JFC “Walk in Holiness”

For the past three chapters, Paul builds on all that we have as believers in Christ

The remaining chapters discuss our responsibility as a believer in Christ

Tonight Paul will exhort and encourage us to walk in Holiness (Set-Apart)

How can we effectively minister to the world if we’re walking in rebellion to God

We left off with Paul exhorting the Ephesians to “No longer live like the Gentiles”

They are hopelessly confused

Minds full of darkness

They have wondered from the life God gave them

Closed minds and hardened hearts

No sense of shame

They live for lustful pleasures and eagerly practice every kind of impurity

Ephesus was a modern day Las Vegas or San Fransisco.

Every type of sin imaginable existed and its likely many converts came from that lifestyle

"Possibly realizing that the Ephesians were starting to forsake their first love, Paul wrote this letter to encourage them to love both God and their fellow saints more deeply."'

**A person can know many things about God these days .

Many resources available to help us to grow in Knowledge, but if knowledge doesn’t push towards holiness, what is the point?

2 Peter 1:5 “Make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge”

“Walk in Holiness”

1. (V20) But that isn’t what you learned about Christ

a) Truth comes from Christ and His example

We must be carful not to follow after popular opinion, but stick to the Word of God

My pastor used to say, “Don’t wait for the movie, read the book”.

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

The idea, is to take off your old stinky clothes and put on clean clothes

a) NLT uses the word throw off which gives a sense of urgency

Other translation may say put off

b) Why urgency? Because the old way is corrupted by lust and deception

Matthew 5:29 (Jesus tells us to be radical in dealing with our sin) “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.”

Genesis 39:12 Joseph runs away from the temptation , as he quickly fled when Potiphar’s wife made advances at him

2 Timothy 2:22 “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts.

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

a) Before coming to the Lord, my thoughts and attitude were shaped by society, music, and friends

b) But now, as a Christian I sit before the Lord meditating on His word and in prayer, God begins to show me His way.

My thoughts and attitude begin to change and reflect my Heavenly Father

Conviction should lead to change

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.”

Our Christian life must go beyond head knowledge, but it must absolutely include head knowledge and influence our whole manner of thinking. This is not just in the sense of knowing facts, but the ability to set our minds on the right things. This is so fundamental to the Christian life that Christian growth can even be described as the renewing of your mind

4. (V24) Put on your new nature

a) Created to be like God, righteous and holy

Colossians 3:10 “Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.”

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!”

It is the person created according to the image of Jesus Christ and instinctively righteous and holy. It is in contrast to the old man, who is the person inherited from Adam and who instinctively rebels against God.

5. (V26) Don’t sin by letting anger control you

a) NKJV “Be angry and do not sin”

You cannot stop yourself from ever being angry, but we must submit it before the Lord

Psalm 37:8 “Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm.”

James 1:20 “Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.”

James 1:19 “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.”

b) Acting under the control of anger will not have a good outcome

How many people in prison regret acting on their anger