The Christian's Lifestyle: Wisdom

It starts with the definition of Christian: A real disciple of Christ; one who believes in the truth of the Christian religion, and studies to follow the example, and obey the precepts, of Christ; a believer in Christ who is characterized by real piety.

Ephesians 5:15-17 “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as  wise,  redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but  understand what the will of the Lord is.”

This lesson from a small study on Christian Living points out that the “therefore” is preceded by the command in Ephesians 5:8 to “Walk as children of light”. This title, children of light, is used only three other times in the New Testament: once by the Lord Jesus in Luke 16:8 to contrast worldly wisdom with the ineffectual use of godly wisdom in the least things; once again in John 12:36 to direct us to believe in the light of Jesus; and finally by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 to encourage us to watch and be sober.

Proverbs 13:14-20 “The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death. Good understanding gains favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard. Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool lays open his folly. A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a faithful ambassador brings health. Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, but he who regards a rebuke will be honored. A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul, but it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil. He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.”

A light-like life, which is evidence of the fruit of the Spirit, is expressed in the character of goodness, righteousness, and truth. Proverbs 11:30 says, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.” In fact, the transformation of our character by our conscious choice to “present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God” enables us to “prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God”. An equation is clearly drawn between godly behavior and godly wisdom. Proverbs 15:24 says, “The way of life winds upward for the wise, that he may turn away from hell below.” It therefore follows that children of light should have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, taking the responsibility to reprove them and recognizing the shame even to speak of those things.

Daniel 2:20-21 “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.”

The light of Christ things make present and on display that which is reproved (corrected gently with kindly intent), enabling us to walk accurately and carefully, "not as fools but as wise”. That wisdom is not the foolish wisdom of this world but the wisdom of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God, understanding what the will of the Lord is. Children of light, be wise.