The Strand Study Bible
Written From Rome During Paul’s First Roman Imprisonment EPHESIANS The subject ( ye ) receives the action ( must continually be filled with [the] Spirit ); it does not produce the action. Meaning: The SPIRIT does the filling. Our job is to simply yield. NOTE - According to the Bible, there are five different ways to become SPIRIT -filled: (1) Yield to the Word of God (Prov 1:23, Acts 10:44-45 & 11:15 & 15:7-8 and I Sam 10:5-6,10 & 19:20-24); (2) Pray for power (Lk 11:13 & 24:49 and Acts 1:14 & 2:1-4); (3) Get others to pray for you to receive power (Acts 8:15,25 & 19:6 and II Tim 1:6); (4) Listen to Spirit-filled music (II Ki 3:14-15); and (5) Praise God (Lk 1:64-67). NOTE – Although there are some well-meaning and sincere believers that have been lead to believe that speaking in tongues is a visible evidence of being SPIRIT -filled, it is not. A close examination of the only two verses that are used to prove this teaching will reveal just the opposite ( Acts 10:44-46 & 19:6 and I Cor 12:30 ). 5:19 Both words ( psalms and making melody ) come from the same Greek word MDOPοL9 ( psalmous ), which means “ to twitch, to twang, to play a stringed instrument with the fingers, and hence, in the Septuagint, to sing with a harp .” Unlike some religious movements, which forbid their people to sing songs in church accompanied by musical instruments, we are urged by Paul here to “ make melody ,” that is, to sing with musical instruments. Musical instruments are used in Heaven (I Cor 15:51-52 and I Thes 4:16); they were used in the Old Testament (Psalms); and they should continue to be used today within our New Testament local churches. NOTE – One religious movement in particular, which promotes “baptismal regeneration” as well as forbidding their people to sing songs in church accompanied by musical instruments, has its roots in the Stone-Campbell “baptismal regeneration” Movement that took place back in the 1830’s. Its first leaders (Walter Scott, Alexander Campbell, and Barton W. Stone) were Presbyterian in doctrine and so were “Calvinistic” in theology. In fact, Alexander Campbell still believed the Reformed “doctrine of election” in 1817, and his father, Thomas, was still willing to call himself a “Calvinist” in 1828. However, eventually they all came to reject their “Calvinistic” roots; Scott in favor of an evangelistic agenda that called for a response of faith; Campbell in the light of his definition of faith; and Stone in the context of his revivalism. Professor John Mark Hicks summed up the Stone-Campbell “baptismal regeneration” Movement (which eventually led to the Disciples of Christ , Church of Christ and United Pentecostal movements) in Mediating the War between Arminians and Calvinists on Election and Security: A Stone-Campbell Perspective . He notes: Their main issue with Calvinism was the nature of assurance. Because both Stone and Campbell had spent time on the proverbial mourner’s bench waiting for some special sign of their election, they rebelled against any notion that people should wait for an inward work of the Spirit before they secured their assurance through trusting in Christ. Scott inaugurated a method of invitation (“Arise and be baptized for the remission of sins” instead of “praying through” on the mourner’s bench) that accentuated the active role of faith in the conversion moment. The Stone-Campbell Movement rejected Calvinism primarily because it did not provide assurance and left people who believed in Christ waiting at the mourner’s bench for God’s special call. Instead they called penitent believers to be immersed for the remission of sins and to rest assured in the grace of God’s work in Christ which baptism pledged to them. 4 It was during this time that the “ baptismal regeneration ” Movement took off in America, which believes baptism is a part of salvation. It is not ( Mk 16:16 , Acts 2:38 & 22:16 , I Cor 1:17 , I Pet 3:20-21 , Titus 3:5 , Mk 1:4 a,b and Jn 3:5 ). 5:20 What Paul is describing here is what it looks like to be filled with the SPIRIT . If we are filled with the SPIRIT , our hearts will be full of gratitude ( Giving thanks always ), always and for everything (Acts 16:22-25). Again, this is a description of a SPIRIT -filled believer. So the question is, “Does this describe you? If not, why not?” The reason we are to be grateful is because, as believers, we are to view life and everything attached to it as part of God’s plan. It’s not that we see everything that happens to us as good; it’s that we see God’s hand in everything, and we’re thankful that He’s in control. NOTE – There are three reasons why we are not as grateful as we should be: 1. We’re arrogant C.J. Mahaney in Humility: True Greatness notes: An ungrateful person is a proud person. If I’m ungrateful, I’m arrogant. And if I’m arrogant, I need to remember God doesn’t sympathize with me in that arrogance; He is opposed to the proud. 5 2. We’re ignorant The more ignorant we are biblically, the more ungrateful we are outwardly (Colo 3:16-17). 3. We’re carnal; we lack perspective Because our perspective as humans is limited, as well as flawed, we don’t always see God’s blessings as blessings. WARNING: God responds to ingratitude by giving us something to be ungrateful for (Num 21:1-9 and Mt 25:24 -30). The reason God responds so harshly to our ungratefulness is because at the root of ingratitude is pride. 1 Beard, Spencer. Lies of Lust , Kindle eBook. 2014. Web. 2 John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary , USA, Scripture Press Pub, 1983. Print. 3 Evans, Tony. The Fire that Ignites , Sisters, OR, Multnomah Pub. 2003. Print. 4 Hicks, John Mark. “Mediating the War between Arminians and Calvinists on Election and Security: A Stone-Campbell Perspective.” Stone- Campbell Journal 6 Fall, 2003 163-184. Web. 20 Apr 2009.
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