EXPLORING EPHESIANS - CHAPTER 4:17-32

Eph. 4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 

Eph. 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 

Eph. 4:19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 

Paul is stating unequivocally that the child of God is to live a life that identifies him as different from the world.  We have an eternal purpose that far surpasses any agenda resulting from the morally depraved thoughts of unregenerate men, those who identify themselves with the “god” of this world rather than the One True God.  They remain ignorant and without spiritual insight because they have chosen to give themselves over to immorality and the desires of the flesh, directing their energy toward whatever fraudulent practices (from the Greek for “greedy”) are necessary toward attaining those desires.  They are not convicted by their conscience because it has been seared to the point of being “past feeling.”  This is exactly what Paul expressed in his letter to Timothy.

1Timothy 4:1-2  “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron….”

Our lack of ability to discern is a direct result of ignorance or rejection of God’s truth.  Spiritual discernment of God’s truth is only possible when the heart is tender and open to conviction and instruction.  This is a very thought-provoking truth.  God is not willing that any should perish, but He is not going to force His way into our lives.  The longer we shut Him out, the more the danger that we shut ourselves out of His reach permanently.  Paul was very clear in his letter to the Romans that a person can reach the point where God gives them over to their sin and desire.

Romans 1:24, 26, 28 “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts….For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections….And 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….”

Eph. 4:20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 

Paul is confident that the Ephesians had been taught according to God’s truth as declared by Christ and fully understood it.

Eph. 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 

Eph. 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 

Eph. 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 

Eph. 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 

“heard” = Webster:  to heed, accept, obey

Paul is stating that those who have “heard” the truth as taught and exampled by Jesus understand that their lives are not to be lived according to worldly standards and teaching.  They have been made new creations in Christ.  

2Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

As a new creation, just like a newborn babe, we have to relearn how to live.  This requires concerted effort on the part of the believer.  He is to choose to “put off” or do away with the sinful practices of his former life that was ruled by the flesh and “put on” or clothe himself in righteousness and holiness.  Again, these are acts of choice and determination.  He is also to renew or reform his way of thinking and the very essence of his being.  This is not a one-step process; it is an ongoing process.  Most importantly, God does not expect us to accomplish this transformation in our lives in our own strength; He has given us the Holy Spirit to empower and enlighten us as we choose to yield to His authority

Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me….”

1Corinthians 2:12-13 “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

Eph. 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 

“Wherefore” – Because you are a new creation in Christ…..

At this point Paul begins to address specific character issues that should be predominant in the lives of believers.  His first admonition—Don’t tell lies; speak the truth.  One who has placed his/her faith in Christ Jesus has been adopted into the family of God (chapter 1, verse 3-6), and we are to strive to obey Him and live according to the example of His Son, Jesus.

John 14:23 “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

Those who choose to characterize themselves as liars are aligning themselves with the enemy and in opposition to God.

John 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

The more we recognize that we are one in Christ, we realize that lying not only hurts the individual, it hurts the testimony of the whole and weakens the effectiveness of the gospel message we are declaring.  Whether we recognize it or not, the truth is that the world judges our Savior by those who declare allegiance to His name.  Satan is no dummy.  He takes great delight in every opportunity to infiltrate the “church” with false teachers and charming deceivers who pervert the word of God and get people to focus on works instead of faith, ministry over worship, experience above truth, and ritual without relationship.  He knows that the leaven of sin quickly spreads and that people are easily deceived into focusing on self rather than on the God we serve. 

Eph. 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 

Eph. 4:27 Neither give place to the devil. 

I really liked the CJB translation of these verses:  “Be angry, but don’t sin — don’t let the sun go down before you have dealt with the cause of your anger; otherwise you leave room for the Adversary.”

I think the reference here is to “righteous indignation.”  Even Jesus was stirred to anger when He observed how the religious leaders had reduced the temple to a place of business over worship and prayer.  He acted with a passion and anger that was zealous of His Father’s honor, yet He did not become a bitter person in the process.  As we who claim the name “Christian” respond to the things in this world that anger and grieve us, we are to guard against developing a bitterness or reacting in a way that would give a wrong message to others about God’s character.  That’s exactly the sin that got Moses into trouble and kept Him out of the Promised Land.  

Abba Father, Please forgive me for the many times I have misrepresented you before others in response to their actions or the actions of others toward me or loved ones.  Please fill me with a heart of love and mercy and help me to continue learning to die to self and submit to Your Holy Spirit’s leading.

Eph. 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 

One who has trusted the LORD as Savior should be characterized as one who works hard at accomplishing good things.  He/she should be known for the way they seek to help the needy—not for taking advantage of others.

Eph. 4:29 Let 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. 

One who calls himself a “Christian” should be one whose speech is good, kind and edifying.  To “minister grace to the hearer” is a reference to graciousness and gratitude.  In other words, our speech should declare that we honor our Savior and want to encourage others to honor Him as well.  I like the point made by Wuest in his Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, “The Greek order is, ‘every word that is corrupt, out of your mouth, let it not proceed.’”  In other words, every word we speak should be good and not bad; it should have value.

Eph. 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 

This whole list is full of admonitions that one would think Christians would not need to hear, but reality dictates otherwise.  We who have accepted Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior have been sealed, marked with a stamp of security and preservation, by the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit lives within us.

1Corinthians 3:16-17  “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

Since the Holy Spirit is a part of the being of every child of God, He is with us in everything we do—whether good or bad, whether it honors God or not.  Knowing this, Paul is reminding the believers in Ephesus that they should not grieve or bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the things they say, the choices they make, the things they do, or even the things they choose to meditate on.

By the way—I think it is important to note that the child of God is “sealed unto the day of redemption.”  That will be the day that we receive our resurrection bodies of immortality and incorruption and get to take possession of our full inheritance as His sons and daughters (cf 1:14).  Once the Spirit indwells us, He is there permanently.

Eph. 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 

Paul continues to identify characteristics that should not characterize a child of God.

• Bitterness – This is poison (from the Greek) to the soul.  Webster connects it with being resentful and a dangerous error that can draw one into apostasy. 
• Wrath – The Greek equates this to the fierce passion that would lead one to kill.
• Anger – The Greek equates this to a response with the intent to punish with vengeance, and scripture is clear in stating that vengeance belongs to the LORD (Romans 12:19).
• Clamor – The Greek makes reference to shrieking and screaming.  This is a depiction of someone out of control and often accompanies unbridled anger. 
• Evil speaking – The Greek for this phrase makes direct reference to blasphemy or speaking evil against God.  It also allows for reference to abusive language generally. 
• Malice – The Greek makes reference to any kind of wickedness or depravity.

Eph. 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. 

In direct contrast to the character described above, the child of God is to be… 

• Kind – The Greek gives emphasis to being usefully employed and doing good things.
• Tenderhearted – The Greek makes reference to one who is sympathetic and compassionate.  We should be ready to show mercy and sensitivity to the needs of others.
• Forgiving – The Greek for this word comes from the root word for love and grace, charis, a divine influence upon the heart.  It’s a willingness to freely pardon without resentment one who has done you wrong.  The example we are to follow—no less than that of God the Father Himself who has forgiven us in Christ.  If He has forgiven us in Christ, we are to forgive others in the body in Christ.

I think it is also important to note that the context is specifically applicable to one’s actions toward others in the body of Christ.