A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS 

EMPTY WORDS  

Ephesians 5:6-7 “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.”  

Professors teaching “composition,” that is, the art of writing, try to impress upon their students the importance of words that one chooses to use. There are words that have a depth of meaning and others that are useless and empty. Empty words add nothing to a sentence, paragraph or an entire article. If they are removed, they will not be missed.   

In Ephesians 5:6, the translators chose the word “empty” for the Greek word κενοῖς. κενοῖς means “for no purpose.” (Greek-English Lexicon) Through the course of time, starting almost immediately after Jesus’ resurrection, writers, preachers, and church leaders of various sorts have said that Jesus did not come back to life on Easter morning. St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:14 “. . . if Christ has not been raised, our message is indeed in vain’ (κενοῖς)   

In today’s devotional verses, St. Paul warns you to not become a partner with those who speak empty words. St. Paul was referring to false teachers who were in Ephesus preaching and teaching a “secret way of salvation.” There are countless preachers, teachers, and writers today that present new and different messages than what are found in the Holy Scriptures.   

John gives this guidance to you when you are faced with a “new” message, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.” (1 John 4:1) 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 says, “’There is no God but one.’ For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.’” 

Prayer: Lord, grant me a discerning heart that carefully test’s the words I hear to determine which are true and which are merely empty words. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Father most holy, merciful, and tender;
Jesus, our savior, with the Father reigning;
Spirit of comfort, advocate, defender,
Light never waning. 

Trinity blessed, unity unshaken,
Goodness unbounded, very God of heaven,
Light of the angels, joy of those forsaken,
Hope of all living. 

Maker of all things, all thy creatures praise Thee;
All for Thy worship were and are created;
Now, as we also worship Thee devoutly,
Hear Thou our voices. 

Lord God Almighty, unto Thee be glory,
One in Three persons, over all exalted!
Glory we offer, praise Thee and adore Thee,
Now and forever.  (LSB 504)