The Standard . . .

The Standard . . .

for the fullness of the Spirit has been given to us by the apostle in Ephesians 5:17-21. Jesus Himself has stated powerfully how easily and reliably we can receive the Holy Spirit. Thus this matter should be straightforward. So then we must go on believing and trusting in God’s and the Word’s reliability, with a death-defying resolve that it shall succeed.

“Therefore do not be unwise [fools], but understand what the will of the Lord is.” V. 17. Briefly stated, the apostle thinks that we are fools if we do not understand that the following words are the Lord’s will: “Be filled with the Spirit [we have to see to it ourselves!!!] so that you [so much so that you] speak to one another in psalms [solemn songs] and hymns and spiritual songs [the height of joyfulness, spiritual gaiety], singing and playing [child-like innocence] gracefully in your heart to the Lord.”

Therefore: Be filled with the Holy Spirit to such an extent that the blessedness becomes so overwhelmingly great that we feel it is far too dry to speak to each other in the usual prose as we normally do—that we would rather sing what we had to say to each other in daily life, with various melodies from the most solemn to the most light-hearted, all according to the context of what you want to say.

Of course there is a great blessedness that comes with being filled with the Spirit, and the will of the Lord with regard to the extent of our blessedness is described in the following verse: “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father.”

Great blessedness produces much thankfulness and unceasing songs of thanksgiving.

As long as this is not the case in our life, as long as it does not overflow with blessedness, as long as rivers of living water do not flow from our life, it is absolutely certain that we do not have a sufficient fullness of the Holy Spirit.

The apostle says that we are fools if we do not realize this; but if we do realize it and do not see to it that we become like that, then we are even greater fools. Let us be finished with such foolishness, and let there be no lack of the fullness of the Spirit in our daily life!

Verse 21 states the third goal of being filled with the Spirit: “Submitting to one another in the fear of God.”

This is an especially well-chosen threefold standard that the wise apostle has given us here. Point #3 is also an excellent standard for the fullness of the Spirit. Oh, how stiff and stubborn and contentious and self-confident, even inflexible and obstinate every soul is by nature—the one worse than the next!!!

One of the very worst things, or simply put, the worst thing of all that you can suggest to the natural man is that he submit to another person. If need be, the natural man could submit to God because he usually thinks that in any case, He is greater than himself. But to submit to another person from the heart is something terrible!

It really takes an immense fullness of the Spirit at all times to be able to submit with joy and songs of praise in every situation, easily and quickly, being far from uttering a discordant sound, not only outwardly but even in the heart, in the hidden, in harmony with verse 19: “Playing gracefully in your heart to the Lord.”

While submitting to another person, you can quite easily play at being a so-called “snake charmer” (acrobat), or you could even play at being a “weasel.”

However, the fact of the matter is that in many instances it is not fitting, it is not appropriate to come singing and praising. Then you have to restrain yourself—deny yourself—and refrain from singing praises. But you could still continue to sing and play and give thanks in your heart, in the hidden, and reflect it in your eyes.

On the other hand, all submission is always shown openly. Just as the rubbing on of ointment for arthritis is meant to soften up a person’s stiff joints, so a fullness of the Spirit unquestionably and without exception, always softens an obstinate, headstrong, conceited person. Glory to God!

When a person is thus exceedingly blessed and thankful and flexible, on a regular basis, he is suitably filled with the Spirit as far as his personal life is concerned. If not, he needs a greater fullness.

May everyone make sure that he is filled with the above-mentioned full measure of the Spirit that Paul has indicated. Amen.