Eph 4:25-5:33

Eph 4:25-5:33

And we continue…

From verses 25 to 32, we find what we should be doing, what we should be striving for. Yet, each of these directives is impossible to achieve unless we go back to verse 22 and 23.

“that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,”

Where do we go to renew our mind? To the Word of God, the Bible. Can you see why it is so important that you read your Bible each day? It is God speaking directly to you through His Word, giving direction on how to live, what to watch out for and finding His promises to each of us. Our understanding is in our mind and that understanding and the beliefs we develop are shown in our behavior (see Col 3:1-2; 10)

We can say we are a Christian but if we continue to live in the world, doing as the people of the world do, our behavior speaks loud and clear that we are not truly walking with Christ in the renewing of our mind.

Oh, I can hear some of you right now making an argument that living as a Christian is no fun. Well, let’s continue on with the passages we are looking at today. We can start seeing that living with a renewed mind can be challenging but it is also exciting. Our fun becomes focused on something different…not alcohol, or drugs, or immorality or the emptiness of life but of the fullness of Christ and our longing comes in doing what He has called us to.

When we continue on to verse 29, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” (NKJV) When we look to the New American Standard and the New International Version, they use the words, “unwholesome talk”. Whether using corrupt or unwholesome, the meaning is the same. It means foul and stinking in every way and should not be said by a person who takes on the label of Christian. For as you read the Word, you will see that such talk it totally out of character as we walk this new life in Christ Jesus.

Verse 29 also tells us that a Christian’s speech should be filled with goodness that is encouraging and helpful to those who are listening.

Verses 20-32 are continually reminding us how we are to live in our new life in Christ. I read it often and pray for obedience to Christ in not only my words but also my behavior.

Finally, we have made it to the end of Chapter 4 and press on to Chapter 5 for further instruction on how to live our lives in this new walk with Christ. The first verse, “be imitators of God as dear children”, is a good start. How can we live a different life from our former ways unless we imitate the One who Chose us?

If we “walk in love as Christ…”, it changes our perspective on how to care for and love those around us. Christ gave His life for those He loves, are we ready to do the same?

“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 5:6 NKJV) John MacArthur points out in his commentary in “The MacArthur Study Bible” that “no Christian will be sinless in this present life, but it is dangerously deceptive for Christians to offer assurance of salvation to a professing believer whose life is characterized by persistent sin and who shows no shame for that sin or hunger for the holy and pure things of God. They are headed for wrath (2:2) and believers must not partner in any of their wickedness (v 7). (p 1811)

Chapters 4 and 5 are full of directions on how to live a Godly life. These are not suggestions they are guidelines on what God expects from each person who says they have had a changed life, a life with new goals. We cannot use the excuse that we don’t know what God wants but we have to put the effort into learning what He expects.

I have often heard people say, “I don’t know what God wants of me.” And the reason so many don’t know what God expects of them is because they sit back and wait. For what? Some say that God will just let them know. Others wait out of laziness. But truly, we must do our part in learning what He requires as we move forward in our Christian walk.

Why not make it your goal to read through the Bible in 2021? “Faithful Promises of God” is available from Amazon and will help walk you through the Word, with guidance for how to apply the Word to your life. If you struggle along the way, ask someone from your church or Bible Study to walk with you. Or, please know that I am here to encourage you as well. My email address is on the home page of this website, you can always contact me for help.

One more week of Ephesians and then we move on to the birth of our Savior and Lord. See you next week.

Ephesians 4:7-24

Now we are getting to some exciting parts of Ephesians. Anyone who has read my books or even my writings, knows that there are parts of these passages that just thrill my soul. Why, you may ask? Because it speaks so deeply as to the person I was before I came to know Christ. And I only know Him intimately because I read the Bible daily and there, He guides me, He shows me how much He loves me and that, in itself, keeps me going towards the final goal.

Christ Jesus has given each one of us grace, something we don’t deserve but get anyway, and has given each of us a gift. That is why He also created us with a special purpose in mind. We aren’t here to take from others as much as we are here to give to ourselves, to give that gift given to us away.

MacArthur points out that “Christ possessed the authority and sovereignty to assign the spiritual gifts to those He has called into service in His church.” (p1808)

With those gifts, we have a new understanding as we read the Word.

Once we make that decision to turn from our sin, being pulled by the Holy Spirit to change our walk, we start on a new road. But never forget what we have been through as worldly people. Ephesians 4:17-19 are a constant reminder of what the world is like and what we been saved from.

“So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.” (NIV)

When we look at verse 17, we see that unbelievers are “intellectually unproductive. As far as spiritual and moral issues are concerned, their rational processes are distorted and inadequate, inevitably failing to produce godly understanding or moral living. Their life is empty, vain, and without meaning.” (MacArthur, p 1810)

Do you recognize it? That’s the way we once were! But as we go on to verse 18, which reminds me so much of Exodus 5 through 11, where Pharaoh hardens his heart towards God, we see that it’s still happening today!! It is an “ignorance” in them “Due to the hardening of their hearts.”

I guess we aren’t so more intelligent, or more modern and further advanced after all! An unbeliever is separated from God, living in the darkness of this world being blinded morally. It started with Adam and Eve and it continues.

As we move on to verse 19, we can better understand how they have “lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity…”. Unbelievers are depraved in their behavior (see Romans 1:28) and they willingly gravitate towards immorality. It’s almost like they can’t help themselves and they can’t without Christ’s direction.

And finally, the ending of verse 19, “with a continual lust for more.” The NKJV says, “To work all uncleanness with greediness.” MacArthur points out, “Impurity is inseparable from greediness, which is a form of idolatry (Eph 5:5; Col 3:5).” Lust, uncleanness with greediness, equal idolatry. When you have an idol, you can’t live without it, you must have it.

Without these next verses, it would seem there is no hope but indeed, there is hope! As we continue to read verse 20, “You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.” Although many may not reach this height of depravity, we are only where we are by the grace of God. Our former ways of life were not good, no matter how bad or good we think we are, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Our hope is in Christ alone! God calls us to a new life in Christ. I pray that each of us will not look to these verses and be prideful but rather, to be humble in spirit and know that the only way we are walking this new path is because God has called us and through His Word, is teaching us a new path of righteousness each day.

Ephesians 3-4:6

God had given Paul the responsibility of being a messenger of God’s grace to the Gentiles. (see verse 2) Gentile and Christian, fellow heirs (v 6) through the works of Christ Jesus. Through faith we continue to trust in Christ and what He has done for us. (see verse 17)

Concerning verse 20, MacArthur says, “When the conditions of v 16-19 are met, God’s power working in and through believers is unlimited and far beyond their comprehension.” (p 1808)

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (v 20-21, NKJV)

Faithfulness of the saints, giving glory to God!

4:1 ~ “Therefore…” MacArthur explains that there is a “transition from doctrine to duty, principle to practice, position to behavior.” (p 1808) We are now called to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called”. Definitely we are called to practice a different behavior than before we were called out of our former lifestyle. We are called to change our behavior through the faith we gain as we read His Word. If you say you can’t change, your faith is lacking because God can do all things.

4:2 continues to give us examples of putting into practice what God is revealing through Paul. He calls for “humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (v 2-3, ESV)

MacArthur helps us understand that our walk points to our daily conduct and the word humility here is a word not found in the Latin or Greek vocabularies during Paul’s time. The Greek word apparently came about by Christians, “perhaps even by Paul himself, to describe a quality for which no other word was available. Humility, the most foundational Christian virtue (James 4:6), is the quality of character commanded in the first beatitude (Matt 5:3), and describes the noble grace of Christ.” (p 1808)

He goes on to explain that “meekness”, an inevitable product of humility, refers to that which is mild-spirited and self-controlled. “Humility, gentleness, and patience are reflected in forbearing love for others that is continuous and unconditional.” (p 1808)

As we continue on with Ephesians next week, we will start to understand where we, as believers, were before Christ called us and find there are no excuses as we learn from His Word what he has called us to task.

I trust that you had a blessed Thanksgiving and are now looking forward to a season where we point to our Precious Savior’s birth. May you feel the challenges of God’s calling, read the Word daily. From November 28th to December 5, Amazon will offer the Kindle edition of “Faithful Promises of God” for 99 cents. It will walk you through the Word day by day and help you to apply God’s Word to your own life. Until next week, be blessed in Him alone!