How Can You Keep Redeeming the Time in a Wicked Age?

The Urgency of Ephesians 5:16

Ephesians 5:16 stands in the middle of a forceful exhortation about how Christians are to walk in a corrupt world. The apostle Paul is not discussing a minor matter of personal efficiency, as though this verse were merely about better scheduling, improved productivity, or clever life management. He is addressing the moral and spiritual stewardship of one’s life before God. In Ephesians 5:15-17, Paul urges believers to walk carefully, not as unwise persons but as wise, “making the best use of the time,” because the days are evil. The meaning is plain. Time is not a neutral commodity. It is a field of opportunity placed before a Christian by Jehovah. Every day arrives burdened with responsibility, danger, temptation, and openings for faithfulness. The evil character of the age does not lessen the Christian’s duty; it intensifies it. Since the surrounding world is dark, deceptive, and under wicked influence, the believer must not drift. He must seize the season before him and use it in a way that honors God.

The command in Ephesians 5:16 is tied directly to the call to careful walking. A careless life always wastes time because it wastes purpose. A man who is spiritually asleep may fill his hours with activity and still squander his life. He may work, speak, travel, consume media, engage in endless distractions, and remain barren in the things that matter before Jehovah. Scripture repeatedly teaches that the value of a life is not measured by movement but by obedience. Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” That prayer does not ask for longer days but for wiser hearts. Wisdom sees life as accountable before God. Wisdom knows that every hour belongs to the Creator and must be used in submission to Him. Therefore, Ephesians 5:16 calls the Christian to deliberate living in full awareness that this present world system is hostile to righteousness and designed to consume attention, dull conviction, and scatter the mind.

The evil of the days includes open wickedness, but it also includes subtle corruption. A Christian can lose much time not only through gross sin but through spiritual neglect, self-absorption, empty amusement, idle talk, misplaced priorities, and thoughtless habits. The devil does not need every person to become openly immoral in order to neutralize him; he only needs him to become distracted, spiritually lazy, and inwardly divided. That is why Ephesians 5:16 must be read as a call to spiritual vigilance. The believer must recognize that the present age is not a friend to holiness. It is constantly pressing men and women into conformity with values that oppose God. Romans 12:2 commands Christians not to be fashioned according to this system of things, but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. That renewal does not happen automatically. It comes through ongoing submission to the truth of God’s Word, serious prayer, disciplined thought, and faithful obedience.

What Does It Mean to Redeem the Time?

The idea of redeeming the time carries the sense of buying up an opportunity, seizing it from loss, and putting it to its proper use. Paul is not teaching that a person can recover yesterday, reverse past foolishness, or literally purchase more time. The point is that opportunities are present now, and they must not be left unused. Life moves quickly, and each season carries duties that may not return in the same form. Youth presents one set of responsibilities, adulthood another, old age another. Times of strength, suffering, stability, family life, singleness, health, and hardship all bring particular opportunities for obedience. A wise Christian asks not merely, “What do I want to do next?” but “What does Jehovah require of me in this season?” That question reflects spiritual maturity.

Scripture is filled with this sense of urgent stewardship. Colossians 4:5 instructs believers to walk in wisdom toward outsiders, “making the best use of the time.” The same principle appears again. Opportunity is not only personal; it is relational and evangelistic. The Christian is placed among unbelievers, neighbors, coworkers, family members, and strangers for a reason. He must not move through life as though each conversation were incidental. There are moments to speak truth, show kindness, refuse compromise, display integrity, and point others toward Christ. Some of those moments are brief and unrepeatable. A timely word of truth may expose error, strengthen a wavering soul, or bear witness before someone whose heart is open in that moment. Proverbs 11:30 says that he who wins souls is wise. Wisdom, then, is not detached contemplation; it is active obedience in real time.

Redeeming the time also includes rescuing one’s hours from uses that are unworthy of a disciple of Christ. Much of human life is consumed by what neither builds character nor advances faithfulness. Scripture does not demand frantic activity, but it does condemn sloth, vanity, and aimless living. Proverbs 6:6-11 warns against laziness, while Ecclesiastes 12:1 calls a person to remember his Creator in the days of his youth. The Bible never portrays procrastinated obedience as harmless. Delayed obedience is disobedience in seed form. When God’s will is known, the response must be earnest. James 4:14 reminds us that life is a vapor appearing for a little while and then vanishing. Verse 17 adds that whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it commits sin. In that light, redeeming the time means refusing to let known duties rot under the excuse of delay.

Why Are the Days Evil?

Paul gives the reason for the command with blunt clarity: “because the days are evil.” He is not indulging in exaggeration. The world after the fall is morally broken, and the present age is marked by rebellion against God. Satan is called “the ruler of this world” in John 12:31 and “the god of this age” in 2 Corinthians 4:4, not because he has rightful sovereignty over creation, but because fallen mankind lies under his influence. Ephesians 2:1-3 teaches that before conversion believers walked according to the course of this world and under the ruler of the authority of the air. The age itself is corrupt in direction, pressure, and desire. Its moral atmosphere is poisoned. Therefore, the Christian does not inhabit a spiritually safe environment. He walks through a battlefield.

This evil expresses itself in open unbelief, doctrinal corruption, sensuality, greed, pride, and hostility to divine truth. Yet its force is often most dangerous when it appears normal. What society celebrates, laughs at, excuses, markets, and repeats can slowly numb the conscience. Isaiah 5:20 pronounces woe upon those who call evil good and good evil. That inversion is common in every wicked age. Sin is renamed, rebellion is reframed as freedom, purity is mocked, and self-rule is praised as maturity. In such an environment, a Christian who does not consciously redeem the time will be absorbed into the world’s rhythm. He will begin to think in its categories, justify its compromises, and value what it values. That is precisely why Paul commands vigilance.

The evil of the days also means that time is contested. There is spiritual opposition to every serious attempt at godliness. A believer who sets himself to pray, to study Scripture, to serve, to evangelize, to lead his home rightly, or to resist temptation soon learns that resistance arises immediately. Distractions multiply. Weariness intensifies. Opportunities to compromise appear attractive. Discouragement whispers that no lasting good will come from steadfastness. First Peter 5:8 commands believers to be sober-minded and watchful because the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Redeeming the time, then, requires a battle mentality. Not paranoia, but sober awareness. The Christian must not imagine that godly living happens by accident in a hostile age. It requires intention, discipline, and endurance.

Walking Wisely Rather Than Foolishly

Ephesians 5:15 makes wisdom the framework for Ephesians 5:16. Time is redeemed by wisdom, not by panic. Biblical wisdom is moral and practical. It begins with the fear of Jehovah, as Proverbs 9:10 teaches, and it expresses itself in choices aligned with His revealed will. The fool lives by impulse, appetite, social pressure, and immediate gratification. The wise person lives by truth. Therefore, the Christian’s use of time will be determined by what rules his heart. If he is governed by fleshly desire, he will spend himself on passing things. If he is governed by reverence for God, he will order his life around what has eternal value.

The contrast between wisdom and foolishness appears throughout Scripture. Proverbs repeatedly shows that wisdom listens, receives correction, guards speech, avoids evil company, and pursues righteousness. Folly rejects instruction, loves self, speaks rashly, and rushes toward ruin. In the New Testament, Jesus closes the Sermon on the Mount by distinguishing between the wise man who hears His words and does them, and the foolish man who hears and does not do them, according to Matthew 7:24-27. The difference is obedience. Therefore, the wise use of time is not merely thoughtful planning; it is practiced submission to the teachings of Christ.

This means that redeeming the time will affect ordinary life. It shapes how one begins the day, what one feeds the mind, how one speaks to others, what one tolerates in entertainment, how one responds to irritation, how one disciplines children, how one serves in the congregation, how one handles money, and how one bears hardship. No part of life is detached from spiritual stewardship. First Corinthians 10:31 says that whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. That standard is total. The Christian cannot divide life into sacred and neutral compartments, giving a small fraction to God and declaring the rest to be his own. Everything belongs to Jehovah. Therefore, every portion of time must be brought under His authority.

Redeeming the Time Through the Word of God

A believer cannot redeem the time apart from the truth of Scripture. The will of God is not discovered through feelings, inner voices, or mystical impressions, but through the Spirit-inspired Word. Second Timothy 3:16-17 teaches that all Scripture is inspired of God and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. If Scripture equips for every good work, then neglect of Scripture leaves a person unequipped. An unequipped Christian will waste time because he lacks the light by which to judge priorities and decisions.

Psalm 119 repeatedly presents the Word of God as the believer’s guide. Verse 9 asks how a young man can keep his way pure, and answers: by guarding it according to God’s Word. Verse 105 states that God’s Word is a lamp to the feet and a light to the path. Light is essential in dark surroundings. Since the days are evil, the Christian needs divine illumination. He must not give himself to Scripture casually or sporadically. He should read with reverence, meditate with care, and labor to understand what God has actually said. This is not an academic exercise detached from life. It is the means by which the mind is renewed, the conscience strengthened, and the will directed.

A Christian who saturates his mind with Scripture is better prepared to identify falsehood, resist temptation, comfort the afflicted, and choose what is excellent. Philippians 1:9-10 links abounding love with knowledge and all discernment so that believers may approve what is superior. Discernment is vital in evil days because not every choice is between obvious good and obvious evil. Many decisions involve the difference between what is lawful and what is profitable, between what is possible and what is wise, between what is harmless in appearance and what is spiritually dulling in effect. Scripture shapes that discernment. It forms the mature believer to recognize what helps holiness and what quietly weakens it.

Redeeming the Time in Prayer, Speech, and Conduct

Prayer is one of the chief ways a Christian redeems the time because prayer expresses dependence upon God rather than self-sufficiency. Colossians 4:2 urges believers to continue steadfastly in prayer, remaining watchful in it with thanksgiving. Prayer disciplines the soul to live consciously before Jehovah. It guards against the illusion that one can face evil days by natural strength. It also aligns desire with God’s will. A prayerless Christian is easy prey for distraction because he is already functioning in practical independence from God. By contrast, a man or woman devoted to prayer will increasingly view time as entrusted by Jehovah and will seek grace to use it well.

Speech is another area where time is either redeemed or wasted. Ephesians 4:29 commands believers to let no corrupting talk proceed from their mouths, but only what is good for building up according to the need of the moment, so that it gives grace to those who hear. Words fill much of life. They can bless, instruct, warn, strengthen, and comfort, or they can drain, corrupt, flatter, deceive, and inflame. A wise Christian learns that careless speech is a major thief of time and spiritual strength. Proverbs 10:19 says that when words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. Redeeming the time therefore includes governing the tongue, speaking truthfully, and refusing the empty chatter that often dominates worldly life.

Conduct in the home, congregation, and wider world also reflects whether time is being redeemed. Husbands are commanded in Ephesians 5:25 to love their wives as Christ loved the congregation. Fathers are commanded in Ephesians 6:4 not to provoke their children to anger, but to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of Jehovah. Christians generally are called to good works in Titus 2:14 and to holy conduct in First Peter 1:15-16. A man cannot claim to redeem the time if he neglects his wife, abdicates the instruction of his children, shirks his spiritual responsibilities, and then congratulates himself for being busy. Busyness without obedience is not faithfulness. God measures life by righteousness, not by exhaustion.

Evangelism and the Eternal Weight of Opportunity

One of the great wastes of time in the Christian life is the failure to witness when opportunities are present. Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples in Matthew 28:19-20. Evangelism is not reserved for a narrow class of Christians; it is part of the calling of all who belong to Christ. Since men are perishing apart from the truth, the use of time must include the proclamation of the gospel. Romans 10:14 asks how people can call on Him in whom they have not believed, and how they can believe without hearing. This places urgency on the believer’s life. The evil of the days is not only that sin is widespread; it is also that death comes swiftly and judgment is certain.

Redeeming the time in evangelism does not mean forcing artificial conversations or speaking without wisdom. It means remaining alert to openings provided by God and refusing cowardly silence when truth should be spoken. First Peter 3:15 commands believers to sanctify Christ as Lord in their hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks for a reason for the hope in them, yet with mildness and respect. Readiness is crucial. That readiness comes from a mind filled with truth and a heart governed by the fear of God rather than fear of man. Many missed opportunities result not from lack of occasion but from spiritual unpreparedness.

The Christian should remember that no act of faithful witness is trivial. A single conversation may become the means by which someone begins to confront his guilt before God. A single refusal to join in sinful speech may expose the difference between darkness and light. A single act of compassion tied to biblical truth may open a door that endless ordinary talk never would. Therefore, Ephesians 5:16 summons the believer to live with evangelistic seriousness. The time before us is brief, the world is evil, and the need for truth is urgent.

Understanding the Will of Jehovah

Ephesians 5:17 follows naturally: “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” This explains how the command of verse 16 is fulfilled. Time cannot be redeemed apart from understanding God’s will. The Christian is not left to invent a purpose for life. Jehovah has revealed His moral will in Scripture. He has made known what He loves, what He hates, what He commands, and what He forbids. To ignore that revelation is folly. To shape life around it is wisdom.

The will of Jehovah includes holiness, thanksgiving, purity, truthful speech, steadfast faith, endurance, love, and the proclamation of the gospel. First Thessalonians 4:3 states plainly that the will of God is sanctification. First Thessalonians 5:18 says that giving thanks is God’s will in Christ Jesus. First Peter 2:15 says that doing good is the will of God. These texts do not leave the believer wandering in uncertainty about his basic obligations. Much wasted time comes from craving special direction while neglecting plain commands already given. The Christian who says he wants to know God’s will but refuses to obey what Scripture clearly states is deceiving himself. The path of guidance opens along the road of obedience.

Therefore, redeeming the time is not mystical. It is concrete. It means turning from sin quickly, speaking truth courageously, using one’s strength in service, ordering one’s household biblically, praying earnestly, studying diligently, encouraging fellow believers, and proclaiming Christ while opportunity remains. It means living with the settled conviction that each day is entrusted by Jehovah and must not be squandered on vanity. In a dark age, even ordinary obedience shines brightly. Philippians 2:15 says that believers are to be blameless and innocent, shining as lights in the world. That shining is not accidental. It is the fruit of lives that have been submitted to the authority of God and disciplined by His truth.

You May Also Enjoy

Matthew 5:48: “You Must Be Perfect”—What Did Jesus Mean and How Can Imperfect Humans Be Perfect?

About the Author

CLICK LINKED IMAGE TO VISIT ONLINE STORE

CLICK TO SCROLL THROUGH OUR BOOKS