Ephesians 4:2

The Lowly Walk, Part 4

Ephesians 4:2

1922

July 2, 1978

Sermon Summary – All Lowliness, All Areas: Killing Pride to Walk Worthy

Text: Ephesians 4:1–3 Big Idea: A worthy walk does not begin with activity (joining a church, reading more, witnessing more) but with attitudes. The very first attitude, and the foundation of all the others, is “all lowliness”—a ruthless, practical war against pride in every area of life.

1. The Setting: Walking Worthy and Taking Scripture Seriously

To study the Bible, for example, without letting it say what it really means, is a serious sin. Peter speaks of that in 2 Peter chapter 3 and verse 16. And he’s talking about Paul’s epistles, and he says this, “As also in all Paul’s epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to be understood”—watch—“which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest”—W-R-E-S-T—“as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction.”

Now, the word “wrest” is the word you key on in this verse. The Greek word means to torture or to put on the rack. Now, when somebody tortures somebody, they have a goal in mind. The tormentor takes the victim, puts them on the rack, stretches his limbs to get the person to say what he wants him to say. Right? That’s exactly what Peter is saying.

There are some people who take the Scripture and put it on the rack and twist it out of shape to make it say what they want it to say. That’s a serious sin, to twist the Scripture, to not let it say what it really means. And that goes on in Christianity all the time: twisting the Scripture to somebody’s bias; twisting the Scripture because you’re unlearned and don’t have the tools to do it right; twisting the Scripture because you’re unstable, and you don’t not have a solid commitment to a theological principle of truth; twisting the Scripture because you know no better because you’re not taught. There are many people who have taken the Scriptures and forced them into meanings that are improper. And, of course, under the umbrellas of Christianity, you have cults and isms and schisms and spasms and everything else, all doing this.

There are people, then, who torture the Scripture on the rack to force it to say what they want it to say, to make it accommodate their own bias or justify their own behavior.

It is also a sin to study the Bible and even let it say what it means but then use it for your own ill-conceived ends. In 2 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 17, Paul says, “We are not as those who corrupt the Word of God.” He uses the word kapēlos, which means a huckster, or a conman, or a charlatan, or a phony, or a fraud who takes something and pawns it off for his own ends.

There are people who take the Word of God, even though it’s rightly interpreted—they may even proclaim it, but they see it as a way to get their own ends met. There are people who, believe it or not, are getting fat rich off the Word of God.

So, there is that area of sin where you study the Bible and don’t let it say what it really means. And then there is that area where you let it say what it means, but you use it to gain personal ends.

Thirdly, it is also possible to study the Bible, let it say what it means, even make the right application, and then refuse to obey it. And that’s the worst of all. James 1—or James 4, rather, verse 17 says, “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is”—what?—“sin.”

There is the sin, then, of twisting Scripture; there is the sin, then, of taking Scripture and using it for your own ends; and there is the sin, then, of not even obeying.

Paul is still unpacking the command of Ephesians 4:1–3:

“I…beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation to which ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

The first half of Ephesians (chapters 1–3) is the foundation—our calling, blessings, position in Christ. The second half (chapters 4–6) is the practice—how to walk worthy of that calling.

The preacher stresses again:

A worthy walk is not first about external routines (church membership, Bible-reading schedules, prayer lists, or witnessing quotas).

It is first about internal attitudes:

All lowliness (humility)

Meekness

Longsuffering

Forbearing love

Diligence to preserve Spirit-given unity

If we ignore these heart realities while busily doing “Christian things,” we do not walk worthy.

The Church’s Biggest Problem: Superficiality

Quoting Martyn Lloyd-Jones, he says the most obvious feature of the church today is superficiality. Why?

“[The] one main cause is our attitude to the Bible, our failure to take it seriously, our failure to take it as it is and allow it to speak to us.”

The preacher adds a crucial third piece:

We fail to understand the Bible.

We fail to apply the Bible.

We fail to obey the Bible.

That combination—superficial, half-committed Christians with a light view of Scripture—is the opposite of a worthy walk.

2. “To Study the Bible…Without Letting It Say What It Really Means, Is a Serious Sin”

Anchor: “To study the Bible, for example, without letting it say what it really means, is a serious sin.”

He walks through three ways we sin with Scripture:

(1) Twisting the Bible to Fit Our Bias

2 Peter 3:16 warns about those who “wrest” (twist) the Scriptures “unto their own destruction.”

The Greek word means to torture, like stretching a prisoner on a rack until they say what you want.

Many people treat the Bible exactly like that. They force it to say what fits their theology, their sin, their preferences.

This includes:

Twisting Scripture because we’re unlearned (we don’t handle it responsibly).

Twisting Scripture because we’re unstable (no settled commitment to truth).

Twisting Scripture to justify our behavior or our agendas.

Under the umbrella of “Christianity” you get cults, isms, schisms, and countless “spasms” of bad theology—all born from torture of the text.

(2) Using the Bible as a Tool for Personal Gain

2 Corinthians 2:17: “We are not as many, which corrupt the word of God…”

The word “corrupt” is kapēlos—a huckster, conman, religious salesman.

Some interpret Scripture correctly but then use it as a way to get rich, gain fame, or build their own empire.

They turn God’s Word into a product and themselves into celebrities. That too is serious sin.

(3) Hearing, Understanding, Applying…But Refusing to Obey

James 4:17: “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

Worst of all is when we:

Interpret correctly,

Make the right application,

Then simply refuse to obey.

So there are three sins:

Twisting Scripture.

Using Scripture for personal ends.

Knowing Scripture and still not obeying it.

A worthy walk requires that we:

Let the Bible say exactly what it says,

Apply it honestly to where it hurts,

And obey it with all our hearts.

3. The First Step in Walking Worthy: Cultivating All Lowliness

Paul’s first command after “walk worthy” is not, “Attend more programs” or “Do more spiritual work,” but:

“With all lowliness…” (Eph 4:2)

The worthy walk begins with cultivating basic attitudes in the heart, not external activity.

Earlier sermons defined “all lowliness” as total humility:

We are exalted in Christ—chosen, redeemed, forgiven, seated in heavenly places, God’s dwelling place, heirs of eternal inheritance.

But the very first mark of a worthy walk is that those who have been lifted so high live very low.

The preacher recaps three “awarenesses” that feed humility:

Self-awareness – honest confession of our sins, weakness, and inadequacy before God.

Christ-awareness – gazing on the glory of Christ in Scripture and seeing how utterly unlike Him we are.

God-awareness – considering God’s majesty (Psalm 8; Isaiah 6) until we cry, “What is man…?”

Sometimes, as with Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor 12), God adds painful providence to keep us humble—nagging weaknesses or problems that remind us who we are and who He is.

Total humility is the bottom line of the worthy walk. Lose humility, and you lose everything that follows (meekness, patience, forbearing love, unity).

4. Where Pride Attacks: A Diagnostic of the Heart

To make this practical, the preacher asks: “Where does pride really tempt us?” He outlines several specific kinds of pride—each one an enemy of “all lowliness.”

I’ll follow his labels and anchors.

A. Ability Pride

Look what he says; I love this, 1 Corinthians 2, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” Oh, I like that. He says, “I didn’t lay any of that philosophical stuff on you. I didn’t come any of that logical wisdom from the human realm.”

And you know something else about Paul? He not only didn’t use that, but, you know, he had a lot of personal pizzazz. The guy was a dynamo. We know that because before he was a preacher, he was a Christian-killer. I mean the guy was an intense, fiery guy. And he had tremendous courage. I mean you’ve got to have a lot of courage to be chasing around, capturing Christians. I mean you’ve got to have a lot of boldness. He was sort of like a spiritual bounty hunter. I mean this guy was a tough customer.

Well, he could have—he could have come through his ministry like a bulldog. But I love it, what he says in verse 3, “I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.” You know? And then he could have preached all this philosophy, these big long words, and he could have come on so grandiose, but no, in verse 4, “And my speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

Anchor: “Ability pride” Anchor: “Look what he says; I love this, 1 Corinthians 2,”

This is pride in what we can do.

We are rarely tempted to be proud of what we’re bad at (e.g., math, music), but we are strongly tempted to boast in the areas where we are strong.

Preachers in preaching, singers in singing, leaders in leading, thinkers in thinking, athletes in athletics.

Paul is the model in 1 Corinthians 2:1–5:

He could have come with “excellency of speech or of wisdom.”

He was highly educated, a brilliant logician, a powerful personality.

But he chose not to preach with “enticing words of man’s wisdom,” but in weakness, fear, trembling—so their faith would rest not on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

The lesson:

Any genuine gift we have is from the Holy Spirit, who gives as He wills.

Ability pride takes a gift of grace and turns it into a platform for self-exaltation.

Humility says, “Whatever I can do, God gave—and He gets the credit.”

B. Economic Pride

Anchor: “Let’s go to another area: economic pride”

This is pride in what we own—wealth, possessions, lifestyle.

In Deuteronomy 8:11–18, Moses warns Israel:

They will move into the land, build beautiful houses, multiply flocks, herds, silver, and gold.

The temptation? Their heart will be lifted up, and they will forget the Lord who brought them out of slavery, sustained them with manna and water in the wilderness.

They will say:

“My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.”

But God says:

“It is He who giveth thee power to get wealth.”

Economic pride shows up as:

Boasting in what we have (“Look what I have; I must be somebody.”)

Forgetting our dependence on God.

Indulgent, wasteful use of wealth merely to parade status, not serve the kingdom.

Isaiah 5:8 warns of those who “join house to house, lay field to field” – constantly acquiring more, pushing others out. Laodicea in Revelation 3:17 says, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing,” not realizing they are spiritually “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”

Economic pride is believing that what we have defines who we are, and forgetting that everything is a stewardship from God.

C. Verbal Pride

So, there’s the pride that comes to us in our abilities. There is the pride that comes to us because of our economics. Thirdly, there’s a temptation to pride in the verbal area. We call it verbal pride. Ability pride, economic pride, verbal pride. You know what this is? This is just bragging. The Greeks had a word for it; it was the Greek word alazōnes. And alazōnes is the word used for the guy—in fact, this an illustration from classical Greek—the guy standing on the shore, looking out at this fleet of ships in the harbor in Greece. And a fellow walks up, and he says, “Those are lovely ships; who do they belong to?”

And he says, “Oh, those are my ships, and I own those ships, and we’ve sailed the seven seas, and I’ve been here and there. And we’ve carried the greatest cargo,” and he goes on and on with this big, long deal about his fleet.

And the man is overawed at what he possesses. And finally the alazōnes walks away, and the stranger is still awestruck. And he says to a person standing by, “Did you know that all of that belongs to him?”

And he looks, and he says, “Oh, no. That’s the town fool. It all belongs to Mr. So-and-so.”

See? That’s the word alazōnes, the guy who shoots off his mouth about the stuff he doesn’t even own or do. A big-mouth braggart. That’s verbal pride. You know, we can—we get to the place where we say things about ourselves that aren’t even true. Do you know that? You know, it’s amazing how great we are the further we get away from the actual event. Have you noticed that? How the story gets better and better year after year? Every time you tell it, there’s a new little wrinkle, you see, that just sort of oomph, see?

Anchor: “Thirdly, there’s a temptation to pride in the verbal area”

This is bragging pride—boastful words.

The Greeks had a word, alazōn—a loudmouthed boaster who talks big about what he doesn’t even own or do. We practice verbal pride when we:

Brag about what we’ve done

We tell stories that keep growing each time we retell them.

We paint ourselves as the hero, especially in conflicts or victories.

Hannah says in 1 Samuel 2:3:

“Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.”

Proverbs says:

“Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth.”

Try a test: go a week without talking about what you have done. The struggle will reveal how deeply verbal pride is rooted.

Brag about what we will do

We talk big about future achievements: “I’m going to build this,” “I’ll tell him a thing or two,” “I’ll show them…”

1 Kings 20:11:

“Let not him that girdeth on his armour boast himself as he that putteth it off.”

Don’t boast on the way into the battle; wait until it’s over—if God grants victory.

Psalm 12:3 says God will “cut off… the tongue that speaketh proud things.” God takes our words seriously.

D. Class Pride

Anchor: “let’s call it class pride”

This is pride in our social level—strata, “circle,” “kind of people.”

Class pride:

Looks down on those in a “lower” socio-economic or educational level.

Chooses friends and dinner guests only from a certain “tier.”

Quietly excludes the poor, ordinary, or awkward.

James 2 condemns this when:

A rich man in fine clothing is given the best seat,

A poor man in shabby clothes is told to sit on the floor.

Jesus is no respecter of persons; neither should we be. Psalm 10:2 notes that “the wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor.” Sometimes persecution is not overt cruelty but cold indifference and exclusion.

God loves the poor. He sent His Son to be poor. To look down on those beneath our “class” is to reject the pattern of Christ.

E. Appearance Pride

Anchor: “I call it appearance pride.”

This is pride in how we look—body, face, clothes, style.

There’s a proper place for grooming and modest attractiveness; we shouldn’t use sloppiness or ugliness to appear “spiritual.” But beyond that, our culture is drowning in appearance idolatry:

Driven by advertising, we over-spend, over-focus, and over-display to gain admiration.

We dress, style, and accessorize to draw attention to ourselves.

In 1 Timothy 2:9–10, Paul instructs women to dress in:

Modest apparel – not ostentatious, not showy, not designed to flaunt wealth.

Not with hair elaborately braided with gold and pearls (the ancient equivalent of wearing your bank account on your head).

But with good works.

Isaiah 3:16–26 describes the women of Zion parading their beauty—anklets, headbands, nose rings, fancy garments—only to be judged by God.

Lucifer, the most beautiful creature God made, fell in part because of his beauty (cf. Ezek 28). Physical attractiveness and outward style can easily become a snare of pride.

F. Power Pride

Anchor: “I call it power pride”

This is pride in our position—roles, authority, influence.

Everyone has some authority:

Parents over children,

Boss over employees,

Older siblings over younger,

Social leaders among friends to whom others naturally look.

Power pride:

Uses position to oppress or control.

Treats people as tools, not souls.

Demands to be served instead of serving.

Scripture gives sobering examples:

Babylon in Revelation 18 glorifies herself, lives luxuriously, says “I sit as queen,” and is judged with sudden destruction.

Herod in Acts 12 receives worship as a god and is struck down and eaten by worms.

Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4 boasts of his own power and majesty, and God turns him into a beast until he acknowledges that “those who walk in pride He is able to humble.”

Power is given so we can serve, not so we can dominate.

G. Social Pride

Anchor: “Social pride”

This overlaps with class pride but focuses on our expectation of treatment.

Once we climb a certain social/comfort ladder, we start thinking we deserve a particular level of service.

We become impatient with “lesser” service or “ordinary” accommodations.

We want the chief seats, the best rooms, the special recognition.

Jesus addressed this in Luke 14:

Don’t take the best seat at a banquet; take the lowest seat and let the host honor you if he wishes.

The Pharisees loved chief seats, greetings in the marketplace, and religious titles (Matt 23).

Social pride is the craving to be seen, honored, catered to.

H. Spiritual Pride

Anchor: “spiritual pride”

This is one of the most dangerous forms.

The Pharisees are the classic example:

Outwardly religious, inwardly corrupt.

Loved titles (“Rabbi,” “Father,” “Master”), sought attention in religious settings.

Jesus denounced them fiercely in Matthew 23.

Spiritual pride:

Sees ourselves as “advanced,” “mature,” or “deep,” and others as less.

Uses religious language, Bibles, notebooks, and “seriousness” to project spirituality.

Forgets that all growth is by grace, and that we are still sinners in desperate need of mercy.

You can look very spiritual—carrying a study Bible, filling notebook pages, using theological vocabulary—while the heart is secretly swollen with pride.

I. Intellectual Pride

Anchor: “intellectual pride”

Finally, pride in what we know, especially biblical or theological knowledge.

Job 12:2, after hearing his friends’ “wisdom,” says sarcastically:

“No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.”

Intellectual pride says:

“I’ve got the system; I have the correct theology; I understand; others don’t.”

It forgets that the more we truly see of God, the more we realize how little we know.

The preacher notes after ten years of intense Bible study and preaching:

He feels like a child with a bucket of ocean water bragging about what he “knows,” with the vast, unexplored ocean of God’s truth stretching in front of him.

True knowledge humbles; false knowledge inflates.

5. The Only Safe Boast

The sermon ends with Jeremiah 9:23–24:

“Thus saith the LORD, ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the LORD…’”

We must not glory in:

Wisdom (intellectual pride),

Might (ability/power pride),

Riches (economic pride).

We may only glory in knowing the Lord.

Walking worthy begins here:

With all lowliness—humility in every area where pride tries to take root.

If we lose humility, we lose meekness, patience, loving forbearance, and ultimately the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Application Points

Treat Scripture as Holy, Not Plastic.

Refuse to twist it to fit your preferences.

Refuse to use it as a tool for personal gain.

Refuse to hear it without obeying.

Do a Pride Inventory by Category.

Ask: Where am I tempted—ability, money, words, class, appearance, position, social status, “spirituality,” or knowledge?

Confess specific examples of these to God.

Practice Downward Choices.

Choose the lower seat, the less glamorous role, the ordinary room, the unnoticed act of service.

Proactively embrace things that cut against your craving for status.

Anchor Your Identity in Christ, Not in “More.”

More money, recognition, beauty, power, or knowledge won’t make you safe; they will make humility harder.

Only Christ gives a secure identity that frees you to go low.

Pray Regularly: “Lord, Teach Me True Humility.”

Expect Him to answer this by exposing pride and giving you “thorns”—persistent weaknesses or frustrations that keep you depending on grace.

Memory Verses

Ephesians 4:1–2 – The call to walk worthy with all lowliness.

James 4:6 – God resists the proud, gives grace to the humble.

Jeremiah 9:23–24 – The only safe boast: knowing the Lord.

Deuteronomy 8:17–18 – Remember who gives you power to get wealth.

Teaching Outline (for Logos / Preaching)

Title: All Lowliness in All Areas: Pride Diagnosed, Humility Demanded Text: Ephesians 4:1–3

The Call to Walk Worthy

Foundation–practice structure of Ephesians

Worthy walk = attitudes before activities

The Sin of Superficiality and Mishandling Scripture

Twisting Scripture (2 Pet 3:16)

Hustling Scripture (2 Cor 2:17)

Knowing but not obeying (James 4:17)

The First Mark of a Worthy Walk: All Lowliness

Defined as total humility

Three awarenesses: self, Christ, God

God’s “thorn” to keep us low (2 Cor 12)

Where Pride Attacks (Diagnostic List)

Ability pride

Economic pride

Verbal pride

Class pride

Appearance pride

Power pride

Social pride

Spiritual pride

Intellectual pride

The Only Legitimate Boast

Jeremiah 9:23–24

Boast only in knowing the Lord

Humility as the first ingredient of a worthy walk

Exhortation

Don’t be half-committed, indifferent, superficial

Let the Word speak, apply it honestly, obey it fully

Ask God to do whatever is necessary to make you humble

Discussion Guide

Scripture Handling

Have you ever seen (or done) “wresting” Scripture to make it say what you wanted? What did that look like?

Which of the three sins with Scripture (twisting, hustling, refusing to obey) are you most prone to?

Humility at the Root

Why is humility placed first in Ephesians 4:2 before meekness, patience, and love?

How do self-awareness, Christ-awareness, and God-awareness practically grow humility in your life?

Pride Types

Go through each: ability, economic, verbal, class, appearance, power, social, spiritual, intellectual pride.

Which two are the biggest dangers for you right now? Why?

Practical Repentance

What concrete changes could you make this month to cut off a specific form of pride (e.g., spending habits, bragging, social choices)?

How can your group lovingly help each other spot blind spots?

Boasting in the Lord

What does it mean, practically, to “glory” only in knowing God?

How would your conversations change if that became your primary boast?

Reference

John MacArthur. https://www.gty.org/sermons/1922/the-lowly-walk-part-4