Ephesians # 21 Eph 4-17 thru 4-26

   We’re still on the book of Ephesians, so let’s pick up at EPH 4:17.

   I. EPH 4:17

       A. Starting here in (V 17) Paul begins to move more into temporal truths.

          1. What we are to do and what we should not be doing.

              a. In (EPH 4:1) Paul says, that ye walk worthy of the vocation.

                 i. He begins to instruct on the things that we should be doing.

              b. In (V 17) he starts now, “How we should not walk.” (Things that we should not be doing.)

                 i. Later now he goes back to the things that we should be doing.

          2. Now in (V 17) he says, “Stop walking as other Gentiles (unbelievers) walk, in the vanity of their mind.”

              a. The word “Vanity” here in this V when he says, “in the vanity of their mind,” means that there is “A perverseness, an Emptiness, and void of the Truth.”

                 i. If someone is an unbeliever, they are definitely void of the Truth of God’s Word.

       B. EPH 4:18

          1. Because someone is void the Truth of God’s Word, their understanding is darkened.

              a. (2 Corinthians 4:4) “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” KJV

          2. He goes on in this V to say, “being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them.”

              a. People are alienated or “Separated” from God because of Ignorance.

                 i. If there ignorance was removed, they would see that they need God in their lives. They would make Jesus their Lord.

                 ii. But their ignorance has stopped them.

              b. How did that ignorance get in?

                 i. Through the “blindness of their heart.”

                 ii. The word “Blindness” should be translated hardness.”

                 iii. In many cases, Unbelievers are ignorant of the things of God because their heart’s are hardened to the things of God.

   II. EPH 4:19

       A. The NIV says this, (Eph 4:19) “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.” NIV

          1. He’s talking about unbelievers here, but not all unbelievers are this way, some try to live a moral life.

              a. They try to receive salvation through the law, a system of do’s and don’ts.

          2. What Paul is trying to say here is that Christians should not be living in this type of life style.

              a. EPH 4:20

                 i. Or in other words, He’s saying You did not come to know Christ that way.”

                 ii. This is not what you have been taught, you have been taught to live a godly live.

       B. EPH 4:21-22

          1. The word “Conversation” in (V 22) means, “manner of life.”

              a. In this V Paul tells us to put off the former life style of the OLD MAN.

                 i. The OLD MAN is the person that you were before you came to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

                 ii. That Old Man is dead and gone, now you are a new creation in Christ Jesus, Created in Righteousness.

              b. Very simply, Paul’s telling us to put off the former way of life. (The sinful things)

          2. EPH 4:23

              a. This V is very similar to 1 found in the Book of COL so let’s turn there.

              b. COL 3:9-10

                 i. Notice that he says in (V 10) that we have put on the NEW MAN, but that NEW MAN needs to be renewed.

              c. How is that New Man Renewed? In KNOWLEDGE.

                 i. But not just any knowledge is going to do it. Reading, writing, and arithmetic are great, but that’s not what Paul is talking about.

                 ii. Our minds are to be renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.

                 iii. In other words, Our minds are to be renewed in the knowledge of our Creator. (After God the Father, God the Son , and God the HS.)

                 d. The only way that were going to change our life style is to have our minds renewed to the Word of God.

   III. EPH 4:24-25a (STOP after WHEREFORE)

          A. Wherefore or because you have put on the new man. V 25

                 1. When you become renewed in the Spirit or Attitude of your mind, put away lying.

                        a. The Greek literally says, “Put away conscious and intentional falsehood.”

                               i. The reason that he gives for this is that we are members one of another. We are Christ body.

                               ii. The body of Christ should not be involved in lying, but we should tell the truth.

                               iii. But the Bible also teaches us to be slow to speak. We don’t always want to say everything we know.

          B. EPH 4:26

                 1. Can a person be angry and sin not? YES and NO.

                        a. When you’re angry at God or at other people then it’s wrong and it’s sin.

                        b. But it’s not wrong to be angry at the Devil and sin or the effects of sin.

                 2. There were different times that Jesus got angry at what the Religious leaders were doing.

                        a. Jesus loved the religious people, but hated religion.

                               i. He loved the demon possessed man, but hated the demon and the Devil.

                 3. The last ½ of (V 26) says, “Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.”

                        a. The word “Wrath” means more than “Anger.” You could say that it’s a little more intense, more like “hostility.”

                        b. The Bible says “Don’t let the sun go down upon your Wrath, Anger, or hostility.”

                               i. Anger will eat you up. They say that it will cause ulcers, heart problems, and probably many more problems. You need to be at peace.

Ephesians #21 Eph 4:17-26.docx

WOLCC Thurs. 8/15/96