EPHESIANS OUTLINE #28 of 35

EPHESIANS 4

I. Introduction

A. When a man becomes a Christian he is to put off his old life as a man puts off his coat for which he has no further use.

1. Here Paul tells us these things which are to be banished from the Christian life.

2. The reason we are to put off these things is found in verse 4:22

(a) The old self what we were before Jesus saved us) is continually in tie process of corruption. Literally the old self tends to destruction.

(b) It is going in that direction because the old self has been deceived through sin and lust.

Rom. 6:16,21-23 - Rom. 7:5,18 - Heb. 3:13

II. A Necessary Preparation in Holiness

A. Put off the old self with its lusts of deceit.

1. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

(a) The spirit of man is that which is born anew (John 3:6)

(b) It is that part of can which worships God (John 424).

(d) The spirit of the mind is its interior life.

(e) We deduce therefore that which needs to be renewed is not merely outward habits but the in-

tenor principle of life which ties at the back of all we do and say.

(f) The word renewed means a reformation that produces quality.

B. Put on new man.

1. In contrast to putting off the old man, we are urged to put on the new man.

(a) This new ran is said to he after cod, this means that the new man has God as its author.

(b) Notice that this new man is created hy God in His own likeness.

2. What is that likeness (righteousness & holiness).

(a) Righteousness expresses the behavior we have before men.

(b) Holiness is our attitude and behavior toward God.

(d) Holiness is that attitude of heart and mind toward God.

(e) Since we are a new creation, God being the author, we are to wear the garments of a new

conversation and a new conduct.

(f) Righteousness renders us just to our neighbors and holiness renders us pious to God.

II. A dual response for personal holiness.

A. Stop trying - speak truth (4:25)

1. The first garment of old man to be put off is the garment of falsehood.

(a) Dr. Johnson gives some interesting advise in rearing children: "Accustom your children constantly to this (the telling of the truth); if a thing happened at one window, and they when relating it, say that it happened at another. do not let it pass, but instantly check then; you do not know where deviation from truth will end . It is more from carelessness about truth than from intentional lying, that there is so much falsehood in the world." Dr. Johnson's view that we must accustom ourselves to make a deliberate resolve and attempt to tell the truth. It is easy to embroider the details of a story. It is easy to make up sons sort of story when we are making an excuse for not doing, or for not having done, something. It is

perfectly true that there is a great deal of almost unconscious falsehood in the world, and that truth demands a deliberate effort.

(b) Paul gives us the reason for telling the truth.

(c) we are members of the same body, if the senses and nerves pass false messages to the rest of the body we are in trouble.

2. All deception impairs the working of body of Christ.

B Be angry - do not sin (4:26).

1.There must be in every Christian the ability to get angry.

(a) Something essential would be missing in a person if they cannot get angry

(b) It is selfish anger that is wrong.

(d) He showed anger toward those who turned the house of God into a house of merchandise

(John 2:13-16).

(e) He spoke in stern tones to those who would cause the stumbling of little children (Matt. 18:6)

2. However, had temper and irritability have no defense.

(a) An uncontrolled temper, one which is selfish and overbearing must be banished from the Christian.

(b) However. if you do get angry. never let the sun go down on your wrath.

resentment.

3. why? Because we allow Satan to take advantage of us. Smouldering anger is a weapon in Satan's hand.

C. Don't steal - but work (4:28)

1. Various kind of stealing

(a) Steal time from your employer. Misuse someone else's funds.

(b) How about debts we have incurred that we have refused to pay.

2. Opposed to the vice of stealing is the virtue of giving.

(a) We are to engage in our labors not merely to get money in order to buy more for ourselves.

(b) We are to toil at our jobs in order that we may give. Dr. Ironside has said: "I could live up to the righteousness that is In the Law if I refrained from taking what is another's, but I cannot live up to the holiness of grate except I share with others what God in His kindness gives to me." The joy of the giver is far deeper and richer than that of the receiver. It is more blessed to give than to receive.

(d) Do you work in order to get more or to give more

D. Corrupt speech or gracious words (4:29).

1. One's speech is an x-ray of his heart. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

(a) Corrupt speech is that which is foul. putrid, unfit for use. Off-colored jokes and remarks are not the proper garments for the child of God.

(b) Conversely, we are to speak and by so doing we are ministering grace or blessing to those who

hear us.

2. That some corrupt speech which hurt and offends others is also a grief to the Holy Sprit (4:30).

(a) Since the Spirit is Holy all unholy speech certainly must be repugnant to Aim.

E Kind and forgiving (4:32)

1. A kind person is in direct contrast to one who is harsh, hard, sharp and bitter.

2. Tenderhearted is one who is sympathetic and compassionate.

3. This parson is like Jesus ha is a forgiving person.

(a) He will show himself gracious to the very person who offends him

(b) Why do we act this way? Simply because that is the way God has treated us.

deserve to be forgiven either.

(d) God forgave you for Christ's sake you are to forgive others for Christ's sake as well.

(e) No one could every wrong us as ouch as we have wronged God. Still He loves us and forgives us