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BEING A FORGIVER (4 OF 5)
by Marion Clark
Scripture: Ephesians 4:30-32
This content is part of a series.
Being a Forgiver (4 of 5)
Series: Ephesians
D. Marion Clark
Ephesians 4:30-32
Introduction
We have come to the end of a chapter rich with teaching about the church and the individual Christian life. Let's review briefly. The first three chapters of Ephesians form one glorious doxology extolling the riches we have received in Christ Jesus. Chapter 4 addresses the question of ''How then shall we live?''
We are to walk in a manner worthy of such a calling. That means we are to walk in humility and gentleness, with patience and forbearing with one another in love. We are to be eager to maintain unity. That unity is founded on the seven pillars of truth, namely that there is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father.
We also have been given grace to exercise the bountiful gifts given to us by Christ. Equipped by the teaching of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers, we are to be engaged in ministry so that we build up the body of Christ until we attain unity of the faith and of knowledge of Christ, maturing and becoming like him. We are to grow out of being children in faith, where we give in to false teachings. Instead, by speaking the truth in love we grow up into Christ, our Head, connected to one another and, again, building up one another in love.
As Christians we are to be distinctly different from our former way of life as unbelievers. Without the God of Scripture to be their authority, unbelievers will live darkened lives that give way to their passions. That is not the way we learned Christ. In him, we learned to put off the old self, to be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and to put on the new self that makes us to be more and more like him.
What is such a life like? It is marked by speaking truth, by self-control, by honest labor, and by building up others. In other words, it is marked by being grace givers. That is where we are now. Still learning what the new self as g ...
Series: Ephesians
D. Marion Clark
Ephesians 4:30-32
Introduction
We have come to the end of a chapter rich with teaching about the church and the individual Christian life. Let's review briefly. The first three chapters of Ephesians form one glorious doxology extolling the riches we have received in Christ Jesus. Chapter 4 addresses the question of ''How then shall we live?''
We are to walk in a manner worthy of such a calling. That means we are to walk in humility and gentleness, with patience and forbearing with one another in love. We are to be eager to maintain unity. That unity is founded on the seven pillars of truth, namely that there is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father.
We also have been given grace to exercise the bountiful gifts given to us by Christ. Equipped by the teaching of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers, we are to be engaged in ministry so that we build up the body of Christ until we attain unity of the faith and of knowledge of Christ, maturing and becoming like him. We are to grow out of being children in faith, where we give in to false teachings. Instead, by speaking the truth in love we grow up into Christ, our Head, connected to one another and, again, building up one another in love.
As Christians we are to be distinctly different from our former way of life as unbelievers. Without the God of Scripture to be their authority, unbelievers will live darkened lives that give way to their passions. That is not the way we learned Christ. In him, we learned to put off the old self, to be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and to put on the new self that makes us to be more and more like him.
What is such a life like? It is marked by speaking truth, by self-control, by honest labor, and by building up others. In other words, it is marked by being grace givers. That is where we are now. Still learning what the new self as g ...
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