Redeem the Time
“[15] See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, [16] Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. [17] Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. [18] And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” – Ephesians 5:15-18
“[5] Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. [6] Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” – Colossians 4:5-6
When you trust the gospel of Christ (Romans 3:21-26, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Titus 3:3-7), you are eternally secure. You are saved the moment you believe (Romans 4:4-5, 24-25, Ephesians 1:13-14). You are bought with a price, by the blood of Jesus Christ, and your life is no longer yours but His (Galatians 2:20, 1 Corinthians 6:20).
You have been made free from the bondage of sin and death; you have been given abundant life. The time we have been given in Christ is an absolute gift, a precious commodity. Just as Christ has redeemed us from sin, we are instructed to redeem the time that we are given because the days are evil and our time is limited.
Redeeming the time requires that we liberate it from the bondage of sin. When we consider the time we spend throughout the day, the week, or the month, are we using that time to do the Lord’s will or to please ourselves? Do we work for the weekend, a fun experience, or the next vacation, or are we seeking ways to use our time, money, and resources to see souls saved and saints edified?
While redeeming the time is important, we must ensure that we redeem it properly. If you spin your wheels doing things with the intention of serving God, without knowing what He would first have you do, it’s vanity. That is why we must walk circumspectly as the above passage states.
Walking circumspectly means being watchful on all sides, and looking around before taking a step. This sort of intentional walking requires that we first know what we’re looking around for, so that we step in the right direction.
We redeem the time and walk circumspectly by first knowing and then doing the will of the Lord. God’s will is not what house you should buy, what job you should take, or something “you have a peace about.” All those circumstantial suppositions are someone’s heart desire falsely dressed up in “the will of the Lord.” They’re unscriptural and as Ephesians 5:17 states, unwise.
Fortunately, if you don’t know what God’s will is for your life, the Bible is abundantly clear on what it is. In fact, the Bible states that the mystery of His will has been made known, which eliminates the guesswork entirely (Ephesians 1:9-10)!
See all people saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3-4)
Your sanctification and abstinence from fornication (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4)
Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
When we fill ourselves with the knowledge of God’s will, who we are in Christ, and what He wants us to do in His body, we are filled with the Spirit. We are transformed as we learn, grow, and redeem the time that we’re given, which produces spiritual fruit and renews our mind from the deceit of the world that never satisfies us (Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 5:16-18, 6:7-9).
Let us not seek to please ourselves and our flesh with wine, money, entertainment and experiences, which are vain and fill us with sorrow, despair, greed, confusion, vanity, lust, etc… Rather, let us seek to do the Lord’s will which allows us to abound in Christ and rest in the unspeakable peace and joy through the Holy Spirit (Colossians 2:7, 1 Thessalonians 3:12, 4:1-2, Philippians 1:9-11, 2 Timothy 1:4).
