Speaking, Singing and Thanking – Fruit of Being Filled With the Spirit
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:18-20 (NIV)
Paul has already told his readers that they have been ‘sealed’ with the Holy Spirit (1:13) and that they must not ‘grieve’ the Spirit (4:30). Now he tells them to ‘be filled with the Spirit’ (5:18). Grammatically, this section has two imperatives (the commands not to get drunk but to be Spirit-filled) followed by four present participles – speaking, singing, thanking and submitting.
We begin with the first three. Each is a beneficial result from being filled with the Spirit.
Fellowship: ‘speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit’ (5:19a)
This does not mean we only sing to each other and don’t talk. Paul is picturing Christian fellowship. The reference to ‘psalms, hymns, and songs’ (which are not easily distinguishable although the first word implies musical accompaniment) shows that the context is public worship. Separating hymns from spiritual songs is especially difficult but we know that psalms included not only the psalms in the Old Testament, but songs from New Testament times that were in the spirit and manner of the old psalms (Luke 1:46-55, 68-79; 2:29-32). When the early Christians gathered together they sang, both to God and to each other. A number of the Old Testament Psalms were sung for mutual edification as are many contemporary songs sung in Christian gatherings.
Worship: ‘Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord’ (5:19b)
Here the singing is not ‘to one another’ but ‘to the Lord.’ It is ‘from’ the ‘heart.’ Paul’s expression can mean ‘with’ the heart or ‘from’ the heart. Authentic worship has an indispensable, inward authenticity.
Thankfulness: ‘always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (5:20)
Paul consistently called upon Christians to be thankful (5:4; Colossians 3:17) and modelled thankfulness before them (1:16; Colossians 1:3). Giving thanks ‘for everything’ goes hand in hand with a trust that God can bring the best out of the worst situations, whether in the short or long term. Paul expressed thankfulness for his own weaknesses, afflictions and persecutions (2 Corinthians 11:18ff; 12:5-10). ‘God the Father’ is the source of all blessing but every blessing comes to us through Christ. Our thanksgiving is rightly then ‘in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.’
Neither be drunk with wine, which is rebellion; instead be filled with the fullness of the Holy Spirit. And your hearts will overflow with a joyful song to the Lord Jehovah. Keep speaking to each other with words of Scripture, singing the Psalms with praises and spontaneous songs given by the Spirit. Always give thanks to Father God for every person he brings into your life in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephesians 5:18 (The Passion Translation)