In this message we shall consider the matter of living by being filled in spirit. This is covered by Paul in Eph. 5:15-21.
To live by being filled in spirit is the fifth item of a walk worthy of God’s calling. The first four aspects of such a worthy walk are the keeping of the oneness, the growing up into the Head, the learning of Christ, and the living in love and light. In chapter four Paul speaks of keeping the oneness, of growing up into the Head, and of learning Christ. In chapter five he speaks of living in love and in light and of living by being filled in spirit. Thus, in chapter five there are three crucial words: love, light, and spirit. Love and light are covered in the first fourteen verses. The next section of this chapter deals with the mingled spirit.
To be filled in spirit (v. 18) is to be filled in our regenerated spirit, the human spirit indwelt by the Spirit of God. Our spirit should not be empty, but should be filled with the riches of Christ unto all the fullness of God (Eph. 3:19). All the items in Eph. 5:18-33; Eph. 6:1-9 are related to the one matter of being filled in spirit. Many readers of this chapter pay attention to such details as wives submitting to their own husbands or husbands loving their wives, but they fail to see the source of all these virtues, that is, being filled in spirit. When we are filled in our spirit with Christ unto all the fullness of God, then wives will be subject to their husbands, husbands will love their wives, parents will care for their children, slaves will obey their masters, and masters will treat their slaves in a proper way. All of these things are the issue of being filled in spirit.
Those from a Pentecostal or charismatic background may regard the spirit in verse 18 as the Holy Spirit. They may interpret Paul’s word to mean that we should be filled with the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues. But according to the Greek text, Paul here is not saying that we should be filled with the Spirit, but that we should be filled in our spirit, that is, in our regenerated spirit. Our spirit may be empty and flat, like a flat tire. If our spirit is flat, it needs to be filled with pneuma. We need to go to the heavenly “filling station” and get our spirit filled with pneuma. In this way we shall be filled in spirit. According to chapter three, we are to be filled with the riches of Christ unto all the fullness of God. If our spirit is filled with the riches of Christ, we shall have no problems in our Christian life.
We have pointed out that living by being filled in spirit is the fifth aspect of a walk worthy of God’s calling. The first aspect is the keeping of the oneness. This is for the Body life, the church life. The second aspect is the growing up into Christ the Head in all things. This is for the building. Following this, we learn Christ by being placed into the mold, the standard of a living according to the truth in Jesus. We Christians have a high standard with an uplifted principle to govern our daily walk. To learn Christ is to take Him as the standard and to take His life as the principle. Fourthly, a life worthy of God’s calling is a life in love and in light. We must live not only according to truth and by grace, but also in light and in love. We need to be those who live in intimacy with God and walk in His presence. Our daily life must be altogether according to God’s heart and in His presence. If we have these four aspects of a worthy walk, we shall spontaneously be filled in our spirit.
These five items are arranged in a marvelous sequence. Firstly we keep the oneness, and then we grow in Christ. After this, we learn Christ and live in love and in light. Then we are spontaneously filled in our spirit with the riches of Christ unto all the fullness of God. Out of this inner filling will come submission, love, obedience, care, and all the other attributes of a proper Christian life, church life, family life, and community life. Therefore, the fifth aspect of a walk worthy of God’s calling is the issue of the first four aspects; that is, it is the issue of keeping the oneness, growing in Christ, learning Christ, and living in love and in light. What a life we have when we demonstrate these five aspects of a worthy walk! If we are filled inwardly unto the fullness of God, there will be no problems at home, in the church, or in the community. This is the crucial point in this message.
Verse 15 says, “Look therefore carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise.” The word “therefore” in this verse indicates that verse 15 is a conclusion drawn from verses 1 through 14. If we walk in love and in light, then we shall walk, not as unwise, but as wise. The unwise are the nations, the Gentiles, in chapter four, whereas the wise are the beloved children of God.
Verse 16 is related to the walk presented in verse 15. In verse 16 Paul says, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” To redeem the time is to seize every available opportunity. This is to be wise in our walk.
We must redeem the time because the days are evil. In this evil age (Gal. 1:4, Gk.), every day is an evil day, full of pernicious things which destroy, injure, and spoil our time. Therefore, we must walk wisely that we may redeem the time, seizing every available opportunity. If we do not seize every opportunity, our time will be wasted. Many evil things will come in to distract us and frustrate us. We may be distracted by telephone calls, letters, or visitors. We may be enjoying the presence of the Lord and suddenly be attacked through a negative telephone call. Because the days are evil, we must be on the alert to take advantage of every opportunity.
Verse 17 continues, “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” To understand the will of the Lord is the best way to redeem our time. Not knowing the will of the Lord is the main cause of our time being wasted.
In verse 18 Paul says, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled in spirit.” To be drunk with wine is to be filled in the body, whereas to be filled in our regenerated spirit is to be filled with Christ (1:23) unto the fullness of God (3:19). To be drunk with wine in the body causes us to be dissipated, but to be filled with Christ unto the fullness of God causes us to overflow with Him in speaking, singing, psalming, giving thanks to God, and subjecting ourselves one to another. Day by day we need to be filled in our spirit with the riches of Christ.
Verses 19 through 21 are related to “be filled in spirit” in verse 18. Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are not only for singing and psalming, but also for speaking to one another. Such speaking, singing, and psalming are not only the outflow of being filled in spirit, but also the way to be filled in spirit. Psalms are long poems, hymns are shorter ones, and spiritual songs are the shortest. All are needed in order for us to be filled with the Lord and to overflow with Him in our Christian life.
According to the New Testament, psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are good not only for singing, but also for speaking. Sometimes we are inspired by singing. But on other occasions, speaking that is filled with pneuma may be more inspiring than singing. If we are flat, short of pneuma, then our speaking will afford no inspiration. But if we are full of pneuma, then our speaking will have impact and will inspire others. This is not eloquence; it is utterance with impact.
In 1967 I visited the church in Jakarta, Indonesia. In one of the meetings I suggested to the saints that we not only sing the hymns, but speak the hymns as well, according to Ephesians 5:19. Immediately we practiced this in the meeting. This speaking was marvelous, filled with the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes we need to practice this in the meetings, without making it a legality. Before we sing a hymn, we may speak it to one another. The brothers may speak the first line and the sisters may respond by speaking the second. However, in doing this we should not fall into an unwritten form. I must admit that some of our meetings are not as living as they should be. Hence, we need to experience the indwelling Spirit in a living way in our singing and speaking.
Verse 19 also speaks of psalming. Singing may be short. Psalming is always long. Sometimes just by singing we cannot express what is within us to praise the Lord; we need psalming to pour out our praise to the Lord adequately.
Verse 20 goes on to say, “Giving thanks at all times for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God and the Father.” We should give thanks to God the Father, not only at good times, but at all times, and not only for good things, but for all things. Even at the worst times, we should give thanks for all things to God our Father.
This verse tells us to give thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The reality of the name of the Lord is His Person. To be in His name is to be in His Person, in the Lord Himself. This implies that we should be one with the Lord in giving thanks to God.
In verse 21 Paul speaks of being “subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” Being subject to one another is also the way to be filled in spirit with the Lord and also the overflow of being filled. Our subjection should be one to another, not only the younger ones to the older ones, but also the older ones to the younger ones (1 Pet. 5:5).
According to the context of the following verses, to be in the fear of Christ is to fear offending Him as the Head. This is related to Christ’s headship (v. 23) and involves our subjection one to another. Christ is the Head of the Body. If we mistreat any member of the Body, we offend the Head of the Body. We need to keep the relationship with the members of the Body in the fear of the Head.
The life of speaking, singing, psalming, and thanking is a life of subjection. When we speak, sing, psalm, and give thanks in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are willing to submit ourselves to one another. We all submit to Christ the Head and also to the Body. But this submitting comes from the speaking, the singing, the psalming, and the giving of thanks, which in turn come from the infilling. When we are filled in our spirit, we sing, we psalm, we speak, and we thank. Spontaneously, we also submit. However, if we are not filled, there will be no speaking, singing, psalming, or thanking God, and consequently there will be no submitting. The proper church people are those who are submissive by speaking, singing, psalming, and giving thanks to God from their inner being. They live in the way of being filled in spirit with all the riches of Christ unto the fullness of God.
