Ephesians 4:20

 

Ephesians 4:20

Are You a Follower of Jesus?

 

Eph 4:20  But ye have not so learned Christ; 

 

           1.     What Does Paul Mean When He Says We Are to Learn Christ?

a.     The Greek word for Learned is μανθάνω which is very similar to the Greek word for Disciple μαθητής. To learn Christ is to be His disciple

b.     A disciple of Jesus must Repent

                                               i.     Matthew 4:17 

c.     A disciple of Jesus must Be Born Again

                                               i.     John 3:3 

d.     A disciple of Jesus must be an active Follower of Him

                                               i.     Matthew 4:19 

e.     A disciple of Jesus must Rejoice

                                               i.     Matthew 5:10-12 

f.      A disciple of Jesus must Let Their Light Shine

                                               i.     Matthew 5:14-16 

g.     A disciple of Jesus must Honor God’s Law

                                               i.     Matthew 5:17-19 

h.     A disciple of Jesus must Be Reconciled

                                               i.     Matthew 5:23-24 

i.      A disciple of Jesus must Not Lust

                                               i.     Matthew 5:27-30 

j.      A disciple of Jesus must Keep Their Word

                                               i.     Matthew 5:33-37 

k.     A disciple of Jesus must Go the Second Mile

                                               i.     Matthew 5:38-42 

l.      A disciple of Jesus must Love Their Enemies

                                               i.     Matthew 5:43-45 

m.   A disciple of Jesus must Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

                                               i.     Matthew 6:19-21 

n.     A disciple of Jesus must Seek God’s Kingdom First

                                               i.     Matthew 6:24 

                                             ii.     Matthew 6:33 

Ephesians 4:18-19

 

Ephesians 4:18-19

The Path of the Unsaved

Eph 4:18  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 

Eph 4:19  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 

           1.     What Does the Empty Pursuits of the World Look Like?

a.      Because the World rejects God, God in turn, gives them over to a reprobate mind. Paul lists 5 traits of the unsaved:

b.     Romans 1:28 

                                               i.     Their minds are darkened – vs. 18a*

1.     An unsaved people may seem well educated yet cannot grasp the simple truths of the gospel

a.      2 Timothy 3:7 

2.     The unsaved are described by God, as fools

a.      Psalm 14:1 

b.     Romans 1:22 

3.     The unsaved are immobilized by the darkness that they are in

a.      Matthew 4:16 

                                             ii.     They are alienated from God – vs. 18b*

1.     Because of ignorance the unsaved cower in the loving presence of God

a.      John 1:5 

                                            iii.     Their hearts are blinded – vs. 18c*

1.     Satan also blinds the unsaved from the Truth

a.      2 Corinthians 4:4 

                                            iv.     They have become apathetic – vs. 19a*

1.     Because of their apathy, unsaved people yield to a life of sexual impurity

a.      Their consciences are seared - 1 Timothy 4:2 

b.     Their consciences are tainted - Titus 1:15-16 

                                              v.     They have become purposeless – vs. 19b*

1.     The path of the unsaved leads to the pursuit of two unprofitable things:

a.      Moral impurity - James 1:14-15 

b.     Greed - Luke 12:15 

             2.     How Do I Avoid This Path?

a.      Repent and turn to Jesus - Acts 2:38 

b.     Set your affections on things above - Colossians 3:2 

c.      Murder the earthly tendencies within you - Colossians 3:5 

d.     Cling to the faith - 1 Timothy 1:19 

e.      Stay Salty - Matthew 5:13 

Matthew Everhard: From Critical text to Majority Text interview.

Very interesting discussion. Unfortunately, I have experienced the prejudice against the Byzantine  preference throughout my professional carrier. I have been purposely passed over for advancement many times and even on occasion threatened. It is unfortunate that so many make this such a divisive issue in the midst of all of this attack from the world today. To attack some one for a different textual preference is literally the definition of 'arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.' I never want to mediate on the mistakes of the past, but the church needs to learn that attacking herself is not going to create harmony with the world. We are not looking for harmony with the world, we are looking to serve our Master who promises us: 

Joh 15:17  These things I command you, that ye love one another. 

Joh 15:18  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 

Joh 15:19  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 

Joh 15:20  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 

Joh 15:21  But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. 

A love of the world is not compatible with a love for Christ...

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 

Ephesians 4:17

 

Ephesians 4:17

Do Not Live as the Unsaved Live

 

Eph 4:17  This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 

          ·       The Apostle Paul, Commands You in the Name of the Lord:

1.     This verse is firmly tied to the transition Paul made in the beginning of Chapter 4 when he commands the believer to walk worthy of their calling.

1.     Ephesians 4:1 

2.     Paul commands the believer as firmly as possible by declaring his Divine Authority to write scripture

1.     2 Peter 3:15   

          1.     That You Do Not Live as the Unsaved Do

a.      Paul has utterly laid waste to the false god of legalism in the previous three chapters, he now turns his divinely inspired cannon on the false god of antinomianism, which he destroys in a few short phrases.

                                               i.     The heresy of the Nicolaitans

1.     The Ephesian Church resisted it to their credit

a.      Revelation 2:6 

2.     Yet the Church at Smyrna was destroyed by it

a.      Revelation 2:14-16 

                                             ii.     Paul encourages you to dedicate your life wholly to Christ

1.     You are either all in or all out

a.      Galatians 2:20 

2.     You need to be the light of the world

a.      Matthew 5:14-16 

3.     You must not serve sin

a.      Romans 6:1-4 

4.     You must not love the world

a.      1 John 2:15-17 

           2.     That You Do Not Follow After Empty Thinking of the World

a.      The world rejects God

                                               i.     Romans 1:21-25 

b.     The world hates the light

                                               i.     John 3:19-21 

c.      The world is futile

                                               i.     Psalm 94:11 

d.     The world is easily summarized because of its emptiness

                                               i.     Ecclesiates1:14