Be here tonight at Shalom Shalom

Messianic Congregation. I'm Doctor

Todd Baker, the head elder here of

this congregation. We're glad you

could be with us tonight. We meet

every Shabbat, Friday evenings at 6

PM at Northwest Bible Church in

Dallas, Texas and we

we actually are here on the third

floor of the Christian Life Center

Building room three zero one. The

church is at eighty-five zero five

Douglas Avenue, Dallas, Texas. Zip

code 75231 and we got it. We got our

audios good. So, that's wonderful.

Folks, we will a prize you of

the situation in regards to our

return to Israel. I don't have a

definitive date yet. Uh as you know,

we were supposed to go two weeks ago

and it was cancelled. So we're

probably try to go December or March.

Uh we just don't know yet. So, I will

keep you a prize in in the meantime. If

you want to learn what we do in Israel,

we simply take the Gospel to the Jew

first as required and commanded in

Romans 116 and as practiced by the

lord Jesus and his Shalakim, his sent

one, his apostles. They all made it a

point to go to the Jew first. Why?

Well, Paul gives us that answer in

Romans three because it was to the

Jews that god committed his oracles,

the word of God. And it was to them that

he gave the custodial care of

the scriptures. And so

the salvation that we have received

comes from the Jewish people. It

comes to us through the Jewish

Messiah. So that's why Jesus told the

woman of Samaria in John four

twenty-two. Salvation is of the

Jews. Salvation is a Jewish idea,

concept, a divine revelation

through which god used Israel to

bring to the world and

if you want to learn more

specifically what how we do that in

Israel than I would strongly urge you

to subscribe to our quarterly

newsletter. Search the scriptures.

And in this edition, we have the lead

story. The New Testament is for the

Jewish people. Jeremiah 3131 to 30

and these are selected

encounters that we have with the

Israelis sharing the Gospel with

them. There's so many of them that we

can't just include all of them or we it

would be a book. So, we

have selected encounters here in our

newsletter and this is from the 54th

Gospel Outreach. So, check that out

and lord willing soon. We'll be back

in Israel for the 5fifth Gospel Reach

you would like to get our newsletter,

all you have to do is go to our ministry

website at triple W dot

search the scriptures online. org.

Triple W dot search Scriptures

Online. org. Hit the new click on the

newsletter menu and you could sign

up. It is a safe and secure

website. And folks we can always use

support for these outreaches. These

are not cheap outreaches to go on. It

is and it somewhat expensive

enterprise to go to Israel and so we

would covet your support and because

the great commission says we are to go

to the Jew first. That's not an

option. That is a the divine order of

evangelism that the Lord has set up

for us to follow and we're one of the

few ministries and congregations

that that takes this command

seriously And so we've been doing it

now for over 20 years. And Lord

willing will hopefully do it for

however until the rapture or until

death. So, please consider

supporting us and thank you for those

who do support us on a regular basis.

We appreciate that and we're going in

your stead. Many of you can't afford

to go to Israel. So, when you support

us so that we can go, we're not only

going as ambassadors for Christ but

we're also going for you as well

to represent to the Jewish people

that followers of Yeshua, Love

Israel. Support Israel and want them

to know their Messiah that they might

have eternal life And so we thank you

for that. Uh folks also as I've

mentioned before the word of God

tells us in second Timothy 215 to

study to show ourselves approved

unto God. That's an imperative

there. And what are we to study? The

word of God. We are to be

matured by doing and reading the word

of God. There's the need of God's word

and there's a sincere milk of God's

word. It's the apostle Peter tells us

and we are to read the scripture and

study for ourselves but also we are to

study under the appointment and

anointing of god given teachers in

the church and if you're serious

about wanting to study god's word in

that in that vein then may I recommend

to you Schofield Biblical

Institute. Uh it's an accredited

Bible Seminary and you can get your

undergrad, grad, or doctoral

degrees and each for three hours is

only $675 across the board. So,

that's a great deal. I happen to be one

of the professors there and the next

class, they are doing is church

history. I believe that's plan for

January. Now, enrollment's kind of

been down but you know, if you just

want straight Bibles, straight

sound theology, then I would highly

recommend. Checking out Schofield

Biblical Institute, our

chancellors, Doctor Daniel

Woodhead, and if you like to know more

about the

seminary, just call eight seven

seven seven zero six two four seven

nine toll free and Doctor Woodhead

will get with you and for every

student that enrolls in a class, they

are provided textbooks without

cost. So, again, that's a big big

barden, big, big bargain and savings

for starving students. If you would

like to check out our curriculum,

then, you can go to the website at info

at Schofield Institute

org. Schofield Institute

org. And so check us out. Uh we are

online. Alright, folks. Well, we're

back in the book of Ephesians and

we are in chapter five. Once again,

covering verses eighteen through

twenty. I wanted to include 21, but

there's so much truth packed in these

verses that I might not even get

through tonight's teaching. Uh just

when Paul says, be not drunk with wine

wearing his excess. You could do a

whole hour teaching on that one and

we'll talk about that as well as the

other components here in this

section of the the Divinely Inspired

Book of Ephesians written by the

apostle Paul. So, tonight, we're

looking at Ephesians five eighteen

through twenty and the

central thought for this pericopy or

parasha or section of scripture for

these verses is this. Believers in

Christ are not to be intoxicated but

filled with and under the control of

the Holy Spirit demonstrated by

praise, thankfulness, and

submission to god. Let me say that

again. Believers in Christ are not to

be intoxicated but filled with and

under the control of the Holy Spirit

demonstrated by praise,

thankfulness, and submission to god

So, with that, let's read what the

apostle Paul says in Ephesians 518

through twenty. And do not be drunk

with wine. That's an imperative.

Therefore, it's a command. We are not

to be intoxicated if we're followers

of the lord Jesus. And do not be drunk

with wine in which is dissipation or

other translations says, wherein is

excess but be filled with the Holy

Spirit speaking to one another in

Psalms, in hymns, and spiritual

songs, singing and making melody in

your heart to the lord. Giving thanks

always for all things to god the

father in the name of our lord, Jesus

Christ, submitting to one another in

the fear of god. Now, I went ahead and

read verse twenty-one because it is a

part of this section but for for time

constraint, I only included in our

study tonight up to verse twenty. Uh

but note here that Paul begins by

rejecting drunkenness in the life of

a believer. Now, keep in mind, this is

not a section separate from what Paul

has said prior to

18. We have to remember that verse

verse numbers, chapter divisions,

and so forth were obviously not in the

original text when Paul was inspired

to pin the book of Ephesians. So,

we have to go. What is, why does all of a

sudden Paul say, be not drunk with

wine wherein is excess because he

said, prior to that, that we are to

walk circumspectly. We are not to be

unwise but understanding what the

will of the lord is and what the will of

the lord is that Christians

not be drunk. It's as simple as that.

Christians should not be drunk. So,

living a sober life as a follower of

the lord Jesus Christ entails

walking circumspectly, IE verse

fifteen. It entails being wise and

not unwise. Verse seventeen. Uh

well, I skip verse sixteen.

Redeeming the time. Also is included

in in that. Verse sixteen. So, so in

order to walk circumspectly, to

redeem the time, to be wise and not

unwise, and to understand what the

will of the lord is, includes what

Paul gives in his prohibition of

verse eighteen and of not being

drunk. Drunkenness means to be

intoxicated with drink or drugs. I

think we could extend this out not

only with wine but any kind of

narcotic that you are using

recreationally to alter your mind,

to get high, to become intoxicated.

That's forbidden. Uh in the word of

god for believers. So, don't give me

this wood, smoke marijuana because

the doctor said I could. That's an

intoxic Christians should not be

smoking marijuana. Let alone

drinking alcohol to get drunk. So,

Christians are to be sober minded.

Amen. They are not to be drunk. And

this is very clear here. And so Paul's

going from the general to the

specific. Paul explains how this

wisdom works out in a believer's

conduct. As in verses fifteen, 16,

and seventeen. Uh Paul as in those

verses, Paul first states the

negative injunction. Be not drunk

with and then follows it with a

positive command but be filled with

the Holy Spirit. The verb here of

be not drunk or the word drunk

is a present imperative. What does

that mean? That simply means that the

believer is not to currently become

drunk with wine or become into

intoxicated. It is a present

imperative. So, the prohibition

against drunkenness, that Paul was

exhorting them not to pursue

drunkenness if they were or not to

pursue or get drunk if they were

thinking about it. Uh and what he's

saying here is that he's exhorting

them to stop an action and

prohibiting them from a course of

action. That is make it your habit not

to do it.

Now, may I say there is no indication

in this epistle that the Ephesians

believers indulge in drunken

behavior and that Paul found it

necessary to enjoin them not to get

drunk. As was the case with the

Corinthians who were getting drunk

and even using the communion wine as a

means of intoxication. First

Corinthians 1121 through 2-two.

Rather, Paul is charging the

Ephesians and by extension all

Christians not to such intoxicated

behavior to become a habit in their

lives because this would be

considered unwise and foolish

conduct and not properly redeeming

the time as he tells us to do

in verse sixteen.

Now, let me just say this, in some

Greco Roman religions, drunkenness

was encouraged, promoted, and

practiced because they believe that

in an intoxication was the means by

which one could experience ecstasy

and union with a god. This was most

notable in the cult of Downysis.

Dionysis or Bacchus, the god of one in

which members of the cult would

drink themselves into an

intoxicated frenzy and then claim

they were one with Bacchus or

Dionesis. Uh which was absolutely

satanic or demonic. Also,

keep in point and point in mind in the

in the Roman society drinking was

encouraged and habitually

practiced on a large scale. So,

whether Paul's addressing the

Cultic practices of drunkenness and

the worship of a Greek god like

Dionesis Bacchus or he's

prohibiting the practice in general

in a pagan Roman society is neither

here nor there. The prohibition

would apply to both. But I think he's

giving us a general injunction

against becoming drunk.

Becoming and becoming a drunk.

The Greek word for excess here

because Paul says, be not drunk with

wine in which is excess. The Greek

word means the dissipation and

wasting away of the body.

Uncontrolled behavior. rioting,

and wild and outrageous behavior and

conduct. These are the things

destructive characteristics

attached to intoxication or

drunkenness. The word of god tells us

in Galatians five

that drunkenness is a work of the

flesh and it often leads to other sins

of the flesh. A lot of people do

dangerous, stupid, and deadly

things when they're drunk and if

you've been drunk before or

intoxicated, you know that to be

true. Drunkenness can

engender other sins of the flesh like

partying, loose behavior, immodest

clothing, exposure of the body,

sexual thoughts, and immorality,

wickedness, evil, physical abuse,

notions of grandeur, strength, or

power In the Bible does condemn the

drinking of wine or alcohol that

leads to intoxication and we can

extend that to any other type of drug

or narcotic that is taken for the

express purpose of intoxication.

Paul, let me just say this. Paul has

shown a tendency in this passage here

in Ephesians five eighteen.

Prohibiting drunken behavior with

wine. To from the motifs of Jewish

wisdom literature in the word of god

The warning against drunkenness

most likely stems from his continued

use of wisdom themes. No doubt he

probably had Proverbs twenty verse

one in mind which warns wine is a

mocker and strong drink is raging.

Whoever is led astray by them is not

wise. Another proverb that gives a

more description of the dangers of

drunkenness by drinking too much

wine is Proverbs 23 twenty-four to

3four and I'll read that for you here.

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has

strife? Who has complaints? Who has

needless bruises? Who has bloodshot

eyes? Those who linger over wine, who

go to sample bowls of mixed wine. Do

not gaze at wine when it is red when it

sparkles in the cup. When it goes down

smoothly. In the end it bites like a

and poisons like a viper. Your eyes

will see strange sights in your mind.

Imagine confusing things. You will

be like one sleepy on the high seas

lying on top of the rigging. Now, let

me let me hasten to add here.

Scripture does not prohibit the

drinking of wine per se. But it does

condemn the abuse of it leading to

drunkenness. So, if a believer

chooses to have a glass of wine in

moderation, the Bible does not

condemn that. In fact we read in Psalm

one04 14 verses fourteen and fifteen

that god created wine to get to cheer

the heart of man. Now, either

scripture is is contradicting

itself or scripture is condemning

drunkenness but not the moderate

drinking of wine per se and the latter

is obviously the correct

interpretation. Uh also, remember

Paul told Timothy to drink a little

wine to help with a stomach ailment in

first Timothy five 20 Three.

So again, the Bible does not condemn

the drinking of wine per se or these

verses we contradicted. The verses I

just gave you in the book of Psalms and

second Timothy five. It does condemn

the pursuit of drinking alcohol or

wine with the purpose of getting

drunk or intoxicated. Amen.

So, they are not to

the believers not to pursue their

drinking of alcohol or the taking of

drugs in order to drunk, or

intoxicated It's interesting that

both verbs here do not get drunk and be

filled with the spirit. Our present

tense and imply a regular,

repetitive, ongoing practice and

condition that should characterize

believers. So, they should be sober,

not drunk, and they should be filled

with the Holy Spirit. Amen And note

here Paul says that that the drinking

of wine for drunkenness is excess.

That's not real a very definitive

translation of the word in Greek. Uh

the word family of the noun excess

here or dissipation in some of your

translations was used in classical

Greek to mean shamelessness,

dissipation, profligacy, and

debauchery. So Paul is saying do not

be debauched. In the pursuit of

drunkenness by drinking wine in

order to become intox and so the the

the word here dissipation or excess

kick conveys the idea of

debauchery. In the New Testament,

the adverb for this word is used only

in Luke fifteen thirteen. Where it

relates how the prodigal son

squandered all his money in desolate

living. The noun form of this word

occurs three times in Titus one six

where believers are told to select

elders whose children are

believers, not accused of

debauchery. In first Peter four

four, it mentions that those in the

world are surprised that believers

do not join them in their excess of

dissipation or ruination and third,

in the present verse, Ephesians five

eighteen, it has the idea of a

disorderly life resulting from the

lack of self control in the pursuit of

intoxication. Namely, the abuse of

drinking wine. So, then it the excess

participation here in Ephesians

five five 18 refers to people who

waste their resources to gratify

their own sensual desires. They lack

discipline that leads to what?

Excess. The word can literally mean

the word excess or dissipation here

in Ephesians 518 can literally mean

encourageability and you know that a

drunk person lacks understanding

and control. So, in this context,

Paul's prohibition of Ephesians

five eighteen, prohibiting

drunkenness,

instructs believers not to be drunk

with wine which causes

unrestrained, profligate living,

leading only to ruin.

And so, Paul's command does not

indicate that they were to stop a

present practice but not pursue one.

Namely, drunkenness,

intoxication, and so forth and so,

Paul is giving a general prohibition

against believers getting drunk or

intoxicated, right? He is

prohibiting that as do the

scriptures themselves prohibit

such a pursuit of

drunkenness that leads to

intoxication. Uh when you think

about it to begin with, the drunk is

under the control of another force,

namely alcohol And alcohol is a

depressant and he the the drunkard

feels a great sense of release. All

his troubles are gone and he can do

anything possible. This is the

illusion and delusion that he is

under. The drunk is not ashamed to

Is life And so

the word of God is very clear here. We

are not to pursue intoxication or

drunkenness. And there are several

reasons why in scripture. First of

all it ruins your life. Second of all,

it's not becoming of someone who

professes belief in Jesus Christ and

has his spirit living within him. And

another big reason why drunkenness

should be shunned is

drunkenness excludes a person from

the kingdom of god Just as there's no

such thing as a homosexual, born

again Christian, one who practices

homosexuality without repentance.

So, there is no such thing as an

alcoholic Christian who refuses to

repent and continues to get drunk.

Both are oxymoronic. Drunkenness

means to be intoxicated with the

drug, with drink, or drugs.

Drunkenness excludes a person from

the kingdom of god. How do I know that?

First Corinthians 610. Paul says

this, and he lists a vice list of those

who practice such and do not repent of

it will not enter into the kingdom of

god. He says, nor thieves, nor

covetous, nor drunkers,

nor revilers, nor extortioners

shall inherit the kingdom of

god. The taking of drugs in the Greek

is pharmacia. You all know this. This

is basic Greek one oh one, New

Testament, Greek 10one and those who

and and they translated sorcery in

English. So, those who take drugs and

those who drink alcohol to get drunk

will be barred from the kingdom of

god. I refer you to Revelation

twenty where it mentions, see if I can

find it. It's not my notes. It

mentions that people who traffic in

drugs and intoxicants will not

inherit the kingdom of god.

Um I believe it's actually

let's see here. Sorry, it's

Revelation twenty-one eight. But

the cowardly, unbelieving,

abominable, murderous, sexually

immoral, sorcerers, that's not just

people who practice witchcraft but

that's people who take a

or drink something to so they can be

continually intoxicated by it. None

of these shall have their part in the

lake. None of these shall have all of

these shall have part in the lake

which burns with fire. So,

drunkenness, intoxication, on

habitual level can bar you from the

kingdom of god. In other words,

you're not going to heaven. It's it's

just that it's that simple. Uh

drunkenness, another reason why

Christians should follow Paul's

admonition, his prohibition of be

not drunk with wine. Is that drunk and

this leads to other forms of

misbehavior and sin. I'd already

mentioned that earlier. One of the

big sins of the prodigal son was that

he wasted his inheritance on riotous

living. He was in other words, he was

practicing intoxication and which

led to further immorality. Uh

another reason why Christians

should not be drunk with wine is that

drunkenness makes it impossible to

grasp the fleeting opportunities of

time and to use them constructively,

productively, and wisely for the

kingdom of god. We're reminded by

that in Ephesians five sixteen.

Redeeming this, redeeming the time

because the days are evil.

Wherefore, be not unwise but

understanding what the will of the

lord is and be not drunk with wine. So,

that's given in its context. You

know, people want to say that

alcoholism is a disease, that a

person who drinks alcohol and

continues to drink it is is suffering

from a disease. Well, let me ask you

this. If liquor is a disease, if it is,

it is the only disease that is

contracted by an act of the will. Uh it

is the only disease that requires a

license to propagate it. It is it is

the only disease that is bottled and

sold. It is only it is the only disease

that requires outlets to spread it.

It is the only disease that produces a

revenue for the government. It is the

only disease that provokes crime. It

is the only disease that is habit

forming. It is it is only the disease

that is spread by advertising. It is

only the without a germ or virus

causing it and for which there is no

human corrective medicine and it is

the only disease that bars the

patient from heaven. So, I know

that's controversial to say that but

it's true. Nobody is forcing the

drunk. Nobody's forcing to his lips

alcohol or a marijuana cigarette or

a blot of acid, LSD. Nobody's forcing

them to do that. They're doing it

themselves. Um but the good news is

that the delivering power and the

Gospel of Jesus Christ offers hope

for all those who have fallen in the

grip of drunkenness or any other

intoxicant. Let me with you a a

powerful testimony from a former

alcoholic now a renowned Christian

He says this, as a Christian

businessman concluded his business

with a lawyer in Saint Louis some

years ago, he said to the lawyer, I

have often wanted to ask you a

question but I've been a coward. Why

replied the lawyer? I did not think

you were afraid of anything. What is

the question? The man said, why are

you not a Christian. The lawyer hung

his head. He said, is there not

something in the Bible that says no

drunkard shall have any part in the

kingdom of god? Yes, that's true. You

know my weakness, The lawyer went on.

That is not my question, answered the

Christian man back to him. I am asking

you why you are not a Christian.

Well, answered the lawyer. I cannot

recall that anyone ever asked me if I

were a Christian and I am sure Nobody

ever told me how to become one.

Then, the Christian drew his chair

close to the lawyer, read him some

passages from the Bible, and said

simply, let us get down and pray. The

lawyer prayed first saying, oh

Jesus, thou knowest what a slave I am

to drink. Here this morning, thy

servant has shown me the way to god.

Oh, break the power of this habit in my

life. Giving his testimony later.

This formerly alcoholic lawyer

said, write it down big, write it down

plain that god broke that power

instantly. Who was this drunken

lawyer? Why? It was Doctor CI

Schofield, famous editor of the

Schofield reference Bible and

when which our seminary is named

after, CI Schofield was that former

alcoholic whom god deliver by his

power and love for him. Amen. So now

Paul gives us the negative

injunction. Do not be do not

be not drunk with wine in which is

dissipation.

But and he follows with a positive

command but be filled with the

Spirit. IE, the Holy Spirit. Be

filled with the Holy Spirit. Notice

here when he says, but be filled with

the Holy Spirit. This command is in

the present tense in Greek. Which

means that the believer is to be

constantly filled with the Spirit.

He is to keep on being filled. The

spirit's filling is the personal

manifestation and indwelling of

Jesus Christ to and in the believer

who walks obediently day by day. John

fourteen 21. To be filled with the

Spirit is a consciousness of

Christ's presence, his leadership,

his control over your life moment by

moment, minute by minute. And so,

here Paul's commanding us to be

filled with the Holy Spirit. Be

filled with the Spirit is God's

command and he expects us to obey it.

It is a repeated experience. Once a

believer is positionally baptized

into the body of Jesus Christ which

happens the moment he repents and

believes in the Gospel. He is then

baptized or placed into the body of

Christ. Note here when Paul says, be

filled with the Spirit. Uh the

command is also, it's not only in

present tense but it's plural. So, it

applies to all Christians and not

just to a select few. The verb, as I

said, is in the present tense which

could also read, keep on being filled

with the Holy Spirit.

It's an ongoing continuous action

and it's an experience we should

enjoy constantly and not just on

special occasions and I want you to

also note here the verb about filled.

Be filled is passive. It is given in

the passive tense. Meaning that we

can't we can't do it ourselves. We

can't fill ourselves with the Holy

Spirit. It is God who fills us with the

Holy Spirit. We have to be willing and

wanting to be filled with

the Spirit and so let's look at this

word more fully to be filled with the

Holy Spirit, what does that mean?

Well, first of all, be filled with the

Holy Spirit. Uh marks the third

contrast in this section. Um as in

verses fifteen and seventeen, the

negative here is contrasted with the

positive by the adversity

conjunction but but B filled with the

Holy Spirit. The contrast here is not

between wine and the spirit but

between this two states expressed by

the two verbs, being drunk with wine

leads to excess or patient but being

filled by the Spirit leads to joy in

fellowship and obedience to the

commands of the Lord's will. Now, the

term here Spirit in the Paul uses the

term Spirit in Ephesians thirteen

other times for a total of 14 times,

the word spirit is found in the book of

Ephesians and each time it refers to a

spirit outside of a person. So,

that's an argument against the

interpretation that spirit here

means man spirit No, it does not mean

his spirit. It means god, the Holy

Spirit. Uh as I said, each time that

Paul mentions the word Spirit in

Greek here, Panumati, it refers to a

spirit outside of a person. Once it

refers to the spirit of the devil or

his emissaries as in Ephesians two

two, but the other 12 times it refers

to the Spirit of God So then

it is logical to assume that the

spirit here in Ephesians 518 refers

to the Holy Spirit So, the use of wine

is contracted contrasted with

spirit. So, this refers to the Holy

Spirit. We are to be filled with the

Holy Spirit, not the intoxicating

chaotic influence and control of

wine or any other substance that

creates intoxication. We are to be

with the Holy Spirit. In the Bible

filled to be filled means controlled

by In Luke four twenty-eight, we

read, they were filled with wrath.

Means, they were controlled by wrath

and for that reason, tried to kill

Jesus. In Acts 13 4five, we read that

the unbelieving Jews were filled

with envy. That is they were

controlled by envy and opposed the

ministry of Paul and Barnabas. So

then, to be filled with the Holy

Spirit means to be constantly

controlled by the Spirit. In our

mind, emotions, will, and our

actions. Amen. That's what we are to

do. When a person trusts in the Lord

Jesus Christ as a savior, he is then

immediately and positionally

baptized by the Spirit into the body

of Christ. Lot of lot of

misunderstanding in the church

about the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

It is not subsequent to salvation. It

occurs at salvation. When God places

that person by the baptism of the Holy

Spirit into the body of Christ into

the living members of the church.

Nowhere in the New Testament are we

commanded to be baptized by the

Spirit because this is a

once-for-all experience that takes

place at conversion. When the Spirit

came at Pentecost, the believers

were baptized by the Spirit and thus,

the body of Christ was formed. The

birthday of the church occurred with

that. Acts one four through five. But

they were also filled with the Spirit

as we read later in Acts two four. And

it was this that gave them the power

they needed to witness for Christ all

throughout the book of Acts you read

and they were filled with the Holy

Spirit so the filling of the Holy

Spirit is a repeated action in the

life of the believer. Baptism is a

once for all act that happens at

conversion whereby the new born

again believer is placed into the

body of Christ. First Corinthians

twelve 13.

You in Acts chapter two, the Jewish

believers were baptized by the

Spirit and in Acts ten, the Gentile

believers had the same experience

Thus, the body of Christ is made up of

Jews and Gentiles. So, that historic

baptism in two stages has never

repeated, has never been repeated

anymore than Jesus's death on the

cross has been repeated. Uh that the

baptism of the Holy Spirit is made

personal when the sinner trust

Christ and the Spirit enters to make

him a member of the body of Christ. So,

the baptism of this Holy Spirit means

that you and I belong to the church,

the body of Christ. The filling of the

spirit means that my body belongs to

Christ. Thank you very much, Warren

Weirsby for that insight that I just

quoted from him. Uh so, being filled

with the Holy Spirit is

admonition and the command of

the believer. Uh being filled with

the Holy Spirit. Now, there's been an

argument among commentators. Does

Paul say being filled by the Spirit or

is the preposition in? Correct.

Being filled with or in

the Spirit

there are, I think, and I can't, I

won't go into great detail. There are

better reasons, however, for

affirming the popular view that the

Holy Spirit is the content of the

filling, and thus, you are to be

filled with, not necessarily by, but

with the Holy Spirit, the background

of the filling and fullness language

in Ephesians, is, of course, the

Living Temple of God. The background

of the filling and fullness language

in Ephesians is the temple. If you

remember, under the Yeshanah, the

Old Covenant, the temple was filled

with the glory of god. The Shekinah

glory of god as it was called later by

rabbis is coextensive with god's

spirit. Under the New Covenant,

believers have replaced the

physical structure of the temple as

the living, dwelling place of god's

spirit. Ephesians two twenty-two

with first Corinthians 316 and

seventeen and second Corinthians

six sixteen. In Corinthians, Paul

says that the church corporately is

the temple of the living god in which

the Holy Spirit resides and indwells

and he also says that believers

individually are the temple of

God. The Spirit of God thus inhabited

thus indwells and inhabits the lives

of believers. And Paul wants this to

happen in an ever increasing

measure. Hence his command to be

filled with the Spirit. Amen.

To be filled with the Spirit.

And the term filled. We've already

discussed that term that Paul uses

earlier on in Ephesians. Uh it is used

of something which is filled with

content for example to fill

containers or in the possessive. The

house was filled with the fragrance

of the ointment as it is used in John

twelve three. a metaphorically, it

can mean to be filled with

unrighteousness. Romans one

twenty-nine, to be filled can

connote the idea that a man is

completely controlled and stamped

by the powers which fill him. In other

words, the one is fill, the one

that is filled is

one who is filled

by something which characterizes

that which is filling him. Whether it

be fruits of unrighteousness or

righteousness whether it be filled

with alcohol and therefore under the

intoxicating fluence of it or being

filled by the spirit wherein you're

under his rule, his control, and his

prevailing influence, amen? So, it

seems best then to translate be

filled with the spirit instead of by

the Spirit because with the Spirit

shows you, the content the filling.

That is it's the spirit of god himself

filling the life of the believers.

So, the lifestyle of a

spirit-filled Christian means he is

under the controls of god's spirit

living within him. It it is in

contrast to those who are drunk with

wine

as previously mentioned, persons

controlled by alcohol, no longer

control their actions and that's

commonly exhibited when asked to

walk a straight line and they are

unable to do so at the request of a

police officer who has stopped

somebody. He suspects of driving

under the influence

and note here Paul says, be filled.

Again, that's another imperative

and passive verb. So, then the the

imperative mood places the

responsibility on the believers,

the passive voice that this verb be

filled is in suggest that believers

cannot fill themselves. Rather,

believers are to be filled by the

Spirit. The thus believers are

exhorted to be filled repeatedly by

the Holy Spirit no matter where they

are are they are doing. So, every born

again believer will be filled with

the Spirit of God. And it is the Holy

Spirit that we are talking about

here. Uh it's funny

in in the Pauline epistles outside of

Ephesians. The term spirit occurs

132 times.

Although there are few references to

a person's spirit in the scripture or

attitude. Most refer to the Holy

Spirit. Besides the filling by the

Spirit or with the Spirit in

Ephesians one 13 and four thirty,

Paul speaks of the sealing of the

Spirit which serves as a mark of

identity and ownership showing that

the believer belongs to god. Paul

also mentions the sealing ministry

of the Holy Spirit in second

Corinthians one twenty-two, the New

Testament also mentions the

indwelling ministry of the Holy

Spirit as a resource for god's

presence and power. Romans eight

nine through eleven, first

Corinthians 212 and 619, second

Corinthians five five, Galatians

four, six. In first Corinthians

twelve thirteen, the believer is

baptized by the Spirit into the body

of Christ so that every believer is

identified with the one body of

believers in Christ. Furthermore,

every believer is identified and

together and they are enjoined to

walk by the spirit so they will not

fulfill the lust of the flesh. Romans

eight four. So, in examining

passages New Testament including

Ephesians five eighteen To walk by

the Spirit then means to be under his

indwelling control.

And this is not a suggestion. It's in

the imperative. Be filled. It's in

the imperative tense. Meaning, it is

a command the filling of the spirit

here is more than the spirit's

indwelling. Also, it is his

activities Realized in and through

us. Believers are commanded to be

filled with the Holy Spirit so that

they will understand the will of the

Lord and allow God's control of their

lives. Thus, providing enablement

to make the most of every opportunity

rather than succumbing to the

desires of the fallen sinful nature.

That is pursuit of intoxication.

And so believers when they walk in the

spirit, when they allow the Holy

Spirit to take control of their

lives, what happens is then they

please God and the Holy Spirit then

enables them to walk under his

guidance, his control, and his power

all because of what? They are filled

with the Spirit of God. Amen?

They are filled with the Spirit of God

odd. So, we can observe that taking,

that taking, being filled with,

instead of by, with the spirit

as the content of the filling, and

this fits better with the parallel

line of do not get drunk with wine.

Wine is the content, the beverage

that is consumed and that renders one

drunk. By contrary analogy, the

spirit is the content that the

believer takes in, and with which he

or she is filled

and so believers now seeing they are

filled with the presence of god

constitute the new temple.

There is a tendency in the heart of

believers to fill themselves with

idolatry, and sinful practices. All

of which Paul says are senseless or

excess or profligate. By contrast

now, Paul appeals to believers to be

filled with the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

And so, how what are some of the

evidences of a spirit-filled life? I

don't read anything here about

speaking in gibberish. I don't read

anything here about slaying

somebody in the spirit. I don't read

anything here about some sort of

person claiming to be an exclusive

miracle worker. All supposed

evidences of being filled with the

spirit. No. Nothing like that is

here. Rather Paul gives us some some

of. It's not an exhaustive list here

in verse nineteen. He gives some of

the evidences of a spirit-filled

life. Verse nineteen, ready? Here

are the evidence, some of the

evidences. Speaking to one another

in Psalms and hymns, in spiritual

songs, singing and making melody in

your heart to the lord and then, he'll

add another evidence in verse verses

twenty and twenty-one but note here,

the evidence of being filled with the

Spirit is praising and worshiping

god. How about that? Not it's not that

complicated. Praising

And worshiping God which entails

speaking to one another with

spiritual Psalms, hymns, and

songs. Amen. Song so

the people of God who are filled with

His Spirit are so because

they worship God. They have a singing

spirit. Note here that Paul first

uses speak he says spiritual psalms,

hymns, and songs. So the regular

of gathering together with other

believers to worship god and sing

praise to his name is one of the means

or characteristics by which

believers are filled with the spirit

and show that they are filled with the

the Spirit. Uh at this juncture and

starting in verse nineteen, Paul

employs a series of five present

participles to clarify the means by

which believers can be filled with

the Spirit and thus demonstrate they

are filled with the Spirit. These

five key particip words are speaking

Verse nineteen second singing

Also, verse nineteen. Third,

expressing or solving, verse

nineteen, forgiving thanks. Verse

twenty, and five, submitting,

submission, verse twenty-one. So,

all five of these participial

actions are characteristics of a

born again believer is spirit

filled. Amen. A born again believer

who is spirit filled. Note here we are

to sing the Psalms. We are to sing

the Psalms. The manner or means of

communication is by Psalms.

Hymns and spiritual songs. So Spirit

Field Believers are to communicate

to each other through Psalms.

There to do it through Psalms, hymns,

and spiritual songs.

Now, originally, the word Psalm in

the Greek is psalm of It originally

meant plucking as plucking the

string of a bow or the sound of a

stringed instrument.

So, we may surmise from this word

Psalm that the singing of the Psalms

in the church by Spirit -filled

Christians was accompanied by

stringed instruments like a harp.

Now, the New Testament does not

forbid the use of musical

instruments in church. So, the

Church of Christ is in grave error

when they prohibit the use of musical

instruments in the church. The word

Psalm here implies that these Psalms

are to be sung or recited with musical

instruments. Amen? And

so here the the book of Paul's

is is referencing when he says to the

Psalms. Obviously, he's

referencing it to be the Old

Testament Psalms. The Old Testament

Psalms and the two references in

Paul's letters, the word Psalm are

Psalms refers to a communication

through those Psalms. Most likely,

they were the Old Testament Psalms.

So, the New Testament church

followed the Old Testament,

Judaistic practice of singing the

songs, the Psalms, accompany with

string, instruments. Amen?

And so, the book of Psalms is the

psalter, not only a biblical

Judaism, but also New Testament

Christianity, the Book of Psalms is

the official songbook of praise and

worship being rendered unto

the lord. So

we are to praise the Lord in in with the

book reciting the book Psalm the Book

of Psalms. In the Hebrew, it's called

Tahalim. Praises. But this form of

music is to include the 150 songs of

the Hebrew Tahalim, the Book of

Praises, or the Book of Psalms.

That so that we are to utilize the book

of Psalms when we when we speak to one

another in Psalms, hymns, and

spiritual songs. The next term that

Paul uses here that we should use and

sing and speaking to one another as

spiritual Christians to build each

other up and to worship god is the term

him. The term him.

Now, the word in in Hebrew

I'm sorry the the word in Greek is

humois and it was this word was

commonly used of poetic

descriptions of praise to the

various gods and goddesses of Greece

and Rome. The most famous would be the

homeric hymns that you find in

Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. During

the New Testament, there were guilds

of hymn writers. In fact, an

inscription discovered at Ephesus

refers to a guild of hymn writers.

But here Paul is using the word as

songs given to

or delivered to or sung to

the lord. And that he includes

that in this admonition.

Finally, we have the final

expression here of Psalms. Psalms,

hymns, and songs. The word in Greek is

oido. From whence we get the English

word owed. When you sing an ode,

you're singing a a lament or a sad tale

about something and this word

appears numerous times in the

septugent and only seven times in the

New Testament. Uh this is the the word

here the word here for Psalms

is the Greek word for singing a song.

Remember the Book of Revelation

where this now form of the word

appears. We are told five times. That

it or to the elders,

the twenty-four elders who sang a new

song. So, I think we see here that the

apostle Paul uses a combination of

the three terms to command a variety

of forms and musical styles in his

multicultural churches which were

comprised of Jews, singing the

Psalms. In Greeks, hymns and songs

with them as well. So, all all forms

are present. All forms of worship are

present here in with the apostle

Paul. So, we are not only to speak

these we're we're not only speak to

Psalms, hymns, and songs but we are

also we are also to sing them to one

another. These again are evidences

of a born again

spirit spirit-filled life. Amen.

And Paul will go on to tell us in verse

nineteen. Uh he says here speaking to

one another in Psalms, hymns, and

spiritual songs, singing and making

melody in your heart to the lord.

Singing and making melody in your

heart to the lord.

Uh so, this next line repeats some of

the same elements of the first line of

verse nineteen but adds the

importance of heartfelt expression

and points to the lord Jesus Christ.

As the ultimate recipient of this

praise. So, Paul is saying, you are to

sing praises unto the lord

And the the two participle singing or

expressing represent the verbal

forms of the two of the three nouns and

they are functionally equivalent.

Expressions of speaking with songs

and songs and then singing those same

songs in your hearts to the Lord.

Uh so, the singing of praise includes

here something that should come from

your heart. Verse nineteen, Paul

says, singing, expressing Psalms in

your hearts and singing a praise

includes profound heart

involvement. Anybody can sing a hymn

or a praise song in the church and do it

by wrote or repetition and not really

have a heart after the lord. That's

the wrong kind of worship. That's

false formal worship. That god

indicted Israel for in the Old

Testament. We are with our hearts

involved. What is heart here mean?

Well, as we explain in Ephesians 3

seventeen, the heart is the center of

the person. Equivalent to the idea of

the inner self. It includes one's

intellect and his ability to reason

and choose. So, we should worship the

lord with our heart And this worship

is directed to whom? The lord.

Since every occurrence of Lord in

Ephesians has reference to Jesus and

not the father, it is probable that

this singing and praises focused on

Jesus Christ. Another argument for

the deity of the Lord Jesus. Because

you would not worship, Paul would not

command you to worship a mere mortal

here. When he uses the term Lord in the

book of Ephesians, it always refers

to Jesus Christ. And so what he's

telling us then is we are to sing and

express with our whole heart to in

worship to the lord Jesus Christ.

It is relevant to observe that the

passages in Paul's letters that have

been identified as hymns on formal

grounds are all intensely

crystallogical. Meaning, they

sinner on the lord Jesus Christ

praising him for who he is in his

preexistence for his work on the

cross and for all that he will

accomplish. That is found in

Philippians two six through eleven.

Colossians 115 through twenty.

First Timothy three sixteen. So the

focus of our seeing praise and

expressed through the Psalms with

our whole hearts is directed to the

Lord Jesus Christ. And in verse

twenty Paul will also include God the

Father. So here you have a mention

once again in Ephesians of all three

persons of the Trinitarian Godhead.

In verse eight ten, you have a mention

of the Holy Spirit. In in verse

twenty, you have a you have mention of

god the father and then also our lord,

Jesus Christ. So, lord, in verse

nineteen, when we make melody and

sing praise to the lord, verse

nineteen connects that lord with the

lord Jesus Christ of verse twenty.

That's sound grammatical

interpretation of the scripture.

So, Jesus demands our worship and if

we are spirit-filled Christians, we

will then him and the Father and the

Spirit by expressing, by speaking

the Psalms, singing the Psalms,

expressing, singing songs and

hymns. All of this

package of worship and praise being

rendered unto the thrice holy god is

evidence of a Christian who is

spirit filled. So, the so the people

of god who are spiritual are to be

sober. They are not to pursue

intoxication whether from wine, a

marijuana a lot of acid, LSD, a

snorted cocaine. Christians have no

business doing those things. And if

they do them without repentance,

then they're Christian profession

should be rightly questioned.

Because we know according to what

Paul said in first Corinthians six

ten, those who are intoxicated all

the time will not inherit the kingdom

of god. IE drunkards. And so, the

Spirit -filled Christian in

contrast to that is sober. And

He is filled with the Holy Spirit of

God demonstrated by what?

Praise, thankfulness, and

submission to god. We won't be able to

get into the next two

characteristics of thanks and

submission which is in verses twenty

and twenty-one of Ephesians five.

Until next time. Folks, you're

either going to be filled with

something. You're going to be

filled with not-so-good things or

you're going to be filled with good

things. The only way you can stand

before god and be filled with good

things is by being with the Holy

Spirit. How does that happen? The

filling process of the Holy Spirit

which is a repeated action in the Born

Again Believers Life begins with

your salvation. It begins with your

repentance and your faith and trust

in Jesus Christ. God wants to fill you

with the good things of His Spirit

that will blunt, that will override,

that will rule over the ugly

Things of your sinful, fallen,

carnal nature. So, seek to be filled

with god's spirit to be under his

control, his ruling influence, and

that begins with turning from your

sin. And trusting that Jesus Christ

died on Calvary's cross to pay the

penalty for your sins and that he rose

again from death to conquer death on

your behalf to give you eternal life.

When you sincerely and truly do that,

then the Spirit will baptize you,

place you into the body of Christ.

That is his church and then begin to

fill you with his spirit so that you

may walk under his beneficent,

peaceful, edifying, life-giving

control. Amen. Well, until next

time. Shalom, Yeshua. May the peace

of Jesus the Messiah be you.