Ephesians 5

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Eph. 5:15–17)

So far in chapter 5, Paul has taught the Ephesians to “walk in love” (v. 2) and to “walk as children of light” (v. 8). In love, they are to give themselves in the church for one another’s good. In light, they are to beware of sin and call unbelievers to trust in Christ. Now, he instructs them to walk in wisdom. In wisdom, they are to spend their days intentionally, diligently, and obediently. 

“Look carefully . . . how you walk,” commands Paul. Pay attention! Don’t let the day’s activities pull you along blindly. Don’t let ungodly people drag you into their plans. Don’t let your own sinful indifference allow you to act without thought. Look carefully! Repeatedly in this chapter, Paul has urged attentiveness: “Be imitators”—notice what God is like and seek to be like him (v. 1); “try to discern”—study God’s word and learn what pleases him (v. 10). Here, he similarly urges believers to deliberate action: “Look carefully,” be “wise,” and “understand.” No one ever just happened to follow the Lord without realizing it. New life in Christ demands intentionality. 

As those who pay attention, we should be “making the best use of the time.” Our days have been numbered by our Lord (Ps. 139:16), and we must use each of them for his glory. We do this because “the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16). Each passing hour has the potential to be wasted—or, worse, spent in sin. Aware of this, believers do everything they can to redeem every moment to serve Christ. This doesn’t mean believers never rest. The fourth commandment, for example, establishes a pattern of six days of work and one day of rest (Ex. 20:8–11). The “best use” of the time is sometimes hard work unto the Lord (see Col. 3:23) and sometimes intentional rest in the Lord. Every day presents opportunities, and we must seize them. New life in Christ demands diligence. 

To do all this requires wisdom, and these verses tell us we become wise when we “understand what the will of the Lord is.” If we want to avoid being “unwise” and “foolish,” we need to know our God and what he requires. As Proverbs explains, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (1:7). Theologians talk about God’s secret will and his revealed will. His secret will is his particular, sovereign design for each moment. (This includes things like whether God will heal your chronic illness, how he’ll answer your prayers for a job, and whether he’ll give you children.) We won’t know his secret will until after it’s come to pass. His revealed will, on the other hand, is what he says is pleasing to him (see 5:10). This is something we can know because he tells us in his word. (It includes things like the Lord’s instructions from chapter 4 to speak truth, resolve anger, stop stealing, and be kind.) If we want to walk in wisdom, we’ll study God’s will revealed in his word—and ask the Spirit to help us understand and do what God says. New life in Christ demands obedience.
Megan Hill is the author of several books, including Praying Together; A Place to Belong; and Meg Is Not Alone. She also serves as the managing editor for the Gospel Coalition. A pastor’s wife and a pastor’s daughter, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and four children, where they belong to West Springfield Covenant Community Church (PCA).