THE CHRISTIAN'S RESPONSIBILITY PT 2

EPHESIANS 4:17-32

The personal standards that Paul talked about in Ephesians 4:1-16 carry over well into chapter 5,

This is what the church should be – should live like – what Paul is saying is how we as Christians should look.

Everyone one of you who call yourself a Christians have a high standard upon which you are called to live.

Last week we called us to walk in a manner worthy of being called Christian, Child of God. He continues that call today.

He talked about bearing one another with love in humility, gentleness and with patience – having no division – but unified in the bond of peace.

He called us to be mature in our faith and not led by selfish ambitions nor tossed to and fro by ungodly doctrine and always speaking truth in love.

Today we continue with the Conversion that happens and the completeness.

Let Us Pray!

The Christian’s Responsibility

EPHESIANS 4:17–32

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ! — assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

III. THE CONVERSION—vv. 17–24

1. Change—vv. 17–18. Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

Testify – to tell the truth – martyromai – mar too rom ahee – conjure God’s name – cite as a witness – solemnly declare

Not should – MUST

Called to be IN the world not OF the world

Stand apart

Commanded to completely abandon our old way of life

The world darkens your understanding of God

The world alienates you from God

Ignorance of God’s Word hardens your heart

You are accountable to know God’s Word not just what a preacher says – it is only then that you can avoid v14 - so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

What are you doing with Jesus in your life? Are you still trying the chase after what the world says – are you living for Him – sacrificing where He calls you to serve and give to live and love according to His will?

What is the condition of your heart – is it hardened, stubbornness ruling it – or are you open to the movement of the Holy Spirit?

2. Christ-less—v. 19. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

Became callous – apalgeo – ap alg eh o – cease to feel pain or grief – insensible to pain

No appreciation for the truth

Twisting the truth to set ablaze their own desires

No shame in their sin – sin is normalized

Given themselves up – abandoned themselves – sold themselves into slavery – delivered themselves up into the custody of another –

To everything that goes against the will of God – greedy to practice what they want – greedy to every kind of impurity

3. Cleansing—vv. 20–22. But that is not the way you learned Christ! — assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,

Paul tells us and them – this is not what Jesus taught!

There are ethical implications to the way you live your life and whether or not you are living it according to what Christ taught

Assuming – if indeed you

Not only have you heard about Him

Taught in Him

Jesus is truth – John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Jesus is truth – and the truth is in Jesus

Assuming you are a Christian – you are a follower of Christ – out off – take off and throw away – burn the ships of your old self with corrupt, selfish and deceitful desires

For King and Country – they have a song Burn the Ships and 2 verses go like this

Burn the ships, cut the ties Send a flare into the night Say a prayer, turn the tide Dry your tears and wave goodbye

Step into a new day We can rise up from the dust and walk away We can dance upon our heartache, yeah So light a match, leave the past, burn the ships And don't you look back

This is what Paul is getting at

Burn the ships of your old selfish desires and deceitful attitudes so you don’t go back there

2 Corinthians 5:1 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Romans 13:14 – But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

4. Christ-like—vv. 23–24. and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Not only never return to the old self – but embrace the renewed spirit of you mind and your new self

The Greek Paul is using here is new fresh distinctive and young –

Be open to what God is doing –

This is what is talking about in Romans 12:1-2 – I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The new nature – the God’s creation – renewed to how we are supposed to be in communion with Him – renewed in the knowledge of its creator

Colossians 3:10 – and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

We are called to replace falsehoods and bitterness with love and truth – this will help with our final header completeness -

IV. THE COMPLETENESS—vv. 25–32

1. Consideration—v. 25. Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

To be complete in Christ – you must put away falsehoods

Pseudos – conscious and intentional deception – being whatever it is not what it seems

Speak the truth – with your neighbor –

No little white lies

No stretching the truth to make it apply

Simply – the truth –

Truth of the Gospel – truth in terms of any matter under consideration

Remember Paul entreated them to speak the truth in LOVE

We are members of one another – when you act falsely – speak falsely you damage the body in addition to yourself

Romans 12:5 – so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Without truth – there is only disunity, distrust and disorder

2. Control—vv. 26–27. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

Psalm 4:4 – The Lord our God commands – Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.

Part of our old nature is unbridled anger – bad temper – unjustified anger – unholy/unrighteous anger

Emotions kept in control will allow righteous anger without sin like we see in Jesus in Mark 3 (anger over disbelief and heals) and John 2 (grabs the whip)

Anger cannot have sinful motives, personal provocation, resentment or wounded pride

When we get angry – even if it is one of the above – we must deal with the anger before moving on – going to bed – do not let your anger go undealt with – when we get angry and sin – we must deal with it

Psalm 4:5 continues – Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.

When angry get back in right alignment with God so the devil has no weapon to attack you or separate you with.

We cannot be unified in Christ when we are angry with others – we are not Christlike if we do not deal with our anger towards others.

Give no opportunity to the devil!

3. Conversion—v. 28. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

You must deal honestly in business and with our neighbors –

We cannot steal with dishonest business practices – nor steal the joy or love of the Lord from others

Do not cheat on your taxes – render to Caesar what is Caesars

Let others prosper so they may give to those in need

We should give to those in need

We should work so that we could give to those in need

Paul warns us about our conversations

4. Conversation—v. 29. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Not only are we called to be honest, deal with our anger Christlike and not steal

We are not to speak with rotten, worthless, deceitful words – decaying, rancid words

Gossip, lies, selfishness, unrighteous anger

Solomon says in Proverbs 15:23 – To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!

Only talk that is good for building up – this includes discipline – or holding fellow believers accountable – same say judge fellow believers – there is where it happens – for the building up of fellow believers

As it fits the occasion – not every time and place should this occur – just because you have an opportunity to do so – it is God’s time for you to do so.

That the talk that comes from you – may give grace to those who hear – discipline judgement is never “You are Wrong – You are Bad” there must be Grace

You have walked away from God – you need to get right with God – follow God etc – its never just a hammer – grace must be there as God has extended grace to us

Conversation leads into our next point consecration

The warning about anger is followed by a warning about giving the devil a foothold is now followed by a warning to not grieve the Holy Spirit

5. Consecration—v. 30. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Paul probably had in mind Isaiah 63:10 – But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.

All of what Paul mentions in chapter 4 regarding sin grieves the Holy Spirit

The only sin that is internal is what is spoken – all other sin is external – us doing something –

do not grieve the Holy Spirit in what you do nor with your words / what you say-

In Him we are sealed for the day of redemption –

It is the Holy Spirit’s presence that is the seal and assurance of our life and inheritance in Christ – it is why I believe once saved always saved – cannot lose salvation

Consecration leads to us being Christ-like

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit – the verse above and then this part of the letter concludes with

6. Christ-like—vv. 31–32. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

These 6 items – we are commanded to put away – get rid of – stay away from

Bitterness – comes from jealousy and pride – resentment leads to animosity towards others

Wrath and ager – emotions uncontrolled – like James says a small spark can set a whole forest ablaze

Clamor – the loud self-assertion of the angry man, who will make every one hear his grievance

Slander – blasphēmia – where we get our word blasphemy – speech that is injurious to another person’s good name

Along with all malice – desire to injure

But be Christlike –

Kind

Tenderhearted

Forgiving