Ephesians 5:18 Archives - Word of Grace Studies

Mental Control (πίμπλημι)

Mental Control (πίμπλημι) is a type of filling in which the person, or thing, is completely filled up in such a way as to directly influence its direction and activities; therefore, they are dominated by what is filling them.

This is the type of filling used by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost in the upper room in Acts chapter two when the disciples were dominated by Him to speak with other dialects. This is not the Spiritual gift of speaking in tongues, which is a replenishing type of filling; instead, it is an Old Testament type of filling that was for the purpose of showing the Jews a sign from God.

And they were all dominated by the Holy Spirit and began to speak different languages just as the Spirit gave them to declare – Acts 2:4.

The other type of filling, which is to replenish, is also used in the same context in Acts chapter two for how the sound of a mighty rushing wind filled the house with sound as the Holy Spirit came down from heaven, Acts 2:2.

The Spiritual gift of speaking in tongues that was given to the Church as a sign to the unbelieving Jews is a different type of filling from what happened on the day of Pentecost. It is a filling up where lacking, or replenish, and the person being filled in this way maintains mental control over the use of the gift, 1 Corinthians 14:32. On the day of Pentecost the disciples did not have control over what they were speaking; however, concerning the Spiritual gift of speaking in tongues, Christians are instructed to abstain from speaking if they do not have someone who can […]

No savingness (ἀσωτία)

In Ephesians 5:18, the saint is instructed to stop being drunk with wine, in which is no savingness. In many English translations the word “dissipation” is used, meaning the foolishness of using one’s money or time in a way that only seeks pleasure, resulting in these resources being wasted. However, in the original language, it is a negation of the word “save”, which expresses the lack of salvation; not focusing on using one’s time and resources in a preserving manner. Therefore, intoxicated Christians are not able to relate to the things pertaining to salvation; rather, they are wasting their time with foolishness due to seeking after pleasure. Therefore, they are not redeeming the time, Ephesians 5:16. This type of lifestyle is seen in the parable of the prodigal son, who took all his possessions and foolishly squandered them, Luke 15:13.

In Titus, Paul writes concerning the requirements of a Pastor. He is to be a one-woman type of man, meaning only married to one woman, and not have children who are accused of seeking pleasure over the things that relate to salvation, Titus 1:6. These are children who have no discipline in using their time and resources in a proper way and are living a lifestyle following after foolish things.

The things related to salvation impact our conduct. As Christians, we are not to foolishly waste our time with the things the Gentiles go after, for they seek pleasure above all else, living a lifestyle of licentiousness, running after every desire in debauchery and partying. This type of conduct leads to destruction for it does nothing more than waste the resources a person has, bringing upon them ruin. When we start to govern our lives according to […]