| Introduction Ephesians 4 is one of those massive chapters in the Bible, not so much because of length (at 32 verses, it is nowhere near the longest chapter in the Bible). It is a massive chapter because of the richness of its content. To give you an idea, this is one book on one aspect of the chapter. It is 443 pages long. We are definitely not going to do justice to the richness of the chapter in this series. So, keep on reading it over and over again, and continue to grow in Christ through it. In our passage today, Paul goes back to the subject he began the chapter with: the manner of our walk. He is interested in how we live our lives. He wants us to live lives that are consistent with our identity in Christ. That is going to be his subject from here all the way to 5:20. I. If You Have Been Born again, You Are no longer Who You Used to Be Before Then, 17-19. A. Although Paul's original readers were Ethnically Gentile (maybe a Jew here and there), he says that they are not Gentile anymore, 17. B. This is an important concept for us to understand because it speaks to the issue of identity. 1. There is a new identity for the Christian. 2. We are no longer identified as Gentile (just a way to say unconverted sinner). 3. So, we have to be careful about how we think of ourselves. a. Whatever sin is left in us, whatever sin we commit, do not determine who we are, if we are truly in Christ. b. So, the Christian must not think of himself/herself as gay, alcoholic, etc. c. The Christian must think of himself according to what God has declared him to be: a child of God cleansed by the blood of Jesus. C. This passage must be understood in connection with what came before it – therefore. 1. Therefore = since the Lord of the church appointed it to grow into the full stature of himself walk in holiness because holiness is an essential element in building each other up. a. We tend to think of kindness, compassion, generosity, love as attributes that build others around us up. b. Here Paul insists that holiness is an essential element in our building up the body of Christ. 2. Notice that Paul is not saying something new – "I testify in the Lord" can very well be "I testify with the Lord." a. He is telling them the same thing Jesus told them, so we should expect to see something similar to this teaching in the gospels. Jn. 8:12 – Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." c. So, this means two things. 1) Paul is testifying/teaching the same thing that Jesus testified/taught. 2) Paul's testifying/teaching is the same thing as Jesus's testifying/teaching directly. D. You are in Christ; therefore, don't live as if you weren't. 1. Walk = live = believe, think, act. "… includes all the manifestations of life, inward and outward, seen and unseen." Charles Hodge 2. Our translation gives the idea that Paul is giving them a suggestion – you should no longer walk. 3. But this expression has the force of a command. 4. We can re-word it as "Don't act according to what you are not." E. The reason those who are outside of Christ sin is because that's all they can do, 18-19a. 1. Their minds are empty/futile. 2. Their understanding is darkened. 3. They are estranged from the life of God. 5. Their hearts are blind (hard is a better word). 6. They are callous toward God (NKJV – being past feeling). F. Because that's who they are, they give themselves to lewdness, to licentiousness, to sensuality in order to indulge themselves in every kind of impurity and always lusting (greed) for more. G. This passage is really the summary and parallel of Romans 1:18-32. II. Some Things about Who You Were without Christ Still Linger with You even after You Were Born Again, 20-24. A. The point of describing who the Gentiles are and what they do is to demonstrate and contrast them with those who have been called by God to faith in Jesus Christ. B. Paul is saying, "That's not you! You have learned Christ!" 20. 1. Notice that Paul doesn't say we have learned about Christ, but learned Christ. 2. We know him in relationship. a. Christ is not a subject-matter like math or physics or history. b. Christ is a person in whom we believe, who we love and fear. 3. We have been taught by him, 21. C. Knowing Christ or having learned Christ means that we are continually divesting ourselves from what is consistent with an identity that is no longer ours (put off) and continually clothing ourselves with what is consistent with our identity in Christ, 21-23. "… 'so to learn Christ' does not merely, to learn his doctrines, but to attain the knowledge of Christ as the Son of God, God in our nature, the Holy one of God the Saviour from sin, whom to know is holiness and life. Any one who has thus learned Christ cannot live in darkness and sin. Such knowledge is in its very nature light." Charles Hodge "The knowledge of God is never divorced from walking in his ways: to know him is to be like him, righteous as he is righteous, holy as he is holy." F.F. Bruce 1. Our identity now is as CHRISTians which is true righteousness and holiness, 24. 2. As we do that, we build the body of Christ up. "… to be taught in Christ is to be taught in the context of the Christian fellowship." F.F. Bruce 3. And this has a lot to do with how we think about who we are in Christ, 23. D. So, we walk according to our identity as those who have learned Christ. Col. 2:6-7 – As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. E. True righteousness and holiness for the building up of the body of Christ are very practically described in 4:25-32. 1. Because we have learned Christ, we don't lie because that is not consistent with our identity – instead of lying we speak the truth to each other in order to build them up (truth in love), 25. 2. Because we have learned Christ, we don't give an opportunity to the devil by getting angry with one another – instead of getting mad, we deal with whatever issues are happening between us calmly and lovingly, 26-27. 3. Because we have learned Christ, we don't covet things because that is not consistent with our identity as children of God and heir of all things – instead we work hard so we can be generous (the gift to the seminary), 28. 4. Because we have learned Christ, we don't grieve the Holy Spirit by letting unwholesome talk come out of our mouths (that's not who we are) – instead we speak what reflects the grace of God to those with whom we are talking, 29-30. 5. Because we have learned Christ, we refuse to let bitterness and all that follow from it get hold of our hearts – instead we are kind and forgiving to each other because we know the forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ, 31-32. Let me suggest a few things for us to work on this week by the grace of God. · What areas are you thinking wrongly of yourself? ΓΌ Do you think you are alright as you are even without Christ? § That's a problem because you are not. § Without Christ you are hopelessly heading to hell. ΓΌ As a true believer in Jesus Christ, do you identify yourself by your sin or by your union with Christ? · How is your holiness building people up around you? ΓΌ Are you so identified with Christ that you are lovingly speaking the truth to those around you? ΓΌ Are you so identified with Christ that you are dealing with disagreements you may have with those around you without anger and giving Satan an opportunity to use you as his tool? ΓΌ Are you so identified with Christ that you live a generous life that builds the body of Christ up? ΓΌ Are you so identified with Christ that in your holiness you are an instrument of grace in the lives of everyone around you? ΓΌ Are you so identified with Christ that in your holiness you are shedding all bitterness and pouring out kindness and forgiveness on those around you? 2 Cor. 5:17, 21 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new…. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
We are a holy people who are called to build each other in holiness. God gives us the grace to do so and we grow closer to Christ through each other.
http://olympiabp.blogspot.com/2019/10/back-to-walking-eph-417-24.html
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