Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (13.2)

The Epistle to the Ephesians

Ephesians 4:17-32 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

Walk In Holiness

The second characteristic of a worthy walk is holiness. When Paul said, “walk not as the other Gentiles walk” (v.17), he was calling us to a life of holiness. In verses 17-32, Paul contrasts the walk of the unbeliever with walk of the believer and he shows that the proper response to having a new nature is to have new behaviour. As a new person (v.17-21), we have a new position (v.22-24), that will produce a new practice (v.25-32).

A New Person in Christ (v.17-21).

The reason we are to “henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk” is because we are a new person in Christ. The word ‘Gentile’ refers to unbelievers (I Thess. 4:5), and when we put our faith in Jesus Christ we were made a new creation (II Cor. 5:17), we became a new person in Christ. No longer are we spiritually dead, “being alienated from the life of God” (v.18b). No longer are we in mental darkness, “having the understanding darkened” (v.18a). No longer are we bent towards moral degeneracy and physical depravity, “who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greed” (v.19). But we have “learned Christ” (v.20), the word “learned” refers to our salvation and being saved, we through the Word are “taught by Him” (v.21a). One of the wonderful benefits of our salvation is the fact that we are given a new nature and with the new nature comes a new desire, “old things pass away, and all things become new” (II Cor. 5:17b). This new nature makes us a new person and as a new person we are to walk in holiness.

A New Position in Christ (v.22-24). 

Not only are we a new person, with a new nature and new desires, but we have a new position in Christ. The words “put off  concerning the former conversation the old man” (v.22),  refers to an event that happen at the time of your salvation. When you trusted Jesus Christ as Saviour the ‘old man’ died, he at that moment was ‘put off’’ (Rom 6:6, Col 3:1-10, Gal. 2:20, 5:24), and “ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness (v.24). Paul is not telling us to ‘put off the old man’ and ‘put on the new man.’  But he is telling us what has already been down for us. When you trusted Jesus Christ as Saviour at that very moment the old man (old sinful nature) died, he was put off and that old man was resurrected as the new man (new righteous nature), he was put on. With the death of your old man, sin lost its power and it’s control in your life and with the resurrection of the new man you now have a new power to live in ‘righteousness and true holiness.’ This is our position in Christ and it is the basis for victory over sin.

A New Practice in Christ (v.25-32).

Because we are a new person and we have a new position in Christ we are commanded to ‘put away’ all manner and conduct that belonged to the former life. Our practice should match our position. It is only because we are a new person and have a new position that we are able to have a new practice. There are five actions that we are to put away.

Put Away Lying (v.25).

A lie is a statement that is contrary to fact , spoken with the intent to deceive (I Jn. 2:21). We are to tell the truth because “we are members one of another”.  We cannot build each other up apart from being truthful (Eph. 4:15-16). The first sin judged in the early church was the sin of lying (Acts 5:1-11).

Put Away Anger (v.26-27).

Anger is an emotional arousal caused by something that displeases us. Not all anger is sin, there is a righteous indignation. As a rule the only thing we should get angry at is sin (Matt. 21:12-13). When we do get angry we must settle the matter quickly, “do not the sun go down on your wrath”(v.26). If we do not settle our disputes quickly we “give place to the devil” (v.27), in our lives.

Put Away Stealing (v.28).

Instead of stealing, we are to “labour, working with his hands the thing which is good.”  The phrase “the thing which is good” refers to working a job that honours God, a job that does not compromise your testimony or violate Scripture (night club, bartender, selling lottery tickets etc.). We are to work and not steal so we “may have to give to him that needeth.” We do not work to get but to give. If we work just to get then we are stealing from God and others (Mal. 3:6-12).

Put Away Corrupt Speech (v.29).

The word “corrupt” refers to that which is rotten, worthless and bad. Our words do not have to be dirty to be corrupt, when we speak words that do not “edify” or “minister grace” then we are speaking corrupt communication.

Put Away Bitterness (v.30-32).

Bitterness is a settled hostility that poisons the whole soul. When “bitterness” is bottled up on the inside it will eventually explode on the outside producing “wrath,” “anger,” “clamour,” “evil speaking and malice.” The reason for and the solution to “bitterness” is “forgiveness” (v.32). “Bitterness” is the result of an unforgiving spirit and is removed by forgiving the one you have something against. If we allow bitterness to remain we “grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (v.30).  May the fact that we are a new person and we have a new position in Christ enable us to live according to a new practice.