The Flow of Paul’s Command In Ephesians 5

Paul’s phrase, commonly translated “making the best use of the time” or more literally “buying out the time,” appears in a tightly reasoned exhortation: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, buying out the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15–16). The command is not a stand-alone productivity maxim. It is part of a call to live as children of light in contrast with the darkness of the wicked world (Ephesians 5:8–14). Paul is not urging frantic busyness; he is commanding wise, holy living that recognizes moral urgency.

The immediate context explains the tone. Paul has already described the moral filth of the Gentile world and commanded Christians not to walk as the nations walk, with darkened understanding and hardened hearts (Ephesians 4:17–19). He has instructed believers to put off the old personality and put on the new, created according to God’s righteousness and loyalty (Ephesians 4:22–24). He has prohibited sexual immorality, greed, obscene talk, and participation in the works of darkness (Ephesians 5:3–12). Therefore, when he says “buying out the time,” he means that Christians must treat their allotted life and their opportunities for obedience as precious, not cheap, because the surrounding environment is hostile to holiness.

What The Idiom Means: “To Redeem” In A Practical Sense

The underlying Greek expression uses a verb that can carry the idea of redeeming or buying something out of a marketplace. When Paul applies that verb to “the time,” he is using a vivid picture: time and opportunity are like a valuable commodity, and the wise believer acts decisively to secure it for righteous use rather than letting it be squandered or stolen by sinful distractions.

This fits well with the gloss you provided: an idiom that communicates intensity and urgency, “to work urgently, to redeem the time.” In Ephesians 5, Paul is not teaching salvation by time management. He is teaching wisdom under moral pressure. He is saying that the believer must seize the moments God gives for obedience, worship, service, and witness. Time passes, opportunities close, and evil influences press constantly. Therefore, the Christian life must not drift.

“Time” As Opportunity, Not Merely Minutes

Paul’s word choice points to time as a season or opportune moment, not only as ticking minutes. Scripture often distinguishes between time as chronological sequence and time as decisive opportunity. Paul’s statement “because the days are evil” shows he is thinking about the moral character of the present age. The believer lives in an environment shaped by Satan’s influence, human sin, and cultural corruption (Ephesians 2:1–3). That reality creates urgency, because it is easy to be shaped by the world without noticing.

Therefore, “buying out the time” means actively turning one’s life toward what honors God, not passively letting the world assign priorities. It means recognizing that you may not get unlimited chances to encourage a believer, to reconcile a relationship, to speak the gospel, to resist temptation, or to grow in Scripture. Wisdom does not assume tomorrow will be easier or more available than today (James 4:13–15). The wise believer acts now in obedience.

Why Paul Adds, “Because the Days Are Evil”

Paul grounds the command in a sober assessment: “the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). He is not saying every moment is equally bad, or that there is no goodness left in the world. He is saying the present age is characterized by moral danger. Evil days pressure believers toward compromise through temptation, fear of people, love of pleasure, and spiritual laziness.

The Bible frequently describes this world as opposed to God. John warns not to love the world’s sinful desires and pride because they do not come from the Father (1 John 2:15–17). Paul teaches that evil spiritual forces seek to deceive and harm, requiring believers to stand firm with spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:10–18). Because of that reality, opportunity must be seized with intention. If a believer does not “buy out” time for prayer, Scripture, and obedience, the world will gladly fill his schedule with distractions that dull spiritual appetite and weaken resolve.

Buying Out the Time Without Becoming Anxious Or Mechanical

Paul’s command does not support anxious striving. He immediately connects wise walking with understanding the Lord’s will: “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17). The goal is not mere efficiency; it is obedience. The wise believer seeks to know what pleases the Lord and then structures life around that knowledge.

Paul continues by prohibiting drunkenness and commanding being “filled” in a way that expresses itself through worship, gratitude, and mutual submission (Ephesians 5:18–21). That sequence shows what redeeming the time looks like: not intoxication, not dissipation, not careless living, but a life shaped by worship, thanksgiving, and relationships ordered under Christ.

The wise believer therefore buys out the time by refusing patterns that waste life and by embracing habits that strengthen obedience. This includes saying “no” to sin, “no” to corrupt entertainment, “no” to friendships that pull the heart away from God, and “no” to chronic laziness. Scripture’s wisdom literature repeatedly warns that laziness leads to poverty and ruin (Proverbs 6:6–11). The New Testament calls believers to alertness and self-control (1 Thessalonians 5:6–8). Paul’s phrase belongs to that moral framework.

Concrete Ways Scripture Describes Redeeming Time

Paul elsewhere commands believers to use their time and speech intentionally: “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person” (Colossians 4:6). He also uses the same “redeeming” idea in connection with wise conduct toward outsiders, which again emphasizes opportunity for witness and godly influence (Colossians 4:5). Redeeming time includes refusing pointless arguments and instead investing energy in what builds faith and communicates truth (2 Timothy 2:23–26).

Scripture also connects wise use of time with diligence in knowing God’s Word. The blessed man meditates on God’s law day and night, bearing fruit in season (Psalm 1:1–3). Jesus says His true disciples remain in His word (John 8:31). Paul tells Timothy to make every effort to present himself approved, correctly handling the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). These passages do not demand constant study at the expense of responsibilities, but they do demand that God’s Word receive prime attention rather than leftover scraps.

Redeeming time also includes prioritizing fellowship and mutual encouragement. Christians are commanded to build one another up, to stir one another to love and good works, and to teach and admonish one another with psalms and spiritual songs (Hebrews 10:24–25; Colossians 3:16). A believer who isolates himself is more vulnerable to temptation and discouragement. Buying out the time means investing in relationships that strengthen faith.

Redeeming Time As A Moral Act Of Worship

In Ephesians, walking wisely is a form of worship. Paul has already said believers are created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand for them to walk in (Ephesians 2:10). Therefore, when a believer buys out the time, he is not merely “being productive.” He is treating life as stewardship under God. He is acknowledging that every day is a gift from Jehovah and that every opportunity can be directed toward what honors Him (Psalm 90:12).

This also brings clarity to motivation. The Christian does not redeem time to earn salvation. Salvation is grounded in God’s grace expressed through Christ’s sacrifice (Ephesians 2:8–9). The believer redeems time because he has been saved to serve, to grow, and to honor God with a transformed life (Ephesians 2:10). Obedience is the path of the saved, not the price of salvation.

The Urgency Of Youth And The Wisdom Of Early Habits

For a younger Christian, Paul’s command has special relevance. Youth is often filled with strong desires, shifting interests, and heavy peer pressure. Scripture speaks directly to this: “Flee youthful desires and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace” (2 Timothy 2:22). Redeeming time in youth means forming habits early that make holiness more natural: daily Scripture intake, regular prayer, careful choice of friends, disciplined use of media, and consistent involvement in congregation life.

This is not about squeezing every minute. It is about refusing to let the evil days shape you without resistance. It is about choosing Christ’s priorities when the world offers easier substitutes. The evil days will gladly sell you distractions; the wise believer buys out the opportunity to obey God instead.

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