Alive in Christ!
Six Studies in Paul's Letter to the Ephesians by Peter J. Blackburn
Study 4. The Active Body - Ephesians 4
So the secret is out! There is only one gospel it is good news for both Jews and Gentiles! "The Gentiles are co-
Now what does all this mean for the Body of Christ? Paul wrote about the Church as the Body of Christ in 1.22-23 with the focus of the Body being on Christ the head. He spoke of it again in 2.15-16 where his theme is Jew and Gentile being reconciled to God and to one another. Also in chapter 3 as noted above.
But being part of the Body is not just for security, happiness and encouragement. The Body is for doing how can that happen?
Chapter 4
1 Therefore I appeal to you - I the prisoner in the Lord - walk worthily of the calling with which you have been called. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit just as it is to one hope that you have been called 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is the one over all things and through all things and in all things.
7 Now to each one has been given grace according to the measure with which Christ gives. 8 This is why it says,
"Having ascended on high
he led captivity captive,
he gave gifts to men" (Ps. 68.18).
he led captivity captive,
he gave gifts to men" (Ps. 68.18).
(9 Now the word "having ascended" what does it mean except that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 The one having descended is himself the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, in order that he might fill all things.) 11 Now he himself has given some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 for the purpose of equipping of God's holy people for the work of service and for building the body of Christ, 13 until we all arrive at unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, at perfect manhood, at the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about and carried hither and thither by every wind of teaching and by the trickery of men who plot methods of deception. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love we are to grow in every way into the one who is the head, Christ himself. 16 From him the whole body, fitted together and joined through every ligament with which it is supplied according to the proper operation of each part, makes the growth of the body for building itself up in love.
17 Therefore I say this to you and strongly affirm in the Lord, that you are no longer to walk in the way the Gentiles walk in the futility of their thinking. 18 For they are darkened in thought and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them through the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having become devoid of feeling, they hand themselves over to self-indulgence, greedily practising every kind of impurity. 20 But as for you - this not how you learnt Christ - 21 assuming that you have heard him and been taught in him, in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 Concerning your former way of life, you were taught to put away from yourself your old humanity which is being destroyed by deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed in the spirit of your mind and to put on the new humanity which has been created in God's image in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore putting away falsehood "let each of you speak truth with his neighbour" (Zech.8.16), because we are members of one another. 26 "And be angry but do not sin" (Ps.4.4) don't let the sun go down on your animosity, 27 and don't give the devil an opening. 28 The one who has been stealing must no longer steal. Instead he must work, doing good with his own hands, so that he will be able to share with the needy one. 29 Don't let any foul language escape your lips, but instead what is good for building up others according to need, so that it will give grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God you have been sealed in him for the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness and rage and anger and shouting and slander, together with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another and compassionate, freely forgiving one another just as God also has freely forgiven you in Christ.
The Active Body
We become Christians by an individual act of faith in God's saving grace. This individual faith has made us part of Christ's Body. All of a sudden our relationship with others takes on a new importance - hence our need to be humble and gentle, patient, bearing with one another in love
We are to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Our unity flows from the unity of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The one Spirit creates us as one body on the basis of the one gospel - one hope to which you have been called. We have been brought into that one body through one Lord, one faith, one baptism. And behind the whole plan of salvation is one God and Father of all, who is the one over all things and through all things.
In 1.7 Paul wrote that "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our transgressions, according to the wealth of his grace". He now speaks further of God's grace, but here in relation to his gifts to each one - that is, to every believer for the life of the whole body. Some gifts - apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers - have a particular equipping role, but the gifts of all are directed to the work of service and building up the body of Christ The purpose is that we grow in every way into the one who is the head, Christ himself
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What does the Lord expect of you so that the whole body will be built up in love?
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A Whole New Way of Life
In v. 1 and again in v. 17 we find the word walk used to describe our whole way of life. In v. 1 - walk worthily of the calling to which you have been called, In v. 17 - you are no longer to walk in the way the Gentiles walk in the futility of their thinking. Notice the elements of the old way of life - darkened in thought, alienated from the life of God, devoid of feeling, self-indulgent, greedily practising every kind of impurity.
Becoming a Christian (described here as learning Christ) involves us in putting away the things that have been so much part of the old life, being renewed in the spirit of your mind and putting on the new humanity.
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What are the things that we need to "put away"?
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What are the qualities that we need to "put on"?
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How ever will we be able to put away the old and put on the new?
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Alive in Christ! (c) Peter J. Blackburn 1990. Permission is given for this study to be copied in its entirety for group use. Courtesy advice of the use of these studies would be appreciated. Any other proposed use must have the written permission of the author. Email Peter Blackburn.
Study 5: A Whole New Way of Life - Ephesians 5
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