JFC “Continue to Mature in the Lord” (Part 2)

Last month: The theme of the teaching was to become mature in the Lord

Ephesians 4:13 “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.”

a) Paul placed a heavy emphasis on sticking to what they have been taught

Don’t be tossed around by every new wind of teaching

The first principle is the mature Christian knows what they believe and they cannot be talked out of it

The second principle is the mature Christian serves God in some capacity because when everyone is doing their part the body is “healthy and growing in love”

I am convinced that God has called me into ministry for my own well being because I’m stepping outside of myself and my comfort, which forces a strong dependence upon the Lord

I really began to mature in the Lord when I began to serve

Tonight, Paul will address our behavior, as he encourages us to no longer live as we once did, prior to coming to Christ, but live as children of the light.

Prior to Christ, we walked around with smelly and stained clothes. We didn’t notice how bad we smelt, but everyone could smell us from a mile away

But now were saved and God is calling us tonight, to strip of those stinky clothes and put on the fresh life that is offered through faith in Christ

1. (V17-18) Live no longer like the Gentiles

a) Paul speaks with the Lord’s authority

Why do we study Ephesians or why should we listen to Paul? (He speaks with the Lord’s authority

In context, Paul is writing to the Ephesians who were living in a modern day San Francisco, or Las Vegas

b) Because of what God has done for us, Live no longer like Gentiles do

Called to stop living like we once did before coming to Christ

1 Peter 4:3 “You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.”

In this cross reference, Peter really nails it, haven’t you had enough of that stuff?

In context, Paul is writing to the Ephesians who were living in a modern day San Francisco, or Las Vegas

Its possible their was a real temptation to go back to their old way of life

The Christian is called to turn away from their old ways

Do Not Continue in Sin:

Hebrews 10:26 “Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.”

We should not continue that grace may abound more and more

Story of believers walking in rebellion:

Someone who close to me has shared their work experience, where they work with both believers and unbelievers. However the Christians are not walking with Lord

New Creation in Christ

2 Corinthians 5:17 “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

b) They are hopelessly confused (The Gentiles)

** Go to the college and ask people what is a woman

Their minds are full of darkness and their hearts are hardened against God

Hopelessly confused, their minds are closed, hearts hardened against God, they have no sense of shame, they live for lustful pleasure, and eagerly practice every kind of impurity

Romans 1:21 “Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.”

Romans 1:24 “So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.”

c) Why are they hopelessly confused?

Closed mind and hardened hearts

I am reminded of the Pharisees / They witnessed Jesus preform many miracles, teach with authority, yet they did not worship Him because of their hardened hearts

How do we protect against this?

Hebrews 2:1 “So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.”

2. (V19) The product of being hopelessly confused, having a closed mind and a hardened heart is they have sense of shame

God has given them over to their depravity because they refuse to worship Him as God

a) The first example that comes to mind is the LGBTQ (Alphabet)

They have no shame in what they do, in fact they take pride in rebelling against God

It continues to become more weird

1 Timothy 4:2 “These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.”

3. (V22) Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life

a) Throw off your old sinful ways

NLT uses the word throw off instead put off in NKJV (Sense of urgency in putting of the former way of life, that is corrupt)

A couple contacted my wife and I about counseling with them because the husband is watching porn.

My advice wasn’t very spiritual, its simply stop doing it. If your tempted having an iphone get rid of it. There is no easy answer to dealing with sin, no cheat code or anything like that.

Jesus says we must be radical in dealing with our sin, Matthew 5:29 “So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”

The point is this, Be radical and put that old nature to death

b) The former has to be put to death because it’s corrupt by lust and deception

3. (V23) Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitude

a) As we spend daily time in the Word of God, the Spirit begins to renew our thoughts and attitudes

The more time we spend with God, the more we become like Him

Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”