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        Caring

        Forgiving

        Supporting

        Rejoicing and weeping together

Meaning: Fellowship is the relational expression of Christ’s Love.

6. Being United in Purpose and Mission

     The Local Assembly is not just a gathering - it is a Mission Community.

        Witnessing together

        Serving the world together

        Making Disciples together

Meaning: Fellowship aligns us with God’s Mission as a United Body.

In Simple Terms

Fellowshipping with other Christians in the Local Assembly means:

        Sharing Life in Christ

        Growing together

        Encouraging one another

        Worshiping together

        Serving with our Gifts

        Loving one another deeply

        Advancing God’s Mission as One Body in Christ.

It is the lived expression of being the Family of God.

Christians are not to live in isolation, for after all, they are members of the same Body. Paul taught that Christ is the Giver of these Gifts, through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:8–10).

He ascended to Heaven as Victor Forevermore. The picture here is of a Military Conqueror Leading His Captives and Sharing the Spoil with his followers. Only in this case, the “captives” are not His enemies, but His Own. Sinners who once were held captives by SIN and Satan have now been taken captive by Christ. Even death itself is a defeated foe! When He came to earth, Christ experienced the depths of humiliation (“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: ⁶who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: ⁷but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: ⁸and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. ⁹Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: ¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; ¹¹and that every tongue

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o Paul describes himself as a minister of the Gospel by God’s Grace, despite being “the least of all Saints.”

o His Mission/Ministry: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ and make known God’s plan.

o The phrase “unsearchable riches” highlights the depth and abundance of Grace in Christ.

Verses 10–12: God’s Eternal Purpose

o Through the Church, God’s Manifold Wisdom is displayed to heavenly powers (Satan and his servants).

o This shows the Cosmic Scope of Salvation - God’s Plan is not just earthly but eternal.

o Believers now have boldness and access to God through Faith in Christ - a radical shift from Old Covenant restrictions.

Key Themes

• The Mystery of Christ: Inclusion of Gentiles in God’s Covenant Family.

• Grace and Humility: Paul’s Calling is by Grace, not merit.

• The Church’s Role: A Witness to God’s Wisdom in the Spiritual Realm, and a Disciple to the world.

• Confidence in Christ: Access to God without fear.

Application

• Unity: The Gospel breaks down barriers - racial, cultural, social.

• Mission: Like Paul, Believers of Christ are called to share the riches of Christ (Matt. 28:18-20).

Identity: We approach God boldly because of Christ

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should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil. 2:5–11), but when He Ascended to Heaven, He experienced the very highest exaltation possible, He was seated at the Right Hand of The Father, the place of highest Honor, Power, and Rule. When the Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost, it let the Apostles know that Christ had taken the most honored seat, and the Church was in position to be instituted because the Promise of the Father was in place (He was living in them), and Christ was in His Place of Rule. These two things were a MUST for the Church to be formed and to function effectively.

Paul quoted Psalm 68:18 (“Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: Thou hast received gifts for men; Yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord GOD might dwell among them”), applying to Jesus Christ a Victory Song written by David (⁸Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men” - Eph. 4:8). This is Paul’s Spirit-inspired interpretation of Psalm 68:18, which says that when God ascended, He received gifts from people. Paul, applying it to Christ, emphasizes that the ascended Lord now gives Gifts to His Church. Paul uses Psalm 68 to show:

        Christ is the Victorious King

        His Ascension is a Triumphal Procession

        He has conquered every enemy (death, the grave, SIN)

        From His Exalted Position, He distributes Spiritual Gifts to His People by His Spirit. (¹³Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. ¹⁴He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” - John 16:13,14). 

It ties into the Theme of Christ’s Authority, His Victory, and the Unity and Gifting of the Church in Ephesians 4.

There are two lists of Spiritual Gifts given in the New Testament:

I Corinthians 12:4–11 “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. ⁶And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. ⁷But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. ⁸For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; ¹⁰to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of

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tongues: ¹¹but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will”, 27–31 “²⁷Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 28And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. [²⁹Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? ³⁰Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? ³¹But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way”];

Romans 12:6–8;

“⁶Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; ⁷or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; ⁸or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Ephesians 4:11 - Gifts that Christ gave to the Church

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.” 

Since these lists are not identical, it may be that Paul has not named all the gifts that are available. Paul wrote that some Gifts are more important than others, but that all Believers are needed if the Body is to function normally (⁵I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying” - I Cor. 14:5, “Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues” - Verse 39).

Paul named, not so much “gifts” as the gifted men God has placed in the Church, and there are four of them. Apostles (v. 11a). The word means “one who is sent with a commission.” Jesus had many Disciples, but He selected Twelve Apostles (“¹And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. ²Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphæus, and Lebbæus, whose surname was Thaddæus; ⁴Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him” - Matt. 10:1–4).

A Disciple is a “Follower” or a “Learner,” but an Apostle is a “Divinely Appointed Representative.” The Apostles were to give Witness of the

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Resurrection (¹⁵And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)¹⁶Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.¹⁷For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.¹⁸Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. ¹⁹And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. ²⁰For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, And let no man dwell therein: and

His bishoprick let another take.²¹Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²²beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection” - Acts 1:15–22), and therefore had to have seen the risen Christ personally (¹Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? ²If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord” - I Corinthians 9:1–2).

There are no Apostles today in the strictest New Testament sense. These men helped to lay the foundation of the Church - “the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Eph. 2:20), and once the foundation was laid, they were no longer needed. God Authenticated their Ministry with Special Miracles (¹“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. ²For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; ³how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; ⁴God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?” - Heb. 2:1–4), so we should not demand these same Miracles today. Of course, in a broad sense, all Christians have an Apostolic Ministry - “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (John 20:21). But we must not claim to be Apostles. Prophets (Ephesians 4:11b). We commonly associate a Prophet with predictions of future events, but this is not his primary function. A New Testament Prophet is one who proclaims the Word of God (²⁸And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there

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should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cæsar” - Acts 11:28; “⁵which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” - Ephesians 3:5.

Believers in the New Testament Churches did not possess Bibles, nor was the New Testament written and completed. How, then, would these Local Assemblies discover God’s Will? His Spirit would share God’s Truth with those possessing the Gift of Prophecy. Paul suggested that the Gift of Prophecy had to do with understanding “all mysteries and all knowledge” (I Cor. 13:2), meaning, of course, Spiritual Truths. The Purpose of Prophecy is “edification, encouragement, and consolation” (I Cor. 14:3, literal translation). Christians today do not get their Spiritual Knowledge immediately from the Holy Spirit, but mediately through the Spirit Teaching the Word.

With the Apostles, the Prophets had a foundational Ministry in the Early Church, and they are not needed today (²⁰and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” -Eph. 2:20).

Evangelists (v. 11c). “Bearers of the good news.” These men traveled from place to place to Preach the Gospel and win the lost (²⁶And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. ²⁷And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, ²⁸was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

²⁹Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. ³⁰And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? ³¹And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. ³²The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And like a lamb dumb before his shearer, So opened he not his mouth:³³In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: And who shall declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth.³⁴And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?³⁵Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. ³⁶And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? ³⁷And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou

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mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. ³⁸And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. ³⁹And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea.

Acts 8:26–40; “²⁸crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place” - 21:28).

All Ministers should “do the work of an evangelist,” but this does not mean that all Ministers are Evangelists (“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” - II Tim. 4:5).

The Apostles and Prophets laid the Foundation of the Church, and the Evangelists built on it by winning the lost to Christ. Of course, in the Early Church, every Believer was a Witness (“⁴¹Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.⁴²And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.⁴³And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. ⁴⁴And all that believed were together, and had all things common; ⁴⁵and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. ⁴⁶And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, ⁴⁷praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” - Acts 2:41–47;

11:19–21 “Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. ²⁰And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord”), and so should we be witnesses today. But there are people today who have the Gift of Evangelism. The fact that a Believer may not possess this gift does not excuse him from being burdened for lost souls or witnessing to them.

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Pastors and teachers (v. 11d).

The fact that the word some is not repeated indicates that we have here one Office with two Ministries. Pastor means “shepherd,” indicating that the Local Church is a flock of Sheep (²⁸Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” - Acts 20:28), and it is his responsibility to Feed and Lead the Flock (¹The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: ²feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; ³neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. ⁴And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 5Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” I Peter 5:1–4, where “Elder” is another name for “Pastor”). He does this by means of the Word of God, the food that Nourishes the Sheep. The Word is the staff that guides and Disciplines the Sheep. The Word of God is the Local Church’s Protection and Provision, and no amount of entertainment, good fellowship, or other religious substitutes can take its place.

The Growth of Unity (4:12–16)

¹²for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: ¹³till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: ¹⁴that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; ¹⁵but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: ¹⁶from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Paul was looking at the Church on two levels in this section. He saw the Body of Christ, made up of all True Believers, growing gradually until it reaches Spiritual Maturity, “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” But he also saw the Local Body of Believers Ministering to each other, Growing together, and thereby experiencing Spiritual Unity.

A freelance missionary visited a pastor friend of mine asking for financial support. “What group are you associated with?” my friend asked. The man replied, “I belong to the invisible church.” My friend then asked, “Well, what church are you

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a member of?” Again he got the answer, “I belong to the invisible church!” Getting a bit suspicious, my friend asked, “When does this invisible church meet? Who pastors it?” The missionary then became incensed and said, “Well, your church here isn’t the true church. I belong to the invisible church!” My friend replied, “Well, here’s some invisible money to help you minister to the invisible church!” Now, my pastor friend was not denying the existence of the One Body. Rather, he was affirming the fact that the invisible church (not a Biblical term, but I will use it) Ministers through the visible church.

Walk in Purity 4:17—5:17

¹⁷This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, ¹⁸having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: ¹⁹who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. ²⁰But ye have not so learned Christ; ²¹if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: ²²that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; ²³and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; ²⁴and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.²⁵Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. ²⁶Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: ²⁷neither give place to the devil. ²⁸Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. ²⁹Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. ³⁰And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. ³¹Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: ³²and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

¹Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; ²and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor.³But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; ⁴neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. ⁵For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

⁶Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. ⁷Be not ye therefore partakers

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with them. ⁸For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: ⁹(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) ¹⁰proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. ¹¹And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. ¹²For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. ¹³But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. ¹⁴Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.¹⁵See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, ¹⁶redeeming the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Walk not as other Gentiles—4:17–32

The Gifted Leaders are supposed to “equip the Saints unto the Work of the Ministry, unto the Building up of the Body of Christ” (literal translation). The Saints do not call a Pastor and pay him to do the Work. They call him and follow his Leadership as he, through the Word, equips them to do the job (“¹³But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. ¹⁴But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; ¹⁵and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” - II Tim. 3:13–17).

The members of the Church grow by feeding on the Word and Ministering to each other. The first evidence of Spiritual Growth is Christlikeness. The second evidence is Stability. The maturing Christian is not tossed about by every religious novelty that comes along. There are religious quacks waiting to kidnap God’s Children and get them into their false cults, but the maturing Believer recognizes false doctrine and stays clear of it. The cultists do not try to win lost souls to Christ. They do not establish rescue missions in the slum areas of our cities, because they have no good news for the man on skid row. Instead, these false teachers try to capture immature Christians, and for this reason, most of the membership of the false cults comes from local churches, particularly churches that do not feed their people the Word of God. The third evidence of maturity is Truth joined with love: “Speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). It has well been said that Truth without Love is brutality, but Love without truth is hypocrisy. Little children do not know how to blend Truth and Love. They think that if you Love someone, you must shield him from the truth if knowing the truth will hurt him.

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It is a Mark of Maturity when we are able to share the Truth with our Fellow Christians, and do it in love. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Prov. 27:6).

One more Evidence of Maturity is Cooperation (¹⁶from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” - Eph. 4:16). We realize that, as Members of the One Body and a Local Body, we belong to each other, we affect each other, and we need each other. Each Believer, no matter how insignificant he may appear, has a Ministry to other Believers. The Body grows as the individual members grow, and they grow as they feed on the Word and Minister to each other. Note once again the emphasis on Love: “forbearing one another in love” (Eph. 4:2);

speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15); “the edifying of itself in love” (4:16). Love is the Circulatory System of the Body. It has been discovered that isolated, unloved babies do not grow properly and are especially susceptible to disease, while babies who are loved and handled grow normally and are stronger. So it is with the Children of God.

An isolated Christian cannot Minister to others, nor can others Minister to him, and it is impossible for the Gifts to be Ministered either way. So, then, Spiritual Unity is not something we manufacture. It is something we already have in Christ, and we must protect and maintain it. Truth unites, but lies divide. Love unites, but selfishness divides. Therefore, “speaking the truth in love,” let us equip one another and edify one another, that all of us may grow up to be more like Christ.

TAKE OFF THE GRAVECLOTHES!

The Bible was written to be obeyed, and not simply studied, and this is why the words “therefore” and “wherefore” are repeated so often in the second half of Ephesians (4:1, 17, 25; 5:1, 7, 14, 17, 24). Paul was saying, “Here is what Christ has done for you. Now, in the light of this, here is what we ought to do for Christ.” We are to be doers of the Word, and not hearers only (James 1:22).

The fact that we have been Called in Christ (the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” - Eph. 1:18) ought to motivate us to Walk in Unity (Eph. 4:1–16).

And the fact that we have been raised from the dead (Eph. 2:1–10) should motivate us to Walk in Purity (Eph. 4:17—5:17), or, as Paul told the Romans, “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4).

We are Alive in Christ, not dead in sins; therefore “put off the old man … and put on the new man (Eph. 4:22, 24).

Take off the graveclothes and put on the Grace-Clothes!

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The Admonition (4:17–19)

There are some negatives in the Christian Life, and here is one of them: “Walk not as other Gentiles walk.” The Christian is not to imitate the life of the unsaved people around him. They are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1), while he has been raised from the dead and been given eternal life in Christ. Paul explains the differences between the saved and the unsaved. To begin with, Christians think differently from unsaved people. Note the emphasis here on thinking: mind (Eph. 4:17, 23), understanding (Eph. 4:18), ignorance (Eph. 4:18), “learned Christ” (Eph. 4:20).

Salvation begins with Repentance, which is a change of mind. The whole outlook of a person changes when he trusts Christ, including his values, goals, and interpretation of life. What is wrong with the mind of the unsaved person? For one thing, his thinking is “vain” (futile). It leads to no substantial purpose. Since he does not know God, he cannot truly understand the world around him, nor can he understand himself. The sad story is told in Romans 1:21–25 “²¹because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ²²Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, ²³And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.²⁴Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:²⁵who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Our world today possesses a great deal of knowledge, but very little wisdom. They’re better off, but no better. Thoreau put it beautifully when he said that we have “improved means to unimproved ends.” The unsaved man’s thinking is futile because it is darkened. He thinks he is enlightened because he rejects the Bible and believes the latest philosophies, and worldly activities, when in reality he is in the dark. “Professing themselves to be wise, they become fools” (Rom. 1:22). But they think they are wise. Satan has blinded the minds of the unsaved (“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: ⁴in 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. ⁵For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. ⁶For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” - II Cor. 4:3–6) because Satan does not want them to see the Truth in Jesus Christ. It is not simply that their eyes are blinded so they cannot see, but that their minds are darkened so that they cannot think straight about spiritual matters. Of course, the unsaved man is dead because of this Spiritual ignorance.

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 The Truth and the Life go together. If you believe God’s Truth, then you receive God’s Life. But you would think that the unbeliever would do his utmost to get out of his terrible spiritual plight. But the hardness of his heart enslaves him. He is “past feeling” because he has so given himself over to sin that sin controls him. Read Romans 1:18–32 for a vivid expansion of these three brief verses. “¹⁸For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; ¹⁹because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. ²⁰For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: ²¹because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ²²Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, ²³And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.²⁴Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: ²⁵who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. ²⁶For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: ²⁷and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. ²⁸And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; ²⁹being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, ³⁰backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: ³²who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

The Christian cannot pattern himself after the unsaved person, because the Christian has experienced a miracle of being raised from the dead. His life is not futile, but purposeful. His mind is filled with the light of God’s Word, and his heart with the fullness of God’s Life. He gives his body to God as an instrument of righteousness (Rom. 6:13), and not to sin for the satisfaction of his own selfish lusts. In every way, the Believer is different from the unbeliever, and therefore the admonition: “Walk not.”

The Argument (4:20–24)

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Paul reinforced his admonition with an argument from the Spiritual Experience of his readers. Again the emphasis is on the mind, or the outlook, of the Believer. “But ye have not so learned Christ” (Eph. 4:20). He did not say “learned about Christ,” because it is possible to learn about Christ and never be saved. To “learn Christ” means to have a personal relationship to Christ so that you get to know Him better each day. I can learn about Sir Winston Churchill because I may own many of his books and can secure books about his life. But I can never “learn him” because he is dead. Jesus Christ is alive! Therefore, I can “learn Christ” through a Personal Fellowship with Him. This Fellowship is based on the Word of God. I can be taught “the truth” as it is in Jesus Christ. The better I understand the Word of God, the better I know the Son of God, for the whole Bible is a Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ (²⁷And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. Luke 24:27; “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” - John 5:39). The unsaved man is Spiritually ignorant, while the Christian is intelligent in the things of the Word. And the unsaved man does not know Christ, while the Believer grows in his personal knowledge of Christ day by day. We have believed the truth; we have received the life; therefore, we will walk “in the Way” and not walk after the example of the unsaved world.

But this experience of Salvation goes much deeper than this, for it has resulted in a whole New Position before God. The old man (the former life) has been put away, and we can now walk in newness of life through Christ. Ephesians 4:22–24 is a summary of Romans 5-8, where Paul explained the Believer’s Identification with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection. He also dealt with this in Ephesians 2:4-6, as well as in Colossians 3. As Christians, we have not simply changed our minds. We have totally changed our Citizenship. We belong to God’s “New Creation” in Christ (¹⁷Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” - II Cor. 5:17), and therefore, the ideas and desires of the old creation no longer should control our lives.

The simplest illustration of this Great Truth is given in John 11, the resurrection of Lazarus. Our Lord’s friend, Lazarus, had been in the grave four days when Jesus and His Disciples arrived at Bethany, and even Martha admitted that, by now, the decaying body would smell (John 11:39). But Jesus spoke the Word and Lazarus came forth alive, an illustration of John 5:24 “²⁴Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.. Notice our Lord’s next words: “Loose him, and let him go” (John 11:44). 

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Take off the graveclothes! Lazarus no longer belonged to the old dominion of death, for he was now alive. Why go about wearing graveclothes? Take off the old and put on the new! This was Paul’s argument - you no longer belong to the old corruption of SIN; you belong to the New Creation in Christ. Take off the graveclothes! How do we do this? “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Eph. 4:23).

Conversion is a crisis that leads to a process. Through Christ, once and for all, we have been given a New Position in His New Creation, but day by day, we must by Faith appropriate what He has given us. The Word of God renews the mind as we surrender our all to Him (Rom. 12:1–2). “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy Word is truth” (John 17:17).

As the mind understands the Truth of God’s Word, it is gradually transformed by the Spirit, and this renewal leads to a changed life. Physically, you are what you eat, but Spiritually, you are what you think. “As he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7). This is why it is important for us as Christians to spend time daily meditating on the Word, praying, and fellowshipping with Christ.

The Application (4:25–32)

²⁵Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. ²⁶Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: ²⁷neither give place to the devil. ²⁸Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. ²⁹Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. ³⁰And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. ³¹Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: ³²and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Paul was not content to explain a Principle and then leave it. He always applied it to the different areas of life that need to feel its power. Paul even dared to name sins. Five different sins are named in this section, and Paul told us to avoid them and he explained why. Lying (v. 25). A lie is a statement that is contrary to fact, spoken with the intent to deceive. If I tell you it is noon, and then discover that my watch is wrong, I did not tell a lie. But if I gave you the wrong time so you would be late to a meeting and I would benefit from it, that would be a lie. Satan is a liar (John 8:44), and he wants us to believe that God is a liar. “Yea, hath God said?” (Gen. 3:1). Whenever we speak Truth, the Spirit of God Works, but whenever we tell a lie, Satan goes to work. We like to believe that we help people by lying to them, but such is not the case. We may not see the sad consequences immediately, 

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but ultimately they will come. “Ye know that no lie is of the truth” (I John 2:21). Hell is prepared for “whosoever loveth and maketh a lie” (Rev. 22:15).

This does not mean that anybody who ever told a lie will go to hell, but rather that those whose lives are controlled by lies - they love lies and they make lies - are lost forever.

The Christian’s Life is controlled by truth. Note the reason Paul gave for telling the Truth: We belong to each other in Christ. He urged us to build the body in love (Eph. 4:16) and he urged us to build the body in truth. “Speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15).

As “members one of another” we affect each other, and we cannot build each other apart from Truth.

The first sin that was judged in the Early Church was the sin of lying (Acts 5:1–11). Anger (vv. 26–27). Anger is an emotional arousal caused by something that displeases us. In itself, anger is not a sin, because even God can be angry (Deut. 9:8, 20; Ps. 2:12). Several times in the Old Testament the phrase appears, “the anger of the Lord” (Num. 25:4; Jer. 4:8; 12:13). The Holy anger of God is a part of His Judgment against SIN, as illustrated in our Lord’s anger when He cleansed the temple (Matt. 21:12–13).

The Bible often speaks of anger “being kindled” (Gen. 30:2; Deut. 6:15), as though anger can be compared to fire. Sometimes a man’s anger smolders, and this we would call malice, but this same anger can suddenly burst forth and destroy, and this we would call wrath. It is difficult for us to practice a truly holy anger or righteous indignation because our emotions are tainted by SIN, and we do not have the same knowledge that God has in all matters. God sees everything clearly and knows everything completely, and we do not.

The New Testament Principle seems to be that the Believer should be angry at sin but loving toward people. “Ye that love the Lord, hate evil” (Ps. 97:10). It is possible to be angry and not sin, but if we do sin, we must settle the matter quickly and not let the sun go down on our wrath. “Agree with thine adversary quickly” (Matt. 5:25). “Go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone” (Matt. 18:15). The fire of anger, if not quenched by loving forgiveness, will spread and defile and destroy the Work of God. According to Jesus, anger is the first step toward murder (Matt. 5:21–26), because anger gives the devil a foothold in our lives, and Satan is a murderer (John 8:44). Satan hates God and God’s People, and when he finds a Believer with the sparks of anger in his heart, he fans those sparks, adds fuel to the fire, and does a great deal of damage to God’s People and God’s Church. Both lying and anger “give place to the devil” (Eph. 4:27). When I was living in Chicago, one out of every thirty-five deaths was a murder, and most of these murders involved relatives and friends. They are what the law calls “crimes of passion.” Two friends get into an argument (often while gambling), one of them

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gets angry, pulls a gun or knife, and kills his friend. Horace was right when he said, “Anger is momentary insanity.”

A woman tried to defend her bad temper by saying, “I explode and then it’s all over with.” “Yes,” replied a friend, “just like a shotgun - but look at the damage that’s left behind.” “Anyone can become angry,” wrote Aristotle. “But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way - this is not easy.” Solomon has a good solution: “A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger” (Prov. 15:1). Stealing (v. 28). “Thou shalt not steal” is one of the Ten Commandments, and when God gave that Commandment, He instituted the right of private ownership of property. A man has the right to turn his strength into gain, and to keep that gain and use it as he sees fit. God gave numerous laws to the Jews for the protection of their property, and these principles have become a part of our law today. Stealing was particularly a sin of the slaves in Paul’s day. Usually they were not well cared for and were always in need, and the law gave them almost no protection. When he wrote to Titus, Paul urged him to admonish the slaves not to “purloin” but to be faithful to their masters (Titus 2:10). But it was not only the slaves, but citizens in general, who were addicted to thievery, for Paul wrote to people in the Ephesian Church who were gainfully employed (Eph. 4:28). Just as Satan is a liar and a murderer, he is also a thief. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). He turned Judas into a thief (John 12:6), and he would do the same to us if he could. When he tempted Eve, he led her to become a thief, for she took the fruit that was forbidden. And she, in turn, made Adam a thief. The first Adam was a thief and was cast out of Paradise, but the Last Adam, Christ, turned to a thief and said, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Paul added motive to the admonition. We should tell the truth because we are “members one of another.” We should control our anger lest we “give place to the devil.” We should work, and not steal, so that we might be able “to give to him that needeth.” You would expect Paul to have said, “Let him work that he might take care of himself and not be tempted to steal.” Instead, he lifted human labor to a much higher level. We work that we might be able to help others. If we steal, we hurt others; therefore, we should work that we might be able to help others. Even honest labor could become a selfish thing, and this Paul seeks to avoid. Of course, it was a fundamental rule in the early Church that “if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thess. 3:10). A lazy Christian robs himself, others, and God. Of course, Paul was not writing to Believers who could not work because of handicaps, but with those who would not work. Paul himself was an example of a hard worker, for while he was establishing Local Churches, he labored as a tentmaker. Every Jewish rabbi was taught a trade, for, said the rabbis, “If you do

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not teach your son a trade, you teach him to be a thief.” The men that God called in the Scriptures were busy working when their call came. Moses was caring for sheep; Gideon was threshing wheat; David was minding his father’s flock; and the first four Disciples were either casting nets or mending them. Jesus Himself was a Carpenter.

Corrupt speech (v. 29). The mouth and heart are connected. “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh” (Matt. 12:34). We expect a change in speech when a person becomes a Christian. It is interesting to trace the word mouth through the book of Romans and see how Christ makes a difference in a man’s speech. The sinner’s mouth is “full of cursing and bitterness” (Rom. 3:14), but when he trusts Christ, he gladly confesses with his mouth “Jesus Christ is Lord” (Rom. 10:9–10 NIV). As a condemned sinner, his mouth is stopped before the Throne of God (Rom. 3:19), but as a Believer, his mouth is opened to Praise God (Rom. 15:6). Change the heart and you change the speech. Paul certainly knew the difference, for when he was an unsaved rabbi, he was “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). But when he trusted Christ, a change took place: “Behold, he prayeth” (Acts 9:11). From “preying” to “praying” in one step of faith!

The word corrupt, used in Matthew 7:17–18, refers to rotten fruit. It means “that which is worthless, bad, or rotten.” Our words do not have to be “dirty” to be worthless. Sometimes we go along with the crowd and try to impress people with the fact that we are not as puritanical as they think. Peter may have had this motive in mind when he was accused by the girl of being one of Christ’s Disciples. “Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, ‘I know not the man’” (Matt. 26:74). The appetites of the old life sometimes show up when we permit “filthy communication” out of the mouth (Col. 3:8). Remember, before we were saved, we lived in spiritual death (Eph. 2:1–3), and, like Lazarus, our personal corruption produced an odor that was not pleasing to God. No wonder Paul wrote, “Their throat is an open sepulchre” (Rom. 3:13). The remedy is to make sure the heart is full of blessing. So fill the heart with the Love of Christ so that only Truth and Purity can come out of the mouth. Never have to say, “Now, take this with a grain of salt.” Paul told us to put the salt of God’s Grace in everything we say. “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt” (Col. 4:6). And keep in mind that your words have power, either for good or evil. Paul told us to speak in such a way that what we say will build up our hearers, and not tear them down. Our words should Minister Grace and help to draw others closer to Christ. Satan, of course, encourages speech that will tear people down and destroy the work of Christ. If you need to be reminded of the power of the tongue, read the third chapter of James. 

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not teach your son a trade, you teach him to be a thief.” The men that God called in the Scriptures were busy working when their call came. Moses was caring for sheep; Gideon was threshing wheat; David was minding his father’s flock; and the first four Disciples were either casting nets or mending them. Jesus Himself was a Carpenter.

Corrupt speech (v. 29). The mouth and heart are connected. “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh” (Matt. 12:34). We expect a change in speech when a person becomes a Christian. It is interesting to trace the word mouth through the book of Romans and see how Christ makes a difference in a man’s speech. The sinner’s mouth is “full of cursing and bitterness” (Rom. 3:14), but when he trusts Christ, he gladly confesses with his mouth “Jesus Christ is Lord” (Rom. 10:9–10 NIV). As a condemned sinner, his mouth is stopped before the Throne of God (Rom. 3:19), but as a Believer, his mouth is opened to Praise God (Rom. 15:6). Change the heart and you change the speech. Paul certainly knew the difference, for when he was an unsaved rabbi, he was “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). But when he trusted Christ, a change took place: “Behold, he prayeth” (Acts 9:11). From “preying” to “praying” in one step of faith!

The word corrupt, used in Matthew 7:17–18, refers to rotten fruit. It means “that which is worthless, bad, or rotten.” Our words do not have to be “dirty” to be worthless. Sometimes we go along with the crowd and try to impress people with the fact that we are not as puritanical as they think. Peter may have had this motive in mind when he was accused by the girl of being one of Christ’s Disciples. “Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, ‘I know not the man’” (Matt. 26:74). The appetites of the old life sometimes show up when we permit “filthy communication” out of the mouth (Col. 3:8). Remember, before we were saved, we lived in spiritual death (Eph. 2:1–3), and, like Lazarus, our personal corruption produced an odor that was not pleasing to God. No wonder Paul wrote, “Their throat is an open sepulchre” (Rom. 3:13). The remedy is to make sure the heart is full of blessing. So fill the heart with the Love of Christ so that only Truth and Purity can come out of the mouth. Never have to say, “Now, take this with a grain of salt.” Paul told us to put the salt of God’s Grace in everything we say. “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt” (Col. 4:6). And keep in mind that your words have power, either for good or evil. Paul told us to speak in such a way that what we say will build up our hearers, and not tear them down. Our words should Minister Grace and help to draw others closer to Christ. Satan, of course, encourages speech that will tear people down and destroy the work of Christ. If you need to be reminded of the power of the tongue, read the third chapter of James. 

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