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Chapter 5 begins a new section on Walking in Love and then Walking in Wisdom.
Chapters 1-3 gave us the space-time historic doctrine and chapters 4-6 is the natural outgrowth of that doctrine.
Right doctrine always precedes right conduct.
It can never be the other way around.
You can never bypass doctrine.
To bypass doctrine is to bypass the mind.
This is what all instant sanctification gimmicks are trying to do.
They want to be like Jesus but they want to bypass the mind.
They don’t want to think.
But you can never change if you don’t take doctrine into your mind.
See, everyone has doctrine.
No one, believer or unbeliever doesn’t have doctrine.
And your doctrine naturally leads to a certain type of behavior.
Your behavior reflects your doctrine.
For example, a recent article on Evolution showed how an evolutionist should live in an evolutionary universe.
The doctrine of Evolution basically teaches a “dog eat dog world”, “survival of the fittest”.
It teaches that there are a limited amount of resources and we need these resources to survive.
Therefore, the fittest individuals get those resources and survive and the weakest individuals die.
Therefore, the fittest individuals procreate and the weakest individuals do not so that society is moving toward an advanced perfect society.
We are getting better and better.
Evolution is the way of salvation.
This is what the great minds of the day would have us believe.
In this recent article I discovered that many of these scientists are working out this hypothesis in practice.
How should we evolutionists live in an evolutionary universe?
One suggestion concerned sex.
“Sex” is a limited resource and since men need sex to live then “rape” should be legalized.
The doctrine of evolution logically leads to the view that women are just resources.
Men are more powerful and should take what they please when they please.
So, you can see how one’s doctrine affects one’s lifestyle.
The problem with this is that all non-Christian philosophies can never live consistently with their philosophies.
The reason is because we don’t live in a world that corresponds to any of those philosophies.
So, the argument that Christianity is making is that only the Christian can live consistently with his doctrine.
And the reason is because Christianity is true; Christianity corresponds with reality.
So, everyone has doctrine, no one is neutral, and out of our doctrine grows our lifestyle.
But the doctrine of all non-Christian philosophies leads to absurd lifestyles; lifestyles that won’t work in reality.
The reason they don’t work is because whether you are a Christian or not you still live in a Christian universe under the Christian God.
This is why non-Christians can never live totally consistent with their philosophy.
It doesn’t fit the way things are.
Now let’s turn to Christian doctrine.
Christian doctrine is true, it fits reality.
Therefore, the lifestyle that grows out of Christian doctrine is also true and can be lived out in reality.
We can live consistent with our doctrine.
Why don’t all Christians live consistent with Christian doctrine?
One of two things: 1) he doesn’t know [ignorant] Christian doctrine.
Therefore he’s living according to some other pagan doctrine or 2) he doesn’t believe the Christian doctrine.
Therefore he really still believes some other pagan doctrine.
He really believes the grass is green on the other side.
So, to live consistently with Christian doctrine we first have to know the Christian doctrine and then we have to believe the doctrine.
When we know it and believe it we live it!
Ephesians 1-3 contains the doctrine.
Ephesians 4-6 contains the lifestyle.
All you have to do is believe the doctrine of 1-3 so you can live like chapters 4-6.
Now, we are in chapter 4:17-32, Walking in Holiness.
The Christians walk is to be characterized by holiness.
What is the doctrine we have to know in order to walk in holiness?
/First/, the space-time resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Why walk in holiness today if the founder of Christianity died and was buried in the 1st century?
If He didn’t rise from the dead then no one is watching and why walk in holiness?
/Second/, the space-time ascension of Jesus Christ.
If Christ did not ascend to the right hand of the Father and assume government of the universe then why walk in holiness?
If it’s not Christ’s law then we may once again, do as we please.
We get to make the rules.
Why walk in holiness?
/Third/, the space-time regeneration of the believer.
How can you walk in holiness if you are a depraved sinner?
Some real change had to take place in your human spirit if there is to be a change in your lifestyle.
All three of these doctrines have been developed by Paul in Chapters 1-3.
Turn to Ephesians *1:19b-23*.
See the resurrection there and the bodily ascension.
Now look at 2:1-3.
By nature we were depraved and under the wrath of God.
But now look at *2:4-9*.
You have been regenerated by the grace and power of God at the moment you trusted Christ.
You were given a new nature and that new nature was designed to do one thing.
That one thing is found in *2:10*.
You are His /poiema/, His poetry, His work of art, created in Christ Jesus, not /by/ good works but /for/ good works.
These good works have been prepared before the foundation of the world for you to walk into them.
That’s the doctrine behind this section Walking in Holiness (4:17-32).
You are designed to walk in holiness.
Last week we looked at three specific commands.
Each command has three aspects.
Negative, don’t do this, Positive, do this instead, and Motivation, this is the reason.
This follows the Old Testament Wisdom Literature format.
God never just tells us no, no, no.
Simply refraining from some activity does NOT make one holy.
Well, I don’t drink or chew or go with the girls who do so I must be holy.
Oh no, you haven’t been reading God’s word.
To be holy you must not only refrain from some activities but you must follow his positive commands.
And God graciously gives us a motivation, a reason for following his commands.
First, verse 25.
Don’t be *a liar*.
That’s the negative.
When is a liar no longer a liar?
Is it when he stops lying?
No.
A liar is no longer a liar when he is a truth teller.
What’s the motivation to be a truth teller?
*We are members one of another*.
We are united in the body of Christ.
Your brother is necessary to your well-being.
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