B17.02.89.htm

BUYING OUT THE OPPORTUNE TIME.

"So keep strict watch that how you walk is not as unwise but as wise persons, buying out the opportune time for yourselves, because the days are wicked. On this account cease becoming unreasonable, but go on perceiving what the Will of Jehovah is." (Eph 5:15-17).

BUYING OUT THE OPPORTUNE TIME FOR WHAT?
Verse 17 gives the answer: "On this account cease becoming unreasonable, but go on perceiving what the Will of Jehovah is." The expressions "buying out" and "opportune time" are important here, so let us analyse their meaning. In this context the word 'buy' means: To obtain in exchange for something else, or by making some sacrifice. To redeem, ransom. It means to exchange one's sinful behaviour for righteous behaviour.

The teaching from our Lord through the apostle Paul is that it is wise to reason upon one's conduct in these days, for they are days in which wickedness is a predominant feature in most people's lives. And after we have acquired accurate knowledge of the Will of God, we are then in a position to offer up to Him our personal spirit sacrifices. These sacrifices are spirit readjustments according to His Holy Will. (Rom 12:1,2).

As wicked ones try to salve the last vestige of their consciences by warring against God with specious arguments in favour of sinful perversion, the wickedness of this present system is revealed. (Eph 5:6,7). Feeling no regret, they work toward the goal of public acceptance of their self-destructive behaviour. (Rom 1:18-32). The converse of this is that we perceive and live in accordance with the requirements of the Divine Will as described in Ephesians chapters 5 and 6.

To name but a few of these requirements: We must not be "getting drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery", but "getting filled with [the] Spirit", speaking to one another with "psalms and praises to God and spiritual songs", giving thanks to Jehovah in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (5:18-20). We must be "subject to one another out of reverence for Christ." (5:21 NEB). Wives must be in subjection to their husbands as their head, just as the congregation is subject to The Christ as its head. Husbands must love their wives, just as Christ loved the congregation and delivered himself up for it. (5:22-33). By our obedience to these instructions and other necessary spirit readjustments in order to gain personal increase in accordance with the Will of God, we are "buying out the opportune time" for ourselves in these wicked days. Consequently, we are remaining within the spiritual boundaries of God and being redeemed from the everlasting punishments reserved for the wicked. By this means one puts on the "the complete suit of armour from God that you may be able to stand firm against the machinations of the devil". (6:11).

Of primary importance is to "take hold of the skirt of a man who is a (spiritual) Jew" of the anointed congregation of God, as these are of the Spirit "body" of The Christ and number 144,000. (Zech 8:23). Some have already lived and died in each of the generations that have passed since The Christ was on earth. They are described in scripture as Ar'i.el "the altar hearth of God", who in nearing the end of this wicked system would become "so low that [they] will speak from the very earth, and as from the dust [their] saying will sound low." (See Isaiah 29:1-6). The destiny of all those who by their spirit warring made things "tight" for anointed temple servants of the "altar hearth of God" is described in Isaiah 29:7-16. They will awake as if from a dream, their souls empty and dried out!

17/2/89.