Ephesians 4:17-24

Introduction

Greetings in the mighty name of Jesus. My name is Pastor Lenin. Let us go before the Lord in prayer. Father, in the mighty name of Jesus, we seek insight into your word today; use me as your vessel to share your Word accordingly. In Jesus' mighty name, we pray. Amen. Today, we are going to share on Ephesians 4:17-24. The title of my message will be “The Necessity of Christian Life of Sanctification.” Before that, let us learn the background of the book of Ephesians.

First, we know it was an Epistle written by Paul, as shown in Ephesians 1:1.

Let us go through some of the historical background of the city of Ephesus to give us a better understanding of our scriptures:

Historical Background.

I. The city was initially founded ca. 1000 bc by the Greeks. It came under Roman control in 133 bc.[1]

II. The book was a circular letter. John Barry says, “Several statements in the text implying that Paul was unfamiliar with his audience (Eph 1:15; 3:2) support the circular-letter theory.”[2]And “The oldest copies of this letter do not include the Greek phrase en ephesō (“in Ephesus”) in Eph 1:1, which may indicate that Ephesus was not the original destination.”[3]

III. The Ephesian church was in a region heavily influenced by pagan worship practices.

A. David Seal comments, “People in Ephesus participated in the worship of Artemis (Diana), a goddess of fertility, magic, and astrology .”[4]

B. The imperial cult had religious and political dimensions for the people in Ephesus. The cult bestowed emperors with honors like those given to the gods, such as festivals, games, temples, and statues.[5]

IV. There was a distinct difference between Jewish and Gentile cultural practices. (Eph 4:17-19).

The Necessity of Christian Life of Sanctification.

Now that you understand the cultural and historical concepts better let us enter our scriptures.

In the characteristics of the old self outlined in Ephesians 4:17–19, we find a vivid description of the futility of the mind, a darkened understanding alienated from the scriptures, and a tendency towards sensuality, greed, and impurity. This is how we used to be before accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior. To illustrate the importance of guarding our hearts, we are reminded to be mindful of what we watch, hear, and see, emphasizing the need to abstain from sexual immorality and impurity in our lives.

Moving on to the essentiality of learning Christ's ways, as mentioned in Ephesians 4:20-21, we are guided to recognize the need for foundational Christian teachings and to reflect on what we have learned about Christ since we became believers. This is not just a suggestion but a call to action, a commitment to deepen our understanding of Christ. Drawing from Psalm 11:3, we are likened to the foundation of a house that determines its stability, highlighting the significance of joining discipleship classes to further our understanding of Christ.

Ephesians 4:22–23 urges us to put off the old self (do away with the former way of life) and renew our minds. This is not just a change but a transformation of the inward working of the Holy Spirit within us. It involves submitting our bodies as living sacrifices and experiencing the renewal of our minds through transformed thinking. Our bodies being the temple of God is emphasized, along with the need to put to death the works of the flesh and submit ourselves to the leadership of the Spirit.

Finally, Ephesians 4:24 highlights putting on the new self in God's likeness. This means adopting the characteristics of God, such as love, kindness, and forgiveness, and aligning our actions with His will. It stresses that as believers, we are new creations in Christ and are to bear fruits worthy of repentance. An illustration of the distinction between the old self and the new man in the image of Christ is presented, encouraging us to conform to Christ's lifestyle as a testimony of the Gospel's transformative power.

In conclusion, living as transformed individuals is our most excellent form of evangelism and victory in Christ. (Rev 12:11).