As Before, So Ahead
The marquee sign in front of the meeting place of the South Seminole church of Christ was changed a few days ago. As this article is being written, it currently displays a message that was pertinent to its audience two thousand years ago—and remains so today. It repeats part of a couple verses many readers are likely familiar with: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15-16).
Those words will likely resonate with those that take a few seconds to read them as they pass by the building in their cars, hurrying to their destinations (many likely exceeding the 25 MPH speed limit). Hopefully, motorists will see the proclamation that “…the days are evil.” At the time of this writing (March 3, 2026), the world is waiting with bated breath for the resolution of the newest conflict in Iran. There is still a great deal of discussion in legacy news and on social media regarding the Epstein files. The war in Ukraine continues. It isn’t much of a stretch to describe these days as evil.
It’s easy for anyone, Christians included, to become discouraged in the face of these seemingly endless conflicts and disgusting tendencies of depraved men. How ought we to keep ourselves from giving in to despair? Perhaps a bit of historical context would help to put things in perspective.
Consider the time in which Paul wrote those two verses. Violence was the order of the day. Christians were being tortured and killed for their beliefs; Paul had engaged in such a pursuit previously. Beyond Christian persecution, the geopolitical climate was no better than it is today. The Roman empire was quashing revolutions and rebellions in its provinces as they cropped up. Israel, especially Jerusalem, became intimately familiar with Rome’s method of dealing with disobedient vassal nations in A.D. 70, when they were utterly destroyed.
In addition to the many ongoing conflicts, it was also a time of flagrant immorality. It was a time when Roman aristocrats would openly flaunt their sex slaves, many of them being very young boys and girls.
None of these things diminishes the evil we see today, but it does demonstrate that it’s nothing new. This observation was already made well before it was just made here—and even before Jesus came.
That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us (Ecc. 1:9-10).
The time in which we find ourselves is nothing special in this regard. No matter how sensational the headline of various news reels or articles describing the latest controversies, humanity is merely carrying on as it has always done. How ought we to respond as Christians to the dire circumstances of this world?
As Paul said, “…walk circumspectly,” meaning diligently or carefully. We should be “redeeming the time….” To redeem the time means to use the time we are given wisely. And how do we accomplish that goal? Paul explains this in the next verse: “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17).
Understanding the will of the Lord is contrasted to being unwise. It is Paul’s directive in how to spend one’s time wisely. There, then, is the answer as to how a faithful Christian ought to respond when the world seems hopelessly wicked. Understand first that Christians were already called to go about their work in the midst of great adversity upon the founding of Christ’s church in the 1st century. Again, the days are just as evil as they have always been. Second, we must go about the most important endeavor any man or woman has ever undertaken—understanding the will of the Lord and, consequently, obeying it.
Is the state of the world worrying? Of course. Is our worrying going to change it? No. We should do as Paul prescribes: Redeem the time; use it to the advantage of the Lord’s church. Bring people to Christ, because that is the greatest and most loving service we can do for them. “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Tim. 4:2).
Preaching the word has been “in season” in the United States since its founding. It is still very much in season today, despite considerable opposing efforts. Christians in the 1st and several following centuries would marvel to see a society such as ours in which we do not suffer the terrible persecution they did. We have it far easier in this nation than those who have gone before us; we dare not give in to despair simply because evil is easier to see with all the media coverage of it. Instead, use this time of prosperity to evangelize for the sake of the lost and perishing souls all around us.
“Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.” – Theophrastus
“The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.” – Stephen R. Covey
“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.” – Steve Jobs
“Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.” – Jim Rohn