Young People's Group

The Challenge to Know and Do the Will of God

by Mitchell Tan
October 28, 2020

THE CHALLENGE NOT TO BE UNWISE

Wisdom is one of the principal things needed in life. To live without seeking or practising wisdom would be considered most foolish. The apostle Paul had challenged the Ephesian Church to walk circumspectly and not to waste their time. They were not to live as fools. One of the reasons why people ended up being such was because they were unwise.

“Therefore do not be unwise …”
Ephesians 5:17

The word “unwise” in Greek in this text has the idea of a person who is not thinking. An unwise person is one who does not practise giving thought over things. He is senseless in his decision-making process. What are some expressions of those who are unwise in their ways?

1. Having fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11).

2. Allowing themselves to sleep spiritually (Ephesians 5:14).

3. Wasting of time with useless activities (Ephesians 5:15).

Basically, it is people not considering the consequences of their action and they make matters worse in their life. Not thinking carefully about what we are doing is far more real and closer to home than we care to admit. Our challenge is not to be unwise.

THE CHALLENGE TO UNDERSTAND THE WILL OF THE LORD

“… But understand what the will of the Lord is.”
Ephesians 5:17

Paul’s challenge to the Church at Ephesus was to truly understand what the will of the Lord is. What does this mean?

1. TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING THE PRACTICE OF THE WILL OF GOD

a. To walk in love (Ephesians 5:2).

b. To walk as children of light (Ephesians 5:8).

c. To walk in wisdom (Ephesians 5:15).

2. TO KNOW AND TO OBEY THE WILL OF THE LORD

The word “understand” has the idea of “knowing and obeying”. It is having knowledge and seeking to practice the will of the Lord. The Ephesians were meant to know the will of God, think through things and to obey His will. The challenge was to get down to applying the will of the Lord in their lives. There would come greater appreciation of His ways when they did this. Paul also wrote about letting the word of Christ dwell richly within us till there is wisdom. And with this, we are to do all things to the honour of the Lord’s name and with thanksgiving in our heart (Colossians 3:16-17).

THINK WISELY, DO THE WILL OF GOD

Young people, let’s also seek to apply the will of God in our lives. We are meant to think through things carefully before doing anything. The challenge is for us to know what it means to practise His will, dwell on it and to get down to doing it. Let’s seek to walk in love, in the light, and in wisdom, that we may honour and please our Father in heaven.

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