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decaying tissue of dead plants. Such are nature's pictures of the unfruitful works of
darkness. Darkness and death and unfruitfulness are all in the passage before us:--
"Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light"
(Eph. 5: 14).
The third walk is called "circumspect". Akribos is possibly derived from eis akron
benai = "going up to the summit" of a hill, and generally carries with it the thought of
accuracy and exactness, e.g.:--
Akribeia = "Taught according to the perfect manner" (Acts 22: 3).
Akribestatos = "The straitest sect" (Acts 26: 5).
Akribesteros = "The way of God more accurately" (Acts 18: 26).
Josephus speaks of the Pharisees as:--
"The sect . . . . . who are thought to excel others in their exactness about their national
institutions" (Life 38).
There can be no doubt from the above usage of the word what Paul intends to teach in
Eph. 5: 15. Grace does not mean laxity or lack of diligence. The same word that
describes the zeal for accuracy of the formalist under the law, describes that consecrated
zeal which moved Aquila and Priscilla in their endeavours to lead Apollos into the fuller
light, and should characterize those of us who have received such a calling as is revealed
in Ephesians. The pathway for the saint leads through dark and slippery places.
Uncleanness and defilement lie all around, and while there is the blessed provision in
Christ for uncleanness contracted in the pilgrim way, we are solemnly warned of the
danger of voluntarily entering into any of these things from which redemption has set us
free. We have been delivered from the authority of darkness and have been translated
into the kingdom of His dear Son. We are therefore enjoined to walk accurately,
remembering the pit from which we have been delivered.
This is the last of the seven occurrences of the word "walk" in Ephesians. The first in
the practical section says "walk worthy"; the last says "walk accurately". The first says
"with all lowliness"; the last "with wisdom". Once again the parallel epistle to the
Colossians will provide confirmation. Ephesians says:--
"Walk worthy . . . . . walk accurately as wise . . . . . be not unwise, but understanding
what the will of the Lord is . . . . . be filled with the Spirit."
Colossians says:--
"That ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding: that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful"
(Col. 1: 9, 10).
"Redeeming the time."--Exagorazo means "to buy out of the market" with the
meaning of our English "forestall" implied. Forestall means to buy a thing before it is