Eph 4:17-5:5 = What's New?

17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

Our natural minds are futile and dark.

Matthew 11:25 ESV

25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;

1 Corinthians 1:18–25 ESV

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

This is due to our hard hearts.

1 Timothy 4:2 ESV

2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,

The Message of Ephesians a. The Pagan Life (Verses 17–19)

The word he uses is pōrōsis, and on its derivation and history Armitage Robinson supplies a long additional note. Pōros was ‘a kind of marble’ or in medical writers a ‘callus’ or a ‘bony formation on the joints’. Hence the verb pōroun meant to petrify, to become hard and therefore insensible, and even (when ‘transferred from the organs of feeling to the organ of sight’) blind

Therefore we do what we do.

What can change this?

Ephesians 4:20–24 (ESV)

20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Jesus is the only one who can change this.

He does this by spiritual renewal.

The old you is dead and the new you is born.

This change is one inwardly that bears fruit outwardly.

What does that look like practically?

Ephesians 4:25–32 (ESV)

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 5:1–5 (ESV)

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

We put off falsehood and practice honesty.

We put off sinful anger and practice self control.

We put off greed and instead practice generosity.

We put off corrupt talk and practice edification.

We put off bitterness and un-forgiveness and practice tenderhearted forgiveness.

We put off sexual immorality and put on purity, modesty, and chastity.

Close

Ephesians: An Expositional Commentary Three Compelling Reasons

It is as if Paul is saying, “Act like Christians, for God’s sake. And by God’s power as well.”

PRAYER

Group Questions

Which of the cross-references on the “new set of clothes” metaphor (Job 29:14; 40:10; Pss 93:1; 104:1; 132:9; Rom 13:12b, 14a;Gal 3:27; Col 3:9b–10) provides you with the most encouragement or motivation?

How does Paul explain the process of personal change? Does it happen by “trying harder” or by becoming a new creation?

How do you struggle with this? Where do you “try harder”?

How does this passage show the importance of relationships in the Christian life?

Explain the theological reasons that undergird each of these ethical exhortations (4:25–32).

How are these ethical exhortations (4:25–32) reflected in the life of Jesus?

As a group distinguish between righteous anger and unrighteous anger.

What is your philosophy of work? How does working for money fit into the meaning of life? How does this passage inform your opinion?

What characters in movies or television reflect the good and bad speaking habits of verses 29, 31, and 32?

How does one “grieve the Holy Spirit”?

What does 4:32 say about forgiveness? Do you need to forgive anyone?

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