Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 716
Delivered on Sunday Evening, October 7, 1866
Ephesians 5:14.
WE have not time this evening to enter into the question as to where this quotation came from. There does not appear to be one exactly like it in the compass of the Old Testament—but we must remember that the Apostle very frequently quotes the spirit of texts rather than the words of them. In the eighth and in the tenth chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews we find him quoting the same passage, but not in the same words, showing us that he, as an inspired man, felt himself able to deal rather with the spirit of a passage than with the precise words of it. There may, therefore, be no such passage in the Old Testament verbally, but as there are several which have the spirit of the exhortation, Paul was justified in saying, “God has said so-and-so.”
Besides, the passage may not be a quotation at all. The Apostle may mean to say that Christ said that to him, or that Christ said that by him—that Christ intended, even then, while he was handling the pen and writing, to say the words which he then wrote—“He said so-and-so.” We have no time, however, to go into that matter. It is a more important question, perhaps—To whom is this text addressed? Nine times out of ten when it is preached, it is taken as though it were addressed to the ungodly. It is a very proper text to address to the ungodly, but I do not see that the connection permits it.
There are some who would think it altogether unscriptural and unsound to address these words to those who have no spiritual life. We are not of their number. If we see a man ever so deadly asleep we believe we are commissioned by God to preach the Gospel to him, and to say, “Awake, you who sleeps,” and though more and more persuaded of the need of moral sensibility in man and the desperate character of his depravity, we are not among those who fear to preach to dead sinners, but dare to say, even to the dead, “Thus says the Lord, You dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord, You dry bones, live!” We can, therefore, very well take this text and address it to the ungodly.
But this is not intended to be a sermon to the unconverted. It appears to me to have been addressed to the Church of God at Ephesus—to have been the language of Paul to God’s own people—warning them not to fall into the same habits as did the children of darkness, but to come out and show themselves to be God’s people. I know the objection will be raised that they are told to come forth from the dead. But I do not see that that is any obstacle at all, for albeit that the people of God may not be spiritually dead in the sense in which the ungodly are, yet how often do we speak of ourselves as feeling as if we were dead? How often do we speak of our graces and of our piety as though they were come into a cold and dead state?
It is comparative death that the Apostle here means. We may use the words employed here as we would use them in common conversation and say that though there are some quivers of spiritual life in the breast of every Believer, yet there are multitudes who are outwardly dead as to their usefulness! And there are Christians and Churches, too, of whom we may say, without at all libeling them, “You are dead, awake you that sleep.” Whatever objection there may be to addressing the text to the converted, there will be far more difficulty in addressing it to the unconverted, and I think there ought to be no hesitation in directing it to either.
To raise difficulties is very easy, but meekly to try to learn what the Savior would say is far better. I intend tonight, then, to use the text to you Christians, you Church members, you professors. The first thing we shall discuss is the state of mind into which many Christians get. Secondly, what Christ has to say to them about this state, namely, “Awake, and arise from the dead.” And then, thirdly, the gracious promise with which we are encouraged to make the effort. “Christ shall give you light.”
I. First, then, let us notice THE STATE OF MIND INTO WHICH A CHRISTIAN MAY SOMETIMES GET. The state of mind into which a genuine Christian may fall, and, if a genuine Christian, much more a spurious one—he may be asleep, and, in a modified sense, even dead. Let me begin describing this state of mind by mentioning the insidious character of it. A Christian may be asleep and not know it! Indeed, if he did know it he would not be asleep! It is a part of sleep for men to be in an unconscious state, and when a Christian begins to slumber, perhaps he dreams that he is rich and increased in goods. But he is not at all likely to take up a lamentation to himself, and say, “I am asleep,” for if a man could say, “I am asleep,” I think it would he pretty tolerable evidence that he was awake—and the fear of being asleep, the very dread of being asleep—would be proof, at any rate, of some degree of wakefulness.