Eph 4:17-32

Chapters 1-3 are the doctrinal foundation; chapters 4-6 are the practical application

• Used chapters 2-3 and a section in 5 to support a workshop on getting into the word more deeply

Last week 4:1-16

• Extensive section on "unity" -- next best section is found in Jesus' prayer in John 17
  • Related to the key in Chapter 2 of Gentile and Jew now united in the church, same family, and same citizenship
  • Seven elements of unity: 1) one body; 2) one Spirit; 3) one hope; 4) one Lord; 5) one faith; 6) one baptism; and 7) one God and Father of all

• While each believer has received grace, we have receive different gifts
  • In context, the purpose of the gifts is to promote unity
  • Result of the proper exercise of gifts is unity, knowledge, and maturity
  • Then indirectly, stability in their faith, and maintaining love in their speech and conduct

Eph 4:17-19 (NIV) So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 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. 19 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.

Interesting comment. Gentiles and Jews are now part of one body, but they must not live as Gentiles do. How does Paul characterize Gentiles, in general?

• Notice that emphasis is on the intellectual aspect of the faith

1. Their thinking is futile -- from a Greek word meaning empty or worthless
2. Their understanding is darkened -- lack of purpose leads to a darkened understanding of life
• Darkened means that you can't see clearly
• Cause and effect are reinterpreted from your worldview
• Instead of God, life is naturally random and without meaning. Purposelessness leads to a philosophy of purposelessness
3. Their hearts are hardened

• They are separated from the life of God -- meaning? They can't understand life from God's perspective, which is truth, because they deny absolute truth
• by ignorance -- meaning? They don't understand
• caused by hardened hearts -- meaning? Hardening usually refers to the effect of sin in a person's life
• Matt 13:15 For this people's heart has become calloused; // they hardly hear with their ears, // and they have closed their eyes. // Otherwise they might see with their eyes, // hear with their ears, // understand with their hearts // and turn, and I would heal them.'
• Ezek 12:2 "Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.
• Rom 1:24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.

SUMMARIZE:

• Think -- we need God's word so that we have the proper foundation
• Understand -- understand life from God's eternal perspective and not from our earthly point of view
• See -- things differently and react accordingly
• Avoid -- we avoid our former effort to be happy

Eph 4:20-24 (NIV) You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 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; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Paul reminds the Ephesians that they didn't come to know Christ that way. First, what is "that way?"

• Living a life of sensuality; indulging in impurity; lusting for more

But, that is the way they lived before Christ. So, what does he mean by "come to know Christ?"

• He is referring not to salvation, but rather to their initial growing in their relationship to Christ
• Or their early sanctification
  • Many people show a huge transformation in lifestyle when they first come to Christ
  • Sometimes, years later, they fall back into old sins and habits, for a variety of reasons
    • Laziness
    • Lack of fellowship
    • Temptation
    • Stop growing and getting into the word

Paul reminds them of the early teaching, after they came to faith. What was that teaching?

• In regard to their former life (i.e., as opposed to …)
• Put off old self -- meaning to disassociate from particular habits and possibly relationships
• Recognize that deceitful desires (our flesh) will corrupt us -- I have a new enemy and that enemy is me
• We need to be made new in the attitude of our minds
  • Rom 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.

• We need to put on new habits, add new things -- such as?
  • Daily putting to death sins (as God reveals)
  • Daily bible reading
  • Daily prayer
  • Regular fellowship
  • Service to others
  • Sharing our faith

Eph 4:25-28 (NIV) Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

A new mind and a new attitude are the first priority. But they should leave to new behavior. If the behavior is lacking, the problem is not in the doing but in the being

• We need to be renewing our mind (consistently in the word)
• We need to be taking simple steps of obedience (consistently applying the word)

Then we should see change. What are the changes that Paul expects?

• Put off falsehood and speaking truthfully -- not lying, not shading the truth
  • One exception to this would be if your words might hurt the other. If the words hurt because of some sin you are addressing, the hurt should not be in how you addressed it, but rather in the action
  • If the words hurt because of how or what you expressed, possibly something unnecessary, then I would say that violates the greater command, "to love your neighbor as yourself"

• Don't hold on to anger. There are times when anger is necessary. There are times when anger is a normal human reaction, but …
  • What happens when you are always angry about the same thing?
    • Bitterness
    • Evil thoughts toward the other
    • Gossip

• Don't steal, but work. Do useful work with your hands, and share with others
  • What is stealing? Taking something that is not yours
  • Stealing can also be getting something that you don't deserve. This can also be the definition of Grace. What is the difference?
    • Did I make an effort to provide for my self?
    • Was my laziness the cause for my need?
  • Sometimes we do more harm than good when we rescue people from their sin. We essentially cut short God's work in their lives

Eph 4:29-32 (NIV) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Some more examples of a transformed life include what?

• Helpful speech -- meaning, speech that builds others up
  • Unwholesome comes from the Greek word "sapros" meaning rotten, worthless (literally or morally)
  • Eph 4:29 (AMP) Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it.

• Not grieving the Holy Spirit
  • In context, it would seem that our speech is what grieves the Holy Spirit. In the verses that follow, rebellion, stubbornness, and resistance are discussed
  • Ps 78:40 How often they rebelled against him in the desert and grieved him in the wasteland!
  • Isa 63:10 Yet they rebelled // and grieved his Holy Spirit. // So he turned and became their enemy // and he himself fought against them.
  • Mark 3:5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.
  • Acts 7:51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!
  • What is God telling me to do, and what am I resisting, rebelling, or being stubborn about?

• Finally 6 things to avoid and 3 to add
  • Get rid of bitterness -- when we let life's past outcomes negatively influence today
  • Get rid of rage and anger -- uncontrolled emotional responses to not getting what we want in life. Yes, anger happens, but this is "over the top"
  • Get rid of brawling and slander -- taking someone on with the purpose of hurting or getting even for some hurt in the past
  • Get rid of every form of malice -- evil thoughts toward others to hurt them
  • Add kindness -- soft answers, pleasant personality
  • Add compassion -- seeing life and pain from the other person's perspective
  • Add forgiveness -- forgiving others as God constantly forgives us. No limits. No regrets