LIVING A LIFE FOR CHRIST
Ephesians 4:1-17
LIFESTYLE CHANGE
V:1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Church at Ephesus while a prisoner in Rome.
We are all prisoners while on earth. We are either prisoners of Satan or prisoners
of the Lord. Were born prisoners of Satan to be transformed into prisoners of the
Lord through Jesus Christ. As prisoners of Christ, our freedom from sin was brought
by His death on the cross.
Since we were chosen to be in Christ, Paul urges us to live a life worthy of the calling.
Any man in Christ is a new creation. The new creation is different from the world
and must be lived with a new mindset. Our lives should role-model the graces of
God.
Humbleness is not self-seeking, but the seeking of the will of the Father and the
good of others
Gentle Not struggling with God, but contending with him in love,
obedience and reverence.
Patient To tarry behind, to endure, to see from another person
perspective
Bearing with another in love Not threatened by another person
position or opinion, but in love and supporting their goodwill.
Unity of the Spirit. To seek and desire the things of God recognizing and
appreciating the contributions of others.
Bonds of peace Let the peace rule your heart. Laying aside
any contentions with another, allowing God to work
out any differences.
The reason for war on the outside is the war on the inside
The peace of the soul is found in obedience to God’s
commands.
Ephesus was a Roman colony. The members of the Church were both Jews and Gentiles.
The Jews were God’s first chosen and the Gentiles (that’s us) were adopted
through faith in Jesus making us one body in Jesus. There is one body,
one Lord, one people in Jesus Christ. All believers, regardless of birth,
race, nationality, or gender are one in God who is one in all of us.
GRACE FOR GOOD WORKS FREE OF SIN
V:7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says:
"When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train
and gave gifts to men."
Christ has a purpose for each believer. He chose us for good works. The Gifts are
the equipment that enables us to perform good works. We were set free from the
old life and set up for the new life in Christ. Every gift was given for the edification
of the Church.
I believe that the spiritual gifts given to each believer were specifically and individually
selected for the good work assigned. No two individuals are alike, so the gifts are
used in ways different from others. For example, If have a gift of singing,
my voice and tone will be different from others. If I have the gift of encouragement,
I will use different words or ways to encourage others. The result is the same,
edification of the body.
SIN BEARER, THE MISSION OF JESUS
V:9 (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)
Jesus who has no beginning or ending, was sent by the Father to take on human flesh,
become man, preach the gospel, and die for the atonement of sins of the world.
At his death he descended to hell to set the captive free (1 Peter 3:18), those who
died before His birth and were obedient to the God’s commands. Between His
death and resurrection, Jesus was still at work preaching the gospel lower reasons
of the earth.
After His Sunday Morning Resurrection, Jesus ascended back to the highest heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father making intercessions for you and
me (Act 2:33)
BODY POSITIONS ASSIGNED BY JESUS
V:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
All of us have a purpose. But do not have the same gifts or the same assignments.
Each gift and each position is important in building up and edifying the body of
Christ. We were once all unified in the work of the devil. Now in Christ, we are being
unified together to build up the body of Christ.
Each of us should be maturing daily in the Word of God in the image of Christ to
the good work assigned to us before the foundation of the World.
What does the whole measure of the fullness of Christ mean? I am not sure we
can define it in human terms. It is beyond our grasp and comprehension. I
believe it has to do with His unending love, grace, and mercy that extends throughout
all times in the universe covering every person who becomes a believer, in faith in
Him that makes us the one body fitted together in unity.
THE MATURING OF THE BODY
V:14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Spiritual Maturity has its foundation in faith in the Word of God. When we know the
Word of God we know the truth. Any teaching or doctrine that does not agree with the
The word of God is false. The world's ideas, thoughts, and opinions change daily. But the
The word of God never changes. A mature Christian, having knowledge of the Word of
God is equipped to defend His faith with confidence and in love.
Wisdom is applying the knowledge of God in everyday conversations and decisions.
If we abide in the Word, Christ abides in us, joining all believers together to do the
work of Christ, building up the whole body and glorifying the Father.
THE TRANSFORMED LIFESTYLE
V:17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
Having accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, God no longer sees us as Gentiles, separated
from the commonwealth of Israel, but one united with Christ in the building
of Christ with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Now separated from the Gentiles, we have been transformed into the living temple
of Christ. The way we think, act and reason should be guided by the Holy Spirit
role-modeling Jesus Christ. Our conversations should have their objective of building
up and edifying the body of Christ. Our goal should not be accumulating material
wealth that has no lasting value, but storing up treasures in heaven.
Our thoughts should line up with Christ's Words that have uncompromising
the eternal value that promotes peace, joy, and goodwill for mankind.
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