Written ~ 09-25-2024
Read Ephesians Chapter Four
Ephesians 4
In chapter four, the urgency in Paul’s words and the yearning for us to understand his message is tangible. He wants us to get it! He writes, “I beg you,” those are not passive words, they have great passion behind them. We need to listen and pay attention. This chapter is going to give us what could be a manual full of instructions for worthy Christian living, but for time’s sake we are going to only pinpoint a few highlights. So, hang on! We have a lot to cover!
Ephesians 4:1-6…
1 “Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.
2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.
5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all,
who is over all, in all, and living through all.”
When your heart and mind has been given over to the Lord completely, these verses resonate through your entire body. There is power in knowing that you belong to the One and Only God and Father in Heaven. We have purpose, we have life, we have meaning. God has asked us to love one another, to be united in His Spirit, but not only that, we are to live a life worthy to receive everything God has called us to do for His Glory! We should be excited to see what God has instore for us each and every day! Be Humble, Be Gentle, Be Patient…
Let’s think about the Apostle Paul for a moment. At the time he is writing these words, he is in prison. But does the fact that he is chained up and imprisoned stop him from sharing the Gospel? Absolutely not! We actually get some of the most compelling and instructional books in the New Testament from Paul while he is in prison. Knowing this and really thinking about this fact… There should not be any reason or excuse that we can honestly make for any kind of lack in our enthusiasm, or the lack of passion for studying the Word of God. I get it! Having a busy schedule is one of the main reasons I hear that keeps us from learning, studying, and digging into the Scriptures. I realize this is a great challenge for some, but when I hear the Apostle Paul writing to me from prison saying, “I beg you,” it really strikes me between the eyes! Knowing what the calling is on your life is an important detail to explore. And the way to do that is to be in the Word of God.
Paul saw his fellow believers struggling at times, he knew they weren’t always following God’s calling, and their unity was dwindling. So, even though most of the time he couldn’t be there in person to show his love and encouragement, he wrote. He wrote constantly, he wanted to make sure he could motivate the believers to keep up their excellent work and spread the Gospel Message!
Ephesians 4:11-16…
11 “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”
We have been given wonderful teachers from all the writers in Scripture. When we learn from them and know their words as truth, we will less likely fall into any traps or tricks of the enemy. Paul makes it clear in verse 4:14 that we should not be immature like children when it comes to the knowledge and wisdom we obtain from the Bible. If you refuse to study your Bible everyday… for whatever reason… you will be much more prone to being “tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching.” The Lord wants us to grow in our knowledge, to be more like Him in every way. We have so many resources at our fingertips to learn the Scriptures, it is a shame when other things become more important. We must become equipped with the things the Lord wants to teach us, we need to be unified in spirit and in truth. But if there ever comes a point in a believer’s life where they don’t want to read their Bible or study under a Bible teaching Pastor, you will see a decline in their unity with other believers. They will not be equipped to share who Jesus is or be able to share why Salvation is such a wonderful gift. We all have a part in the body of Christ, it is up to each of us to find out what that part is and get to it!
Ephesians 4:17-24…
17 “With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles (non-believers) do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against Him. 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy.”
Here we have Paul giving believers instructions about how they are to live as followers of Jesus Christ. This advice is something each of us need to listen to today. Paul makes it clear that he speaks only with the authority given to him from the Lord Himself, that way no one can try to accuse Paul of making up his own rules. Verses 4:17-24 are very clear that we are not to live as non-believers, we have “put on a new nature.”
If you find yourself still doing the things you did before you accepted Jesus, it might be a good idea to make some hard changes in your lifestyle. When you accept Jesus as your Savior, your mind is no longer closed, and your heart is no longer hardened. You should not have the “desire to live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity…” as a non-believer does. There has been a change to your heart, mind and soul and your behavior should begin to reflect that change. If it hasn’t you may want to examine your lifestyle and remember what brought you to the place of giving your life over to Jesus. Verses 4:20-21 say, “…that isn’t what you learned about Christ…you have learned that truth comes from Him.” The evidence is in your behavior, your lifestyle will show that your heart has been changed.
Once you have come to know the Truth of Jesus Christ, it’s time to “…throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life…” You may be thinking that you don’t want to give up your lifestyle and that’s what hinders you from turning your heart over to the Lord. But keep in mind that the life of the non-believer “…is corrupted by lust and deception…” My prayer is that you do not want corruption, lust, and deception to be a part of your life. By hearing and learning about Jesus and believing with faith in the Truth you have heard, it will draw you away from the deception that has corrupted your mind for so long. This is a great visual “…throw off your old sinful nature…” like an old, dirty, smelly jacket that is stained and falling apart, you throw it off your shoulders and get rid of it for good! When you can do that for good, you are stepping out of “…your former way of life…” and leaping into something brand new and wonderful! As soon as you have entrusted your life into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes into your heart, into your mind and into your very soul. And it is life altering! You have discarded the old way of life and have now “…put on your new nature…” Your life has been renewed inside and out! As soon as the Holy Spirit enters in, your new nature is created into something that is now “…truly righteous and holy…”
Ephesians 4:25-32…
25 “So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Do not use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
Here we have some the easiest to understand, bullet point instructions to getting rid of our old nature and putting on the new… When Christ enters your heart, these things should become easy to follow as you allow the Holy Spirit to take control of your heart, mind, and soul…
- Stop telling lies
- Tell the truth
- Do not let anger control you
- Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry
- Quit stealing
- Do not use foul or abusive language
- Do not bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit
- Get rid of bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander
- Be kind
- Be tenderhearted
- Forgive one another
When we read the words of Paul, he writes in such a way that makes it easy for the reader to know what he is referring to, there is no mincing of words. He does not write in parables or secretive text. No, he lays it all out there so we can learn by these instructions and live for the Lord with confidence! Even the brand-new believer can understand the directions Paul has laid out for us in these verses.
I find having to listen to foul language, especially from a Christian, as extremely offensive. I am extremely sensitive to it, it doesn’t just go in one ear and out the other, it settles within my spirit and grieves my soul. Verse 4:30 says,
“And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.”
If you and I are representing the Lord Jesus Christ here on earth. Our actions, our language speaks volumes to others and how they will perceive Christ. If we continue to bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit, when the identity we should be portraying is Christ Jesus within us, then our witness is being tarnished. Each of us, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, need to be mindful of our actions. If the only thing the world can learn about Christ is through you, what would they learn?
In summary to everything we have learned in this chapter, Paul is reiterating and begging that we live a life worthy of being called by God. We need to be humble, gentle, and patient with each other so we can grow in unity through the Holy Spirit. We need to mature and learn the Scriptures, so we are not deceived. We need to get rid of all types of evil behavior. Seeking the Lord and reading the Scriptures will help us understand, with much more clarity, what it means to live for the Lord. Being kind, tenderhearted and having a forgiving spirit are just a few ways to shape our lives after Christ’s heart. God has forgiven us; He did that through the sacrifice of His own Son by having Him die on the cross for the sin of the world. If you need to grow, then grow! If you need to study your Bible, then study! If you need to throw off some filthy habits, then throw them off!
Let’s consider what we have learned today as a turning point. It’s like a fresh blueprint for our lives. Start today by making slight changes, built on the foundation of God’s Word; by doing so, you will see your life begin to flourish. Your life in Christ will begin to take shape. Anyone looking at you will see the Lord.
~AMEN~