By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor
ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Ephesians 4 offers a transition in Paul’s letter, pivoting from an emphasis on instruction about doctrine to focus, instead, on the application of the principles defined by doctrine.
In that regard, Paul emphasized unity through obedience, meaning that if we are “in Christ” (and He is in us) that it should be evident in the way we “walk.”
Within this mindset, he called the Christian community in Ephesus to experience this peace which is manifested from “one body and one Spirit … one hope … one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (vv. 3-6).
Subsequently, he identified how Christians differ in gifts – “apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” – yet are unified in purpose “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (vv. 11-12). Paul repeats this point, by explaining that “the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (v. 16).
Then Paul underscored that how we “walk” after being welcomed “in Christ” should be different from how we behaved before we were saved. Previously we existed “in the futility of the mind … darkened … alienated” and that “because of the blindness” of the heart, were given to “lewdness … uncleanness with greediness: (vv. 17-19).
Now, if we are “taught by Him,” we should walk in a new way (ending our “former conduct”) by being “renewed in the spirit of your mind” and by putting on “the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (vv. 21-24).
Paul summed up his guidance on this matter by condemning lying, anger and stealing, and even cautioned against speaking unwholesome words (vv. 25-29).
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit” he warned. “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (vv. 30-32).
Although written to the congregation in Ephesus, Paul’s words have application to the whole body of believers, and particular meaning for us who compose the church today. Paul did not call believers to a “go along to get along” conformity to achieve the agendas of men, but to submit in unity to the Holy Spirit for the purposes of God.
This is the fourth installment of a six-part series for the January Bible study on the book of Ephesians.
