? Fools want to make sure he’s going to be all be all right at the end.

So. So fools eliminates sin with its consequences. A fool then begins by practical living as if there were no God, substituting himself as God and suggesting his own style of life. And then Denying that there is such a thing as sin because he cannot tolerate his own guilt. Tough assessment, guys. This should be hitting home like big time. Now, in evidently a fool goes one step further. Not only does he deny God in himself, he. He becomes his own God in himself. Box sin in himself. And he has a dramatic effect on other people. Because when he talks, he always talks about his own opinions, not truth.

When you express your opinion, you’re focused on your self. You get it? Chapter 15 2. The tongue of the Wise. And we’re talking about Proverbs. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge, a right. But the mouth of fools pour out foolishness. Now, I mean, let’s face it, you got a bitter fountain, you’re going to get bitter water, right? That what you think is what you become. That which you think is what you’re going to act. That which you act is what you’re going to betray. And you can’t take it back. And because of that, you’re acting foolishness.

You get it until you think truth. Until you think what Scripture tells you to do and you seek the truth. Before you ever act or open your mouth and create an opinion, you’re acting foolishness. You got a rotten tree, you’re going to get a rotten fruit, Right? And when a fool opens his mouth, you’re not going to get wisdom, which is what you would want in a Christian life. Hello, everyone. Hello. Hello, you guys. Okay, so when you open your mouth as a rotten tree, which you are all trees, you’re going to get rotten fruit. There’s no truth in you, says Scripture.

And when a fool opens his mouth, you’re not going to get wisdom, you’re going to get foolishness. And so this is talking not so much about our own attitude internally, but in effect there is a propagation of foolishness because of our thoughts. Now, a fool denies God, he becomes his own God. He mocks sin, he speaks of his own authority, he generates his own opinions. And that we see all around us today. The world is full of the opinion of folks, fools who have denied God in their living, who have become their own gods, and who mock sin as to its reality and its consequence.

And then there’s chapter 16, verse 22 of Proverbs. It says that he is busy instructing others in the same foolishness. What have I said all along in everything we do? No opinions. Truth, only discernment of facts. Why? Because when you voice your opinion to the world or in our midst, what are you? You’re full. Define Scripture. You’re full at the end of verse 22 in Proverbs 16. The instruction of fools is folly. The instruction of fools is folly. Here you have the picture of the unregenerate man and he is described as a fool. How do I know specifically that you’re saved or not? Your actions, your fruit.

If your fruit is not truth, if your fruit is your opinion, you’re a fool. Fools cannot be saved. That’s scripture. So when you guys figure out in your self assessment where you’re at on the continuum of your life’s work and you decide whether or not you’re voicing your opinion or speaking the gospel of truth, you may then know whether you’re saying or not. Think on the things above and not of the things of this world. Do not be conformed to this world, but be you transformed into renewing of what your mind. In your mind is that which Jesus Christ should be in.

You have, you had. Here you have the picture that we’ve talked about of the unregenerative generated. Unregenerative. What’s that? That means that you’re not regenerated in the new body. The transformation of Christ’s salvation. Here you have a picture of the unregenerate man as he is described as a fool. He is a fool because he denies God practically. He is a fool because he becomes his own God. The ultimate sin. He has broken the commandment of God. Here’s a fool because he mocks sin. He is a fool because he lives life based upon what his opinion not true.

Nor does he ever want to seek truth. All he wants to do is take somebody else’s point of view, spin it and come out with his own opinion. And he is a fool in the greater sense because he contaminates the rest of society with the same foolishness which damns his own soul. Now you want me to tell you the true way of understanding you’re saved? Just go back and listen to what we just talked about. And how many times have I said, guys, stop your opinions. Why? Because they’re not truth. A fool leaves it as a legacy to his own children.

Oh gosh, guys. If for lack of any other reason, that should be a condition for true salvation. We want to stop what’s going on in the world. We just convey to our children what goes on to this world. Because why? We are not truth seekers of the one true God. We line ourselves up with a belief that we can be saved, but we line ourselves up with this world and everything that goes on in this world. And that’s what we Put out. We did that before. We haven’t started tonight. Think about it, Think about it. Was there one question tonight that was supported by scripture? Was the one question tonight that was supported from the one true God? Absolutely not.

Everything was about what’s this world? What’s this world happening? You get where I’m coming from. And yet the other side says, you know what? Give them all the wealth that they can have because in less than 5 years their stupidity and ignorance and foolishness is going to come back to me and they’re going to be worse than what they were before. And that’s exactly what scripture says. By the way, when are you going to start thinking about that which you are and not what you’re living in? That’s my question to you. Oh, not only do you leave it as a legacy to our children, we leave it as a legacy to our friends.

We leave it as a legacy to the class of people that we teach. And we leave it as a legacy to all those who fall under our influence of our own folly. Now let’s sum this up and I think there’s a good word in Proverbs chapter one, and this just sums it up very simply. Verse seven, chapter one, verse seven. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. But here it is. Fools despise wisdom. You don’t want anybody telling you what to do. You don’t want to learn anything different. I’ve been born in this world, I got all the knowledge of this world.

Oh, the knowledge, what that the, that the evil system educated you on? You never want to look past that. That’s really the heart of the matter. You see, wisdom in Proverbs means living what by divine standards. We’ve already said the more you know, the higher accountable you’re going to be. That doesn’t say the better salvation you’re going to have. It says that you know this now and if you’re not living in where you should be, you’re going to be held accountable to a higher standard. That’s exactly what Prover says it implies accepting divine truth. Wisdom implies that you accept divine truth and you live by is the living to, to a divine standard.

But fools hate that. They reject that. Dangerous buys it self assessment time. Where are you at? You say, oh, what happens to a fool? What happens to one who denies God substitute himself, mock sin, spins out his own opinions and contaminates others who ultimately and in summary fashion rejects divine wisdom, does not live by divine standards. Did you get all that? That’s what fool does. What Happens to that person. Twelfth assessment. Look down at verse 20 of Proverbs 1. Wisdom cries outside. She utters her voice in the streets. She cries in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates in the city.

She utters her words, saying, how long, ye simple ones? Oh, this is cool. Will you love simplicity? And scoffers delight in their scoffing. And fools hate knowledge. Turn you at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you. I will make known my words unto you. In other words, it’s saying this here’s God. This is God speaking through the the writer of Proverbs. Listen to what he says. Here’s Christ in the New Testament in the streets of the city of Jerusalem, crying out his wisdom. Do you realize that’s what province is talking about? He’s talking about the Jews accepting Christ as the Messiah.

And there’s such a selfish group of people that they deny Christ as who he is. And he lived in front of him. Can you imagine what it is for us? We don’t see that we have to have faith. So here’s Christ in the and he lives in the streets of the city of Jerusalem, crying out of wisdom, crying out of an invitation to the what fools. And the simpletons and the scoffers loose. But verse 24, Proverbs 1 says this because I have called and you have refused. I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye set at not all my counsel.

In other words, you have made it zero, you have rendered it useless. Self assessment, guys. When you do the things of this physical life, not understanding, you are spiritual being first. You basically put Christ on the back burner. You’ve mocked him. You’ve made him useless. You’ve rendered him zero. You’ve exalted yourself as a God. Your opinion is what matters. So he says. And you would have none of my reproof. Then I will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when you when your fear comes. When your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind.

When distress and anguish come upon you, then shall they call upon me. But I will not answer. They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of God, they would have none of my counsel. They despised all of my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of what their own way, and be filled with their own devices, for the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. Guys, that’s the end of it all. That’s the reason why we have revelation.

That is to die a fool. Now Solomon said in Proverbs 10:21 this fools die for lack of wisdom. We hear and could hear more at grave after grave after grave, funeral after funeral after funeral. The words of David over dead Abner, that guard died as a fool, dies because men die as fools. They live, they die as fools. Congenital, terminal, foolish. You say, well, what can be done about all that? Well, as we saw in Proverbs 1, wisdom cries out for people to turn. There is available wisdom. Solomon, or the preacher of ecclesiastes in chapter 9:1 says this.

The wise are in the hand of God. Tells you right there whether or not you’re a Christian wise. What’s wise? It’s wisdom, it’s knowledge, it’s sanctification, it’s transformation. If you’re not there, you’re not safe. And to all generations and to every generation, God reaches out his hand and offers to take men out of a king kingdom of fools into a kingdom of the wise. Salvation is the only thing that can change this. Okay, Understanding that you got two fences here. Understanding whether or not you’re saved or not, salvation is the only thing that can change it.

If you’ve not changed from that which you were to that which you wish to be in accordance to what you understand about salvation, you’re not saved. Scripture is very clear self assessment. Where are you now? Listen, In Timothy, chapter 3, verse 15, the apostle Paul was reminding Timothy of his heritage. This is what he said. And that from a child that has known the Holy Scriptures, that’s what Timothy was. Watch this. Which are able to make the wise unto salvation. Hearing what I’m saying now, that’s the key. Wisdom is found in the knowledge of scriptural truth which brings salvation.

You can have salvation of your mind. You see, it is the saving act that brings wisdom. Oh, let’s look at that. Let’s stop right here a moment. Saving act that brings wisdom. What does the saving act do? Oh, number one, you get the Holy Spirit inside of you, sealed. Number two, you become filled with the Holy Spirit. That means that you are moving in a direction different than which you have left. And three, you get a transformation. Formed of body, you become a new creature. If you’re not a new creature living a different life than what you did before, you’re saved.

Oh my gosh. You have no wisdom, therefore you have no salvation. The only, only thing that can cause an individual to cease being A fool and become a become wise is what salvation. Those of you want to voice your opinions better, think hard. That’s not the way of Scripture. Those of you who want to live the life that you had and say, I’m salv. Well, I’m sorry, guys. You’re not going to make it to the kingdom of God. And you’re not going to live the kingdom of heaven with all the blessings that Ephesians 1:3 gave you.

When you become a Christian, you become what vice? Wise to what? Wise to the Scriptures. And you can’t be wise to the scriptures unless you become sanctified. What does that mean? That means that you live every day, every moment in your life following the wisdom and the direction of the Holy Spirit. That was what came to live in you as a home, and it sealed you to it to make sure that the Holy Spirit never leaves you. When you become a Christian, you stop being a fool and you became one of God’s wise children. Now got to remember this.

Wisdom is not just head knowledge. Wisdom is not in the Greek sense, as Safrides said, sofas just spinning off theories that had no relation to life, that had no practical implication. Wise people were people who could spin off theories. They were intellectuals, philosophers. But that’s Greek. The Hebrew mind never conceived of wisdom in theory. It only conceived of wisdom. Wisdom in what behavior? And when you became a Christian, it’s not just a change in theoretical concept, though. It is that because you got to know the doctrine and the theory of what you’re doing. It is a change in what you know, but more is a change in how you live, how you conduct your life.

So let’s review a moment. Born in this world, you do not know God. Born in this world, you deny God. You put yourself up as God. You mock sin. You spewed out your own opinion and you corrupted everything around you. Oh, you became a Christian. Old things were. Were passed away. New things will come. You become a new creature immediately. You do know God. That’s how it works. You know who he is. You know he’s going to save you. You know all about it. You’re transformed. It doesn’t say you’re sanctified because sanctified requires your work. But you should be immediately transformed.

That means you’re living 180 degrees opposite from where you were. That never happened. You’re not set. You take yourself off the throne, off the worship of what you do, and you worship only him. You confess your sin. You don’t mock it when you speak, you speak the oracles of God. As Peter says, when you instruct others, it is the divine truth, not your opinion that you speak. Big difference, isn’t it? You live a wise life. And all the Apostle Paul is saying in our text is this. If you used to be a fool, but you’ve been made wise salvation in Christ, then for Christ’s sake, walk as what? Twice transform conduct, becoming what? A Christian.

It’s the same message that we’ve been getting through all in Ephesians, but just a different focus. If this is who you are, then this is how you shall live. Remember, you’re going to live however you thought. Doesn’t matter what you think if you’re a Christian or not, you’re going to know from whatever I said, you’re going to know from your own own fruits whether or not you’re saved or not. Why, you going to live a wise life or not? And wisdom completely overshadows evil foreign. We’ve been saying this. Paul’s been telling us throughout Scripture all along.

In the book of Ephesians, when you became a Christian, you came out of foolishness into wisdom. It’s another element of your worthy walk. If you don’t seek wisdom, what? You’re not walking worthy. Therefore you’ve not been transformed. Therefore you don’t have the wisdom which requires of salvation. Therefore you’re not saved. You get the presence. Those of you continue to ask, am I safe? Well, evaluate yourself. It’s given you by Scripture. Look at Ephesians again in verse one of chapter four. Now I’m going to remind you things that I’ve been saying every week to get our context straight.

In the first three verses of Ephesians, Paul lives. Paul gives our position. He declare, he describes us. This is who you are. It tells you who you are. There is no question of who you are when you’re born into this world. And then in verse 14 to 21 of chapter three, it’s sort of like a turn on. And I describe this as putting the key into the ignition and turning the engine on. Why? Because chapter three, verse 20 is all eight cylinders going. You put in the ignition and get it going. In other words, this is who you are.

Now start your motor. And then starting in chapter four, you begin to what? See the vehicle move. You begin to move. And when you move, you walk. Verse one, worthy. This is the walk, your ignition in verse. In chapter three, verse 14 to 21, you started and now you’re moving in chapter four. And he says, here’s how you walk. It’s a worthy walk. And then he gives the ingredients of a worthy walk. In verses one to three, it’s a walk in what lowliness. It’s a humble walk. In verses 4 through 16 it’s a unity walk. Want we’re to build unity, not divide in our opinion in verse 13 nails that down from verse chat from chapter 4, 1732, it’s a different walk.

We’re not to walk as the Gentiles paganism, oh our world today. From chapter 5, verse 1 through 7 it is a love walk. In chapter 5, verse 8, 14, it’s a light walk, not darkness but light. Now here in chapter five, verse 15, 17, it’s a wise walk. Now what he’s saying in all of these is what? You’re different, we’re not all the same. We have to read the scripture based upon who we are. The world cannot walk humbly, the world cannot walk humble. That means if you’re living in the world, you’re not walking on the Lord at all.

Whether or not you think you’re a Christian not look at your own self assessment, it’s a mad fight for everybody’s rights. Think of what you do in this world by looking at the rights of we the people who gave you that government? No, Christ gave you those rights. And that’s what’s even our constitution says so. When you look at the government for your rights, are you looking at the right place? See, none of the government and none of society know the meaning of humility and rights comes what by humility. So if you look at this world to get your rights, they don’t even know what rights mean.

The world cannot walk in unity. It celebrates its differences, it exalts its disparities. It makes an entire structure based upon difference, divergence and different opinions. Not true. And the world can’t look because it doesn’t have the life of God. And God is love. That’s the only place love exists. Oh, you want to love the unconditional love of this world? Go for it. That’s not God. Because what God is not in this world and apart from him there’s no real love. You want to know what love really means? Love is understanding Jesus Christ. And the world can’t know light because it is in itself a system of self damning darkness.

Genesis 1, this is one describes the creation of the system of darkness in its detail and beloved, I would add that the world can’t know wisdom because the wisdom of God is what hidden from the mind of man. Why? Because they have no relationship so how can your government, how can your society, how can your situation in your home, and how can you influence anything about that unless you have the wisdom of God inside of you? And if you don’t have the wisdom of God inside of you and you seek elsewhere that wisdom to change this world, you better ask one significant question.

Am I saying because that’s what scripture says, Wisdom comes from salvation. If you have no wisdom, you have no salvation. Therefore you’re not saved. It’s logic. Paul said it. They’re ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. You guys who are struggling with with the truth better seek out the wisdom of God for the understanding of the truth. And if you don’t get the wisdom of God in understanding the truth, you’re not saved. You get what I’m saying? This is scripture. It’s not my opinion. I just gave you the scripture. It’s your actions that you need to be looking at.

It’s your fruits that you need to be looking at. As Christians, we can be humble, we can walk in unity, we can walk different, we can walk in love, we can walk in light, and we can walk in wisdom. And the whole point Paul is making is you are things. So live it out. He’s calling for a peculiar people. He’s calling for us to be different. And we have been crushed and shoved into a whole milia of the world. So we can hardly call ourselves distinct in this generation unless we get back to some of those basics.

You’ve been taught how to live. You’ve been taught how to learn. You’ve been taught what you should believe. You have been taught how you should conform. That’s not Christ. I am literally appalled at what goes on in the church. And I appalled it some of you. I have to be truthful. Why? Because you say one thing and live something else. And then when I want to say something, it’s not received correctly. A believer who walks in wisdom knows three things. And that is the three points that I want to make in closing this up. Number one, he knows his limited privileges.

How does he know that? Because he knows is the Lord’s purposes. To put it another way, he knows what the rules are for his life. He knows what God has laid out. Secondly, he knows he has a limited time to fulfill it. You don’t know how long you’re gonna live. Your time is limited. Why? Because sin crept into your life and therefore time is a. Is a proponent of your life and time determines your death. He knows what God has laid out he knows there’s limited time to fulfill it. And thirdly, he knows specifically what God wants him to do.

It’s a very simple statement, but it’s one that most profound. In the entire book of Ephesians, he knows his life’s principles, his limited privileges and his large purposes. These are the characteristics of a wise walking Christian self assessment. Take this down, write it down. Look at yourself, look at just one. We’re just going to get, get into one tonight because I’m. As I said, we’ll probably just get verse 15, which is exactly what we’re going to do. In verse 15 it says this, see then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. Not at, not a sophus, but sophus, two opposites Greek words.

The wise person knows the principles that God has given for living. The wise person, that’s what he’s saying. The wise person knows these things. The wise person knows how to walk. The wise person knows Christ. So the first two words here, see then, which is in verse 15 and that takes us backwards. That’s like just therefore and you go back to verse 14 and you read this invitation. This is what it says. Awake thou that sleepeth and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light. Oh my gosh, what is this talking about? This is about your foolishness being born on this earth in Ephesians chapter 2 to coming as a broken spirit to Christ so that you can be awakened unto him to be transformed by, through salvation to get what? To the power that you’re supposed to have.

Now in verse 14, that’s an invitation sent out by Paul through scripture to be saved. If you recall from last time when we finished in verse 14, I told you that Paul gave an invitation in that little section and now he’s saying, look, if you are those who have come alive from the dead, if you are those who have come of awake from the sleep, if you are those who are now in the light, not darkness, then walk wisely. In other words, it’s based on what salvation did for you. Oh, okay. So in this verse, by definition you are to know you’re saved when you walk wisely because you are saved.

You are to walk in wisdom. That’s no choice. Now I want you to hang on to that a moment. Why? Because that is a very important truth. Paul says because you are saved, you are to walk in wisdom. Now somebody might immediately say, well now wait a minute, just being saved, you know, you’re so new and you don’t know very Much. How can you walk in wisdom? How could you say, now that you are saved, walk circumspectly, not as fools, knowing the will of God. Don’t you know of grow into that? Aren’t the wise people the white hairs, you know, the old saints, the people that have been saved a long time? Can’t you get real wise right off the bat? I think you’ve missed the point.

Point? If you’re thinking that one because you’re thinking of the world and not of your spiritual self. You say john, now do you mean that you can get wisdom when you’re saved to be able to be responsible for your whole life? I’m going to tell you absolute like I believe that. I believe the moment you’re saved and the Spirit of God comes to you without any thing that you need to do and seals your life and says, listen to me, there’s a deposit of wisdom in you that renders you absolutely responsible for your behavior. You hearing what I’m saying? If your behavior has not changed from the standpoint before you were saved, you’re not safe.

Guys, this should be clear and clear and clear every time we meet in understanding where you are on the continuum of understanding whether or not you’re going to be raptured or not. Now let me show you why I say that. First Corinthians, chapter one, verse 30. You know, there are some people who say, well, what we need to do is get them saved. And then later on they can recognize their sin and repent and get straightened out. You know what? That’s what half of you are doing today. Just from what you say. I don’t need to examine your lives in any other way.

Why? Because you set forth your examination in front of me, your fruits. There are people who believe that? I don’t think so. I think what we’ll see here will show you why we can’t take that view. Well, a lot of you do take that view. And that’s the reason why a lot of you will not say, First Corinthians 1:30 says this. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us? Wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Oh my gosh. You can’t be saved without redemption, sanctification, righteousness and wisdom. Can’t do it.

Now watch this. When you receive Jesus Christ. Oh, this is being said. He was made unto you. What wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. How do you know if you’re saved? Because Christ teaches you all of those things immediately and if you don’t have them, you’re not saved. All four of these things simultaneously upon salvation becomes what? Yours? No condition, nothing you need to do, they become yours. And when they become yours, if you’re truly saved and transformed, this is who you become. You hear what I’m saying now? By the way, isn’t it interesting that wisdom, righteousness, sanctification precede what redemption? You getting this ain’t getting this.

What precedes redemption? What is redemption? Christ came to reconcile the world back to white God, and he did that through what redemption? He did that by paying the price for your sins. So let’s look at this. Isn’t it interesting that wisdom, righteousness and sanctification precedes what redemption? It isn’t that you’re redeemed, and later on you get what wise. And later on you get righteous, and later on you get sanctified. You at the very moment of salvation, the wise, righteous, set apart. Because why you’re redeemed? Think about self assessment. If you’re not wise and you’re not righteous and you’re not sanctified, are you redeemed by Scripture? It says not, therefore you’re not safe.

You see, the order is tremendous. I believe with all my heart, based upon Scripture, that the moment you’re saved, the wisdom of God takes up resonance in you. And you become what? Accountable? Your life has changed. It’s 180% changed immediately. Listen to this one Colossians 2, 3. You don’t have to look it up. Just listen to what I’m saying. Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of what wisdom and knowledge? Did you get it? Where are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge? That’s the question. You don’t have them. Your physical life doesn’t present them.

The only way you get them is in Christ. And the only way you can obtain that is if you are in Christ. Consequently, In Colossians, Colossians 2 and 10, it says this. You are complete. Oh, gosh, that word is so phenomenal. You are complete in Him. The moment you come to Christ, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption comes. It’s a gift within salvation. Look at your lives. Do you have that? Do you have it? If you don’t, according to Scripture, you are not saved. You’re not going home. You’re not going to be at the Rapture when we get back into Revelation.

You’re going to be set apart. You cannot have a salvation without wisdom. You cannot have a salvation without righteousness. You cannot have a salvation without Sanctification. And that’s my total complaint today with this body, this world of who they think are believisms, cheap grace, quickie salvation. Everybody gets born again. And there’s no real consideration of the reality of what it means. We just say if we can just get them to believe. Oh my gosh, this is, this is Church Reality 101. If we can just get them to believe in Jesus and do some little deal with them, they’re okay.

And later on we’ll talk to them about righteousness and sanctification, which wisdom. That’s the church, corporate church today. Why? Because they want people in the pew. They want people to believe in, in sensationalism, in. In the, the redemptive process of Jesus Christ. Why? Because they want their money. There’s nobody considering the fact of really everything. Wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption are synonymous. Christ has made unto us those things. Now scripture says, and I totally believe that at the point of salvation, you receive him, right, his spirit, you’re baptized in the Spirit. There’s nothing you need to do other than accept Christ on faith, as Paul’s gospel says.

And when you do, Christ has made unto us what those things. That’s what scripture says. Now, I re. I really believe at that point of salvation you receive him in whom all hidden the treasures of wisdom and knowledge as scripture we just looked at. Let me show you another verse. It says the same thing. And these are just only samples, guys. You can go throughout the scripture and pick things out all throughout Scripture, Old Testament and New. By the way, let’s go to Titus 2:11. There’s another good one. It says this. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation has appeared to all men who.

Now we’re talking about salvation here being saved, right? We’re talking about God’s grace as applied in salvation and how it touches all of us who are what redeemed that salvation. The all here in this feature would be somewhat qualified. Now, this grace that brings salvation in verse 12 of Titus says, this teaches us. Now isn’t that amazing? Just the very saving grace teaches us what? All things. Think about it. If the grace of God has not taught you all things and you’re living by those things, how can you be saved? Denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live summerly, righteously, godly in this present age, salvation alone teaches you that much.

You can’t say, well, I’m saved, but I just don’t know what it means. That’s how a lot of us deal with life. We want to question whether or not we’re saved. And we don’t even know what the definition is. How’s that? You’re supposed to know the wisdom and knowledge of God. And that wisdom and knowledge of God needs to understand how you were saved. If you don’t know that, how can you be saved? Guys, this is a reality. This is where the rubber meets the road. You’re either in or you’re out. There is no fine if you say the salvation itself.

Oh, self assessment. Listen to this. Teaches you to deny ungodliness. Oh, worldly less. Live soberly, righteously, godly. You doing that, that’s what you get when you get saved. Hear me out. If you’re not living that life, the first thing you need to question is your salvation. Now this is what I’m saying nutshell. If you’re redeemed, you possess wisdom. You don’t have to wait until you’ve been saved. 10 years, 5 years, 40 years. You don’t have to do anything. Why? Because God gives it you on the day of salvation. But it’s like that blessed dissatisfaction of the beatitudes in Mark 7.

Okay, it’s like that hungering and thirsting after righteousness you’ll be filled. But within, if they’re a blessed dissatisfaction. Because no matter how much of God’s wisdom you have, there’s always the hunger for what More. And so the Bible promises that that’s also possible. The Bible tells us we have an all need, and yet there’s more. If we desire desire it, we can reach out to more. More and more and more. Ephesians, chapter one. Remember that the apostle Paul said this. We, when we first started in this whole letter, that when God came into our lives, we were redeemed.

Through what his blood we receive the forgiveness of sins. Verse 7. According to the riches of his grace, he abounded toward us all in his wisdom. Right at the moment of salvation, God abounded to us what? And all wisdom. There’s nothing he held back. He said, you come to me by faith. You’re going to be saved. To me, you’re going to be reconcile. What’s reconcile? Means that you have no blinders on recon. Everything that you had before the foundation of the world is now revealed to you. No Christian is irresponsible for what he does. You are 100% responsible for all lives.

Associated with your salvation, associated with your life that you think you’re living. Associated with the life that you might be living in Christ. You’re 100% responsible and you’re more responsible because now you know the knowledge and the wisdom and the redemption and salvation and trace. You now have all of that. And if you are not saved, woe is you, because greater is your judgment. According to scripture, it’s all been granted to you. In fact, look at John 1 first, John 22:20, it says, when you were saved, you received an anointing from God. And you know all things.

Nothing is held back. The veil has been lifted. You now know all things. Things. Oh my gosh. Those who say, I don’t know my purpose, I don’t. Where do you live? Do you live in Christ and you live in this world? Verse 27. That we’ll receive an anointing from God who teaches us all things. And we don’t need to have human teachers telling us human philosophy, because the very Holy Spirit of God teaches us to abide in him all things. Listen, we have wisdom, people, and it is on what basis that we possess wisdom? In what salvation? In Jesus Christ.

If you do not have wisdom, if you do not seek out that wisdom, then you need to seek out salvation. Because that’s scripture. It’s not an if then statement. Oh, you can predicate yourself here or there or whatever. No, it says if you don’t have it, you’re not saved. Paul goes on and say, we are no more fools. We are wise. And on that basis Paul says, walk as wise, live it out. That’s the point. The results are the fruits that you show. No fruits, no wisdom, no wisdom, no redemption, no wisdom, no first my food.

No wisdom. Where’s my food? No salvation. Get it now? I’m not saying we shouldn’t get more wisdom. The life of sanctification requires that you get wisdom, more wisdom than what you had on the initial salvation. But God gives you enough wisdom at time of salvation to know who you are, what you need to do, and how to walk with him. We should always want to get more wisdom. We should want to grow in grace. We should want to grow in the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We should want more and more conformed to the Lord Jesus Christ.

We should allow the Spirit of God to transform us into his image. That’s a process. There should be an increasing wisdom in your life. Okay, self assessment. When you were saved, if you were saved, you were changed. If you were changed, then from the that moment of change, you should have grown in wisdom. Because that’s called sanctification. If you’re not, you have a problem. Houston, you’re not safe. The act of being saved will want you as a desire in the wisdom that you got from Jesus Christ upon salvation, to grow, grow in wisdom and grace. That’s a desire.

If you have no desire, you’re not saying there should be an increasing wisdom in your life. There should be an increasing godliness in your life, but the principles are the same. The Spirit of God works in what, your consciousness. It’s your thoughts. If you’re not thinking of the things above and you’re thinking of the things of this world, there is no way you’re going to get wisdom. And if you’re doing that because there’s no way of getting wisdom in that, you’re not saying, because that’s what scripture says. We’ve just gone over it. I had just gone over it with the Holy Spirit talking through me that told you the only way you’re saved is through wisdom, through sanctification, through salvation, and through redemption.

And if you got that at the time of your salvation, you’ve got enough wisdom to want you to obtain more wisdom throughout your whole life. And if you don’t have that, you’re not safe. Even though you may not know all the things in the Bible which none of us do. I. You could. You could be, you know, what a. The theologian. Theology. The theologian professor. You could do whatever. You could, you know, write books or whatever. You’ll never know all things in the Bible, those that state, that run from them. But see, God’s spirit, if you’re saved, is resonant in you.

What did he say? He said, I’m coming to live with you. You need to treat me as a member of your home. See, from that moment of salvation, the Spirit will convict and convince you of the difference between righteousness and sin. Key component to your salvation. That’s the reason why I said, if you’ve not turned from your wicked ways, from that which you were when you thought you were, you’re not safe. Because the Holy Spirit would teach you righteousness, not sin. And if you continue to sin, you have no righteousness. That’s also scripture. Guys, this is logical.

This is not hyperbole. One or the other you say, Jeff, what if I want more wisdom? Well, number one, I hope you want to do that. Because that what scripture says you should want more and more and more. The fear of God is only the beginning. Of what? Of wisdom. It’s only the beginning. You might say, how do I get more? Well, James 1:5 tells you, if any man lack wisdom, what let him. What’s the next word? Ask that’s all you have to do. Let him ask. God will give it and withhold none. That’s what scripture says.

Oh, when does it get withheld? It’s because you haven’t been sought, you haven’t been saved in the first place. You can have all of the blessings in heaven. Ephesians 1:3. And all you have to do when you want more of Jesus Christ is asked. That’s it. Just ask. It’s 100 available to you. You have no manifestation process of seeking out that which is in heaven for you. God says, just ask. I’ll give it to you. And the apostle Paul said that he had warned every man and teach every man that he may present every man perfect in all wisdom.

That was Paul’s condition of his life. He wanted to teach man so much that everything he gave them and throughout the epistles that we have. The reason why the first half is doctrine and theology and the second half is application is because why he wanted us to perfect us in what wisdom? The church. He wanted to give the church all wisdom. Now, another good way to get it is to sit under somebody who’s got it. Why? Because it’s going to teach you as long as you listen. Study the Bible yourself. Study to show yourself approved under God.

Gain wisdom from studying. There’s more, but you have enough to be responsible. So Paul says this. Don’t claim ignorance. He who is wisdom is in you. Therefore what? Walk circumspectly. Walk in Christ. That’s what he told us to do. Put on the arm. Put on Christ. Be like Christ. They collect the mind of God. Do you think this is like irrelevant to you? Let me talk about that. Just a moment. And we’re going to shut it down. Walk means daily content, conduct, daily pattern, daily life. Paul says I died daily. Why? Because he needed diary to himself to allow Christ to be fulfilled in his life in 100 totality each and every day.

This was always the Jewish concept behavior, not theory. Look at the word circumspectly. It’s a powerful word. Let me tell you what it means. It means accurately. Now get this or you’ll miss the next part of this. Circumspectly means accurately, carefully and exactly. That’s the Greek definition of circumspectly. That’s, that’s what it means. To be circumspect is to look carefully from side to side. To be very alert to what is going on. You need to walk very alert. You need to understand the surroundings. You need to understand what’s being present to you. You need to see what the evilness of this world is presenting in your life.

You need to understand that those of you just walk through life haphazardly and say, you know what? I’m going to go my way. And whatever the day is, that day is, you know what? That is not what God says to do. So are you obedient or not? You literally are walking through a mind field in this world and you can’t just go tring through it like you’re a lolly gaggling in a meadow full of daisies. You are walking a walk in a system. Remember, it’s two systems from Genesis 1 to Revelations. It talks about two systems.

You’re literally walking in a system in the world that demands that you walk circumspectly, careful, exactly, accurately. And that’s precisely what our Lord Jesus meant in Matthew 7:13 when he said narrow is the gate and narrow is the way it is compressed. It is narrow. You must watch where you go, what you do, how you ask, what you think and what fruit you bear. Guys, we’re gonna stop here. Questions or comments, points, anything. You guys are getting down to the nitty gritty. There should be no question about your life. There should be no question about your walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.

You cannot acquiesce yourself out of living in this world. This is a choice. There is no go between. You can’t live in both sides of this world one way or the other. And you measure your self assessment of you. Nobody’s doing that but you. You measure your self self assessment based upon the word of God. And you now understand from scripture whether or not you’re safe tells you straight up we just did that tonight. No beating around the bush, no harmonizing this world’s musical frequency. You now know the truth, apply it to your life. Decide what you need to do and you’re either going to live one way or the other.

Nobody’s gonna. Nobody’s gonna do that. I’m gonna tell you. Time is coming nigh time is coming n anything guys, I’m quite sure I It’s not my intent, but it’s by. It was. Yeah, I guess it was my intent. It was God’s intent for through me. Because next week is just going to be as brutal. Those of you who want to make note you’re not going to get any reprieve. Just another side of things. This and how you walk in wisdom. You got it. You get. You get the point of how of how you got it. Tonight you’re going to get next week how you walk in it, which is totally going to be opposite nothing.

Guys, we good? Sure. Let’s pray. Father, thank you for this evening. Thank you again for coming in to your word and giving us perspective of the actual truth. Father, we ask you that you take this and apply it to each one of our lives as you need to do so that the end result of all of this is for people coming to know you in the true self as the one true God and what redemption and salvation means and the walk that you have prescribed for us as our duty today. And Father, we just thank you.

We thank you for your son, we thank you for your word. We thank you for basically the Holy Spirit and giving us the ability to utilize the Holy Spirit in our teachings. Because it’s only through that that we get the knowledge and truth and wisdom that you wish to provide. So Father, as we go, protect us. Give us understanding for those that are sick. Give them your healing hands. For those that are in restoration, show them the way. And Father, we ask that you give us a. A peace and understanding that you are totally in control of what’s going on, not only in this world, but in our lives.

Because as we will come to understand, this world does not rid us of our self. That is this world that was created from our soul. It is through us individually least, to understand the, the. The spiritual war. It’s for us to understand the purpose of the nuclear home, and it’s for us to understand the hierarchy of your government, because in all things, that’s what it struck, that’s what it’s made upon. So Father, just continue to teach us continuous. Give us your wisdom and knowledge so we that we may actually apply it to not only our own lives, but our home, our society, our culture and our government.

And we thank all of this on your son’s name.
[tr:tra].