Previously in Ephesians, we discussed how, as believers, we are to walk worthy of our calling. We are to be humble, patient with one another, bearing with one another in love. We are to labor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We talked about the five-fold ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, and how God has given these offices to the Church to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, the edification of the body, and to protect us from deception. We are headed toward Heaven, to that perfect man, but the process begins now. We are to speak the truth in love so that others will want to listen to us.
Next, Paul tells them that because of these things, they should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles (nonbelievers). They walked in the futility of their minds (useless thinking). Their understanding is darkened, and they are alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and the blindness of their hearts. They are passed feeling, having given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. Lewdness means unbridled lust without shame. Whatever they want they’re going to get, and it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. Uncleanness speaks to sexual immorality and impure motives, and we all know what greed or covetousness is.
If we recall from our study in Romans 1, Paul wrote a similar thing to them. God has made Himself known through his creation, and when man rejects God, he naturally results to futile thinking. There is a darkening that takes place which is really hardness of heart. Man’s inability to understand spiritual things is not an intellectual problem, but a heart problem. Paul also wrote to the Corinthians that the god of this age (Satan) has blinded the minds of those who do not believe (2 Co 4:3-4). Man makes gods after his own lusts, and God gives him over to uncleanness. They turn the truth of God into a lie, and worship creation. Because of this, God gives them up to vile passions (lewdness), and we see this culminate in the public condoning of the homosexual lifestyle. At this point, pretty much anything goes. If they persist in this, God gives them over to a debased (reprobate) mind. We can see a progression here: God gives man what he wants little by little, and each step he has an opportunity to respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. This goes on until man is passed feeling. Again, it's not that he wants to come to the Lord and cannot, but he no longer wants to. He has lost the desire because the Holy Spirit has stopped striving with him.
So, Paul is telling the Ephesians they are not to act this way anymore. They had learned that this behavior is not in line with the character of Jesus who is the truth. They were to put off the old man which represented their old sinful behavior, and be renewed in the spirit of their minds. When we get saved, we are a new creation, but our mind still retains all the old thought processes. We have to renew our minds with the word of God. Paul told the Romans, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Rom 12:1-2) They are to put on the new man which is created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. This is like changing clothes: you take off one outfit, and put on another. It would seem that there is a positional putting on of the new man that happens by faith at salvation, and a practical application that puts on the new man as we walk in obedience to the word of God. This obedience is still according to faith, but genuine faith does result in obedience.
So, what does the new man look like? Paul is going to tell us, and as he does so, we are going to see a reiterating of the 10 Commandments. We are to put away lying, and speak the truth to our neighbor. We are not to lie to each other, because we are members of one another. When we lie to each other, we are harming one another. Lying breaks down trust and damages relationships. Jesus told the Pharisees, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44) Lying is the devil’s nature, so that is good reason not to do likewise. This includes partial truths: mixing the truth with a lie or twisting the truth to make it more convincing are still done with the intent to deceive. That’s part of how the devil tricked Eve, by mixing some truth in with the lie. We should remember that next time we tell that big fish story.
We are to be angry and sin not. Paul will use the words angry, anger, and wrath, and in each case, they are different Greek words. Here, angry is in the passive voice, meaning there is an outside force provoking or causing us to experience the emotion of anger or wrath, but we are not to allow it to draw us into sin. One way we do this is by not allowing the sun to go down on our wrath (rage or indignation). In other words, we are to deal with our anger quickly so that we don’t give the devil advantage in our lives. Anger is probably one of the strongest emotions that we have, and it can be so easily rooted in our pride and self-interests. If left unchecked, it can turn into a root of bitterness that defiles many. According to Jesus, anger is kin to murder in the heart. He says, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.” (Mat 5:21-22) Paul is actually quoting Psalm 4:4, “Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah” How many of us have lain awake at night upset over something or someone from the previous day? Rather than remaining angry, we are to quiet ourselves and meditate on God’s word.
We are not to steal, but work with our hands so we have what we need and even give to others. Theft is taking what doesn’t belong to us, regardless of the amount. This is another one that even many Christians are guilty of (e.g. taking paper and pens home from the office, picking up cash on the sidewalk, etc. How many of us have lost our wallets, purses, or maybe some cash, and after realizing it, we return to the place where it happened, only to find that someone has already taken it? I had a junior high teacher tell us that when she was in a position of management, if she caught someone lying, cheating, or stealing she would fire them. She explained that if they did one, they would do all three. As Christians we should be above those things, because we have put on the new man. It’s much more satisfying to work for what we have and to give to others.
Paul told them to let no corrupt (rotten) word come out of their mouths, but to speak words that edify others, that it may minister grace to them. We’ve all heard rotten talk or even engaged in it ourselves. It only tears others down and causes them to dwell on rotten things. On the other hand, edifying words build others up and cause them to think on right things. Paul wrote to the Philippians, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
We are not to grieve the Holy Spirit with whom we are sealed to the day of redemption. There are a couple of things to take note of here: first of all, this is one of the proof texts that the Holy Spirit is a person rather than some cosmic force. He has emotion, for He can be grieved. Second, His first reaction to our sin is not anger, but He is grieved or saddened by our sin. What is our first reaction when our children or those around us make bad decisions? Are we quick to become angry, or are we grieved? I believe the Lord is grieved when we sin because He loves us, and He knows what that sin is going to do to us and to others. I’m glad the Lord is first grieved by my sin; it’s a reminder that He loves me and wants what is best for me.
We are to put away bitterness, that refusal to forgive others, and seek reconciliation. We are to put away wrath and anger. Wrath is that sudden outburst of anger or fury, while anger is that type of anger that smolders beneath the surface that leads to bitterness and hatred. James says, “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19-20) Clamor is loud quarreling. Evil speaking is slandering others or blaspheming God, and is a form of Gossip. Malice is evil with the intention of harming others.
Instead, we are to be kind to one another, tender hearted (having empathetic love), and forgiving each other as God has forgiven us in Christ. As we read in Romans, “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.” (Rom 12:10) Jesus said, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Mat 6:14-15) And to the Colossians Paul writes, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” (Col 3:13)
So, we forgive because God has forgiven us in Christ. Those individuals that offended us didn’t deserve it, nor do we deserve it. Because of what God has done for us, we ought to be kind, humble, loving, and forgiving.
Lord willing, next time we’ll cover the first 21 verses of chapter 5 where Paul will continue on this same topic.
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