“Look therefore carefully how ye walk.” Satan is constantly busy putting dangerous obstacles in our path, and too often we fail to be careful enough to watch where our steps are taking us. “The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13: 12-14). It is foolish to neglect the instructions about how and where we are to walk, and as we walk, to do so with great care. “Finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye do walk, -- that ye abound more and more.” (I Thessalonians 4: 1)

“(Walk) Not as unwise, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil.” God gave us the ability to “think” and “reason” and when we fail to use wisdom in the choices of our daily walk, then we find ourselves suffering the consequences from such foolish decisions. “For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore over you: but I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil.” (Romans 16:19). “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” (Colossians 4: 5). To redeem the time is to make absolutely certain that you are “buying up the opportunity”. Are you and I foolishly letting opportunities pass which we should be taking advantage of? “And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith.” (Galatians 6: 9-10).

“Be ye not foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.” When God’s people fail to develop maturity in their knowledge and understanding of the Word of God, then they have made just about the most foolish choice which you can make in life. By choice, they have made themselves vulnerable to every deceiver who would use them for their selfish and destructive purposes. The Lord has provided every opportunity for us to know His will, and to be completely furnished unto every good work, and yet we far too often refuse to take advantage of the many wonderful spiritual blessings which are to be found in Jesus Christ! “Let no man deceive you with empty words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them; For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),” (Ephesians 5: 6-9). When we are warned by God not to give ourselves to such foolish choices, we had better be certain that we wake up and listen! “Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin:” (Hebrews 3: 12-13). There is tremendous danger in being foolish. To avoid that, we must “look carefully how we walk”, “use wisdom in redeeming the time”, and “understand what the will of the Lord is”.

By Dennis L. Reed

Return to the General Articles page

Home / Bible studies / Bible Survey / Special Studies / General Articles / Non-Bible Articles / Sermons / Sermon Outlines / Links / Questions and Answers / What Saith The Scriptures /Daily Devotional / Correspondence Courses / What is the Church of Christ / Book: Christian Growth / Website Policy / E-mail / About Me /