Sanctifiction

As we have gone through the first three chapters of Ephesians, I’ve been talking about not just knowing but experiencing God the Father.

Last week that culminated with experiencing the Father, Son, and Spirit all together at the same time.

So what does that mean? How are we supposed to do that?

We’ll answer those questions, but it’s important to understand why we are encouraged to experience our relationship with God.

There was a time when I was a new Christian that I would say things that I reeeaally shouldn’t have said. I still do, but I think I’ve gotten way better.

For instance, on the occasions that my ex-wife would be talking at me, instead of to me, I would say, “I see your lips moving, but I can’t hear you talking.”

I know, it was a terrible thing to say. Now, in a much nicer way, some of you might be saying the same thing about what I’ve been saying.

You might think I’m speaking a foreign language. And more importantly how am I supposed to apply what I don’t understand.

You might be asking, “Okay Bill, I get that we’re supposed to experience God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. But exactly how am I supposed to do that?”

Well, I’m glad you asked. You see, the first three chapters of Ephesians are Paul’s doctrinal statements. His textbook summary so to speak.

Now, in Chapters Four through Six Paul gets into the application of the doctrine. He explains how we are supposed to live in light of what he just explained in the first three chapters.

By applying what Paul just described, is how we experience our relationship with the triune God. Experiencing that relationship brings sanctification.

We’re going to be in Ephesians Chapter Four verse One thru Sixteen today.

Paul begins chapter Four with encouragement. He lays out how they are to live their lives.

What that life does for their relationship both vertically and horizontally.

That is a vertical relationship with God, and a horizontal relationship with others.

We’re going to discuss today three aspects of Paul’s defined Christian life.

Walk Worthy of Your Calling

Be Active in Your Gifts

Keep Growing in Christ

Paul begins the practical part of the letter by encouraging the Ephesians to walk worthy of their calling.

Walk Worthy of Your Calling

Let’s look at that encouragement.

Ephesians 4:1 NKJV

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

Any time we see the imperative word therefore, we must stop and ask what is the therefore, there for. In this case therefore is referring to everything Paul has said in the first three chapters.

Paul’s saying okay, I just told you what I’m expecting you, as believers, to understand. Therefore, I expect you to apply it this way.

Paul again references his imprisonment. “The prisoner of the Lord.” The Greek word translated “of” here literally means in.

It means one with, in union with, joined closely to. Paul is physically chained closely to a Roman guard. But, is spiritually joined closely to and in union with Christ.

I find it quite ironic that Rome’s political structure that claimed to be peaceful with (pax romana “the peace of Rome”), imprisoned Paul for proclaiming the gospel of peace.

His crime? Claiming Jesus as his true Lord instead of the emperor of Rome. We might be experiencing something very similar in our society today.

Paul is setting the standard. He says, I am in complete union with Christ. And I “beseech you,” the Greek word translated “beseech” means to appeal for something earnestly with propriety.

“Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.” The Greek word translated walk is understood to reference all of one’s behaviors. Their words, their actions, even their thoughts and motives.

It refers to one’s character. The Greek word translated “calling” means having been called to a particular task and/or relationship.

The Greek word translated “called” means to urgently invite someone to take responsibility for a particular task, while implying a new relationship with the one who does the calling.”

How do we put that all together?

How does that give us application?

Paul says, if you have truly accessed the Father, through Jesus, by the Spirit, then you are in complete unison with Christ. We are now responsible to seek the Father in the new relationship that is formed.

We are now tasked to allow that relationship to transform how we talk, act, think, and even our motives. He then explains what that transformation should look like in our lives.

Ephesians 4:2 NKJV

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

The Greek word translated “lowliness” means in all humility. The Greek word translated “longsuffering” means a state of calm in the face of provocation or misfortune and without complaint or irritation.

And “gentleness” is exactly that. A gentleness in attitude and behavior, in contrast to harshness in one’s dealings with others.

The word “love” is agape love. The perfect, limitless love of God. And the others here is in reference specifically to other believers.

How is our walk going?

Are we completely humble without any arrogance?

Do we express gentleness in our dealings with other believers?

Or do we have harshness in our dealings with other believers?

Are we patient without getting irritated or complaining?

Do we have an agape love for other believers?

I think we can all agree that it’s not easy, right?

Paul acknowledges that as well.

Ephesians 4:3–6 NKJV

3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Paul’s urging the Ephesians to keep their unity in Christ. There are to sides to the same coin of unity.

There is objective unity. We are all believers in Christ. We all have the Spirit sealing us. That means we are all on the same team. Part of the same family. Part of the same unit. Part of the same body.

But there is also subjective unity. We can’t avoid being part of the same body. But we can choose how we participate in that body.

The Greek word translated “endeavoring” means to do something with intense effort and motivation.

It’s not easy to keep the bond of peace with other believers. Paul recognizes that fact and encourages the Ephesians to be motivated by the unity of the Spirit, to put immense effort into keeping a bond of peace.

In verses Four through Six the word “one” appears seven times. One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God.

Unity of the Spirit bound by peace is extremely important. But, it’s not universal to everyone and everything.

As you might remember from last week, it is rooted and grounded in a shared commitment to the essentials of the faith.

The seven times “one” is used declares the tenets of the faith. If others claim these tenets and live by these core tenets, then they fit within the oneness of Christ.

We are to strive to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace with all who are one in Christ.

How well are we doing that?

Not very well right?

We let personality conflicts get in the way.

We are divided over tertiary views of Scripture. You know the views I’m talking about.

Charismatic gifts, rapture, creation.

I could go on, but you get the point. We argue and fight with each other over these things and allow them to shatter the bond of peace.

If we would spend more time connecting with the Father, experiencing the relationship with the triune God, then our transformed souls will seek the unity and peace.

You see, the church is supposed to reflect the perfect unity found in the Father, Son, and Spirit.

That kind of transformation in our souls is called sanctification. We achieve that by focusing on our part of the body.

We are all given gifts to use as we worship God and do His will in our lives. We must be active in those gifts.

Be Active in Your Gifts

In verses Seven through Twelve Paul explains how we are to strive to keep the unity of the Spirit. He says we are all given gifts to edify the body of Christ.

Ephesians 4:7–12 NKJV

7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” 9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

Paul goes from discussing our objective unity in the Spirit. Our objective unity defined by One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God.

To now discussing the subjective unity defined by the diverse gifts given. We are, individually, given gifts dependent upon what Christ decides.

We all have the objective, general gift of the Spirit. Now, by the Spirit, we receive individual gifts from Christ.

Jesus gives the gift of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These are the primary gifts. We all fit within these somewhere.

Each one of us is given a gift uniquely designed and proportioned to our individuality. These gifts aren’t random, inadvertently stumbled upon treasures.

No, each gift, for each individual, is carefully chosen, and perfectly apportioned according to God’s sovereign will. We are meant to use those gifts for edifying the body of Christ.

That means building up the body of Christ. This is where Paul takes that subjective unity and points it back to the objective unity.

We are unique individuals with diverse gifts. But, whether we like it or not, we are all part of one body.

Paul says in 1 Cor 12 that we are all baptized into one body. The fact is the body is not made up of one member but many members.

He goes on to discuss how the foot might say it’s not a hand and so it is not part of the body. Then he talks about how each part of the body is required for the body to perfectly function.

We tend to do just the opposite of Paul’s example of the foot today. We look at Pentecostals, Catholics, Protestants, Reformed, and other doctrinal views as if they are not part of the body.

Well, at least they aren’t as important of a part as we are anyway.

We tend to think some parts of our bodies are more important than others. Eyes, ears, hands, feet, brain.

But just let your intestinal tract get backed up for a week and see if you don’t realize its importance.

It doesn’t matter where we fall within the diverse doctrinal views in the body today. We tend to lack the humble, gentle, patient love for anyone with any other doctrinal view.

Now, I’m not saying we give blanket immunity in who is a unified part of the body. But, if they truly believe, and their character represents, the core tenets of our faith.

Then we are to strive to be reconciled with them in the unity of the Spirit. We are to edify each other and equip each other for ministry.

Believe it or not, that is part of sanctification. That is how we grow in Christ. Our souls are transformed so the very nature of our character is God’s character.

Keep Growing in Christ

We grow in Christ as we use the gifts uniquely designed and proportioned for us individually. We recognize the diversity of those gifts and encourage others to use their uniquely designed and proportioned gifts for the body of Christ.

We see how this works starting in verse Thirteen.

Ephesians 4:13–15 NKJV

13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

This is where the great effort comes into play. We would rather argue over our doctrinal differences than come to the unity of faith.

That hinders our growth. That hinders our knowledge of the Son of God. And it keeps us from the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Our first priority should be to know and understand the gifts we are uniquely given. Our first priority should be to know and understand how we use our gifts to edify the body.

What are your gifts?

If we don’t know our gifts, where we fit within the body, then we end up bouncing around from doctrine to doctrine. We end up doing nothing and not maturing from children to adults in Christ.

We have at least one generation of Christians that have not been discipled well, if at all. They don’t know or understand their gifts. They don’t know how to use those gifts to edify the body.

Satan has plotted and cunningly deceived the church as a whole. He has caused a prideful division on the basis of doctrine in the church.

Let me explain what I mean. As I look at the last fifty to sixty years in the church, I see a trend happening.

We have had one popular movement after another and each one focused specifically on one or maybe two gifts. They dismiss or disregard the rest of the body.

There’s growth in the movement, but every movement has lacked maturity in its believers. Every gift is given from Jesus and is in Jesus. We can’t grow up in all things in Christ if we aren’t at peace with all things in Christ.

Look at how Paul sums it up in verse Sixteen.

Ephesians 4:16 NKJV

16 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.

The head, which is Christ, directs the whole body. Every part has its own equally important job to do. If all parts of the body are unified in peace, the body grows and edifies itself in love.

Paul is talking about sanctification here. And not just about individual sanctification, but sanctifying the body as a whole.

Our subjective unity either hinders or encourages the body’s sanctification.

Our subjective unity can either be prideful, spiteful, mean-spirited, and divisive. Or we can be humble, gentle, patient, and peacefully unified in love.

What part of the body are you?

What I mean by that is what gifts are given to you?

Are you willing to use those gifts?

How will you use those gifts?

Will you use them in a way that causes the body to grow and edify itself in love?

I can promise you that if you use your gifts, do your job, in a way that edifies the body in love. You will come to know, and you will experience the triune God in the most amazing ways.

That is the soul transforming relationship that brings humility, gentleness, patience, peace, and indescribable love.

That is the soul transforming relationship transforms the very nature of our character so it is God’s character.