Ephesians 4:1-3

The Family Rules

Did you know that it was not until 1850 that our world reached the one billion mark? By 1930 we reached two billion. It took only thirty more years for the world's population to reach three billion. Today there are 7.674 billion people on the earth...Until 1800 the top speed was twenty miles an hour as people traveled on horseback. With the arrival of the railroad train, almost overnight we jumped to 100 miles per hour. By 1952 the first passenger jet could travel 500 miles an hour. By 1979 the Concorde cruised at more than 1,200 miles an hour. In 1961 the astronauts were orbiting the earth at 16,000 miles per hour. 

Change comes at us fast and much of it is truly impressive. But there the greatest change possible is the change put upon a man who places his faith in Christ to be born again. Such faith and transaction creates the greatest kind of change the world can ever see…and see it should! For everyone born again should be a spectacle of the power necessary to make something so!

Chapters 1-3 doctrine…4-6 practical application of that doctrine…the story of the change in our life because of our relationship with Christ and what He has done to make us born again.

“Therefore” — Always a key word in the writings of scripture. Paul is about to make a statement in light of what he has just written. So it is important to review.

What follows is in light of all he wrote in 3:14-21 in which he prayed that the Ephesians might be strengthened in their inner man, have faith that enables them to experience Christ more completely, they be rooted in love and have the capacity to understand more completely how much they are loved by God, be filled with the fullness of God, to glorify God in their life.

The salvation of Christ resulted in the indwelling power and presence of Christ in their life! In light of all this there should be some practical results; a change in the way they are living their life.

They would walk in a manner worthy — A manner worthy of their calling. Christ has changed us. He saved us and made us something new. Now it is time to be who you are…to live what we believe!

“All doctrine truly held prompts to corresponding practice. If faith be the candle, works are the light; take one away and you cannot keep the other Our belief fixes the trend of our footsteps. We are, in fact, what we believe.” Simpson, E. K., & Bruce, F. F. (1957). The Epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians (p. 87). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

These are our “family rules.”

A “worthy” life — Such a life will be marked by five qualities listed here…And these qualities should be seen first in how we treat one another in the church. These are to be the marks of how we treat one another as the family of God.

These are the basics and the first steps of what it means to be a believer and a member of the family of faith.

Humility — “Humility is the displacement of self by the enthronement of God.” (Andrew Murray) God’s rightful place is on the throne of our life. He calls the shots. He makes the decisions. We defer to Him, His will, plans and way of doing things. Jesus followed the Father’s plan and so should we!

When it comes to personal relationships it means jettisoning the attitude and pride. Recognizing the value of others and considering their ideas, opinions and desires. It is to serve. Jesus showed us the way when he washed the feet of the disciples.

Gentleness — This is power held under control. “The weak person yields because he is helpless; the meek person yields his superior strength because he seeks the well-being of others.”

Patience — To be long tempered instead of short tempered. This means we are slow to anger. When people hurt us or make us angry we do not retaliate. We trust God to take care of us and the situation.

Forbearance — “Bearing with one another.” To make allowances for the faults of fellow believers. To bear with, put up with in an understanding way, the weakness and failings of others…in love (eagerly) not grudgingly but with a sense of family affection.

Eagerness — Filled with an intense motivation to make the effort to maintain the unity of the church.

Humility — “I may be wrong.”

Gentleness — “I’m willing to listen, and change.”

Patience — “I’ll give you time to think it through.”

Bearing with — “I’ll put up with you even when we disagree.”

Eagerness — “I really want this to work.” Boles, K. L. (1993). Galatians & Ephesians (Eph 4:2). Joplin, MO: College Press.

These are the building blocks of unity within the church. They are the necessary personal steps if we are to ever have genuine unity in the body. We must be right with God and walking in accordance with who He has recreated us to be.

How?

It is not always a natural or easy thing to be humble, gentle, patient or to put up with the failings of others. And we are not always eager or motivated, to make the effort in our relationships with one another.

If you think your family has problems, consider the marriage mayhem created when 76-year-old Bill Baker of London recently wed Edna Harvey. She happened to be his granddaughter's husband's mother. That's where the confusion began, according to Baker's granddaughter, Lynn.

"My mother-in-law is now my step-grandmother. My grandfather is now my stepfather-in-law. My mom is my sister-in-law and my brother is my nephew. But even crazier is that I'm now married to my uncle and my own children are my cousins."  Relationships can be a bit complicated and one of the most difficult of things to navigate in life!

Complicated as they may be, we are meant for relationship…relationship with God and others. And when it comes to the church there is no doubt…we are commanded to love and have relationship with one another! 1 John 4:7-8

1 John 4:7–8 CSB

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

But, we get our feelings hurt. We become angry. We hold grudges. We have been there haven’t we? And these things even happen within the church on occasion, with catastrophic results.

How can we live above and beyond our emotions in order to relate to one another and the world the way God intends for us to do so? How do we actually “Walk” in a manner worthy of our God.

We carry His name now. What we do is a reflection upon Him. So we must live in a manner worthy of His name…to glorify Him…that the world might see the unusually fine God who deserves honor. So they might see something of His power and character.

But how? We know ourselves too well don’t we? We know our weakness better than anyone. We know where we struggle in our relationship with others.

“The power at work in us” — Remember this is not about us. It is about what God can do with us. His power is at work in us so that He might get the glory for the results.

We are the material in the hands of the master. He is the artist creating the masterpiece. Our job is to reflect His care, love and power exerted upon us.

All of these character traits, attitudes and the resulting “walk” or action is the result of 3:14-21. The power of God strengthening our inner man (soul and spirit), the gift of faith given us, continuous realization of how much we are loved and the enjoyment of the fullness of God.

God is at work in and upon us. We simply have faith, love and enjoy what He is about the business of doing. We simply cooperate with Him.

Philippians 2:13

Philippians 2:13 CSB

For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.

Philippians 1:6

Philippians 1:6 CSB

I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Once we understand this is a work of God we can rely on Him instead of self. We know His power...it is infinite. We know of His ability…it is endless and immeasurable. Nothing is impossible with Him!

So we pray, have faith and enjoy the work of Christ in our life. I need not fear my weakness.

Are You Changed?

Who are you? What are you really like when no one is around? Are you changed? Are you born again? John 3:3

John 3:3 CSB

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

That word “born” means to experience a complete change in one’s way of life to what it should be, it is a return to a former state…the one experienced in the Garden. A return to a former relationship status…the one we had with God in the Garden.

Are you different because of the work of Christ in your life?

Is Christ on the throne of your life? Is it reflected in your attitudes, words, actions toward others? Do you have a new “walk.” You cannot be something you’re not.

Some of do know Christ but have never really learned what that meant for their life after new birth. And when you begin to learn such things it intimidates you. But I have good news…everything Paul says in these first two verses follow a “Therefore.”

Paul understood his life in terms of God and what He had done to change him. His life was “in Christ” and this changed everything.

“Humility is the displacement of self by the enthronement of God.”

On Getting Along With People...The SIX most important words: "I admit I made a mistake." The FIVE most important words: "You did a good job." The FOUR most important words: "What do you think?" The THREE most important words: "After you please." The TWO most important words: "Thank you." The ONE most important word: "We" The LEAST important word: "I"

Such simple things can at times seem impossible…but all things are possible with Christ...

Is there someone you need to get right with today? Is there someone you have struggled to love well? Is there a relationship that needs mending in your life? Is there a grudge that needs to be gone?

We must be eager to protect the unity of the Body of Christ and be a representative of Him to a world lost without Christ.

Walk the walk…by faith in the work of Christ in your life.