Ephesians 4
January 21, 2023

Ephesians Chapter 1-3 = Who I AM
Chapters 4-6 = What I Do Because of Who I Am

Paul Moves From Theological To Practical
Because Right Believing Leads To Right Living

I Believe Paul’s Heart Was:
Now That I’ve Told You Who You Are and All That Christ Has Done For You In Love Commit Yourself Totally To Him In Your Attitude and Conduct

The Conduct of a Believer In 5 Key Areas
Relationship To:
Fellow Believers (Ephesians 4:1-16)
Unbelievers (Ephesians 4:17-25)
Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30-5:18)
Homes and Families (Ephesians 5:22-33)
Relationship To The Devil (Ephesians 6:10-18)

Ephesians 4:1
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

What Is Your Calling?

Ephesians 4:2
with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,

Four Virtues of The Christ Life Spoken of Here
Lowliness – is “having a humble opinion of oneself”
AKA “humility of mind” (Acts 20:19)
Meekness – Meekness is Being Kind and Gentle
Longsuffering – Long-suffering is Patient Endurance
Forbearing – Forbearing Is Tolerance (People But Not Evil), Restraint, and Patience

Ephesians 4:3
endeavoring (Making A Conscientious or Concerted Effort) to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Seven Arguments That Prove We Are One In Christ – Unified
Ephesians 4:4-6
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

All Divisions and Sects Among Christians Are Man Made!

Ephesians 4:7-10
But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He (Jesus) says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

Ephesians 4:11-15
And He Himself (Jesus) gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect (Mature) man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery (KUBEIA – gambling) of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

Ephesians 4:16-19
from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves (Willingly Ignorant – 2 Peter 3:5) over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Ephesians 4:20-25
But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man (Who Is Dead) which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, putting away lying (Old Man), “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor (New Man),” for we are members of one another.

Ephesians 4:26-27
“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.

Two Interpretations

We Are Supposed To Have A Holy Righteous Anger Toward Evil!
This Speaks of a Holy, Righteous Anger Not Directed Toward People
But Directed Toward Evil
We Are Not To Allow A Righteous Holy Anger To Go To Sleep!
WE ARE TO RESIST AND ACTIVILY FIGHT AGAINST EVIL IN THE EARTH

Ephesians 4:28
Let him who stole (Old Man- A Taker) steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give (New Man – Giver) him who has need.

Christians Are To Have A
Live To Give Mentality
vs.
A Live To Get Mentality

Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth (Old Man), but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers (New Man).

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.
The Amplified Bible AMPC

Ephesians 4:30-32
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness (resentment) (Old Man), wrath (rage), anger, clamor (an outcry or scream), and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another (New Man), tenderhearted (New Man), forgiving one another (New Man), even as God in Christ forgave you.