Chapter 4:17-5:

  1. Introduction
  2. Review
  3. History
  4. Chap. 1 – Blessings in Christ; Reception of Spirit, Prays for further Ephesian growth
  5. Chap. 2 – Revived from Death by Christ and Made Heirs.
  6. Chap. 3 – Paul discusses his sharing of the gospel of salvation and prays for growth through the power of the Spirit.
  7. Chap. 4:1-16 –
  8. Encouraged to walk in the Unity which is presented by the Spirit.
  9. Notes Everything surrounding Godliness is Unity.
  10. Christ Gave gifts of the Spirit so we would be united.
  11. The unity of the Word given should cause us to strive toward unity and growth in Christ.
  1. Introduction Chap. 4:17-32
  2. Vs. 17-19– Walk the Walk of a Christian
  3. This is a reemphasis of vs. 1-3.
  4. “Therefore” – Because of unity of the Word being given don’t walk like Gentiles.
  5. The mention of Gentiles is not Christian gentiles.
  6. Rom. 1:18ff, Ps. 81:11-12
  7. They turned from knowing God because they refused Him. He let them go.
  1. Vs. 20-24 – Being a Christian is the creation of a new man.
  2. You did not learn to live like the Gentiles by my teaching.
  3. “If indeed you have heard Him” was a way of saying: "As surely as you have heard him."
  4. Full meaning of this text is, I taught you Christ according to truth and what you heard has nothing to do with immor.al living.
  5. Vs. 22-24–Paul’s teaching said the new self is righteous and holy and based on truth.
  6. John 17:17
  7. 2Co 5:17 - Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.
  1. Vs. 25-5:2 – Characteristics of a New Man
  2. Vs. 25 - Falsehood vs. truth
  3. Vs. 26-27 – Righteous Indignation
  4. Psalm 4:1-6 – Evil is awful, Hate Evil!
  5. Don’t let that disgust become lax or Satan will cease the opportunity.
  6. Vs. 28 – Don’t steal, work! Blessings of working is sharing!
  7. Vs. 29 – Worthless speech vs. that which builds up.
  8. Col 4:6- Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.
  1. Vs. 30 - aorist tense passive voice: meaning, this is read “were sealed”
  2. Talked about in Eph. 1:13 already. Seal was the visible manifestation of the holy spirit as poured out on the day of Pentecost. It was the fulfillment of Joel 2.
  3. This was a down payment with salvation or redemption in mind.
  4. The spirit is grieved when we ignore the teachings of the Spirit in the walk of holiness.
  1. Vs. 31-5:2– Sinful anger vs. love and forgivness.
  2. Bitterness ... is the settled disposition of one who is resentful.
  3. Anger ... is strong, sudden antagonism, explosive, potential murder.
  4. Wrath ... is like a roaring furnace, settled indignation.
  5. Clamor ... is yelling at others.
  6. Railing ... is "blasphemy" in the Greek, meaning "speaking against God or man."
  7. Malice ... takes delight in inflicting hurt or injury.
  1. Forgiveness and Love have nothing in common with these things.
  2. Christ was these things.
  3. Vs. 5:1 – “therefore”, Because christ was these things, be imitators of God.

Children are imitations of God.

Christ and Children walk in Love.