Ephesians 5:13

Ephesians 5:13 says, But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.  Paul tells us that the light of Christ makes manifest all things.  We see that all things are made manifest by the light of Christ and that those actions that are not consistent with God's will shall be reproved.  Verse fourteen adds, Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.  Paul says that we are to wake from our spiritual slumber when we are followers of Christ.  We are to rise from the dead, not physically but spiritually.  Verse fifteen continues, See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,  Paul advises us to walk circumspectly.  I believe he is simply warning us to walk in the light of the Lord.  Our actions are to bring the light of Christ to the world, and we cannot do this by proclaiming the gospel and living by the dictates of the world.  We are to walk in the wisdom of God and not the foolishness of the world.  Verse sixteen states, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  We are to use our time wisely, witnessing for Christ, because the days are filled with evil.  This is nothing new but was true in Paul's day as well.  We may believe that the world is worse today than it has ever been, but a look back in history will tell us this isn't true.  We just have a greater ability to hear about it.  Verse seventeen adds, Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.  When Paul advises us to not be unwise he tells us how to avoid being so.  Paul tells us that by understanding what God's will is we can avoid living lives that lack wisdom.  We may be wise in all the ways of the world, but if we do not follow the will of God for our lives we are without true wisdom.  Verse eighteen continues, And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;  We can debate the drinking of wine and whether it is morally wrong or not, but we cannot debate that getting drunk is wrong.  Paul tells us instead of looking to wine to bring us pleasure, or maybe relief from the stress of the world, that we are to look to the Holy Spirit.  I do not believe that we can ever overindulge in the Holy Spirit.  Verse nineteen says, Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;  Paul states some of the outcomes of being filled with the Holy Spirit.  We will sing praises to God and have a melody in our hearts to the Lord.  The heart was seen as the source of emotions in Paul's day, so I believe that he was saying that we should have all our emotions focused on worshipping God.  Verse twenty adds, Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;  Paul tells us to always give thanks to God, and not to just thank Him when things are going well.  When we are truly always giving thanks to God there can be no room for doubt, fear, or anger to name a few emotions.  Verse twenty-one continues, Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.  I believe that Paul is telling us that when we submit to God's will that we each individually will want what is best for others.