Old Testament Reading: Proverbs 2

“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways. So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words, who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God; for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed; none who go to her come back, nor do they regain the paths of life. So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous. For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it, but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.” (Proverbs 2, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Ephesians 5:15-21

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:15–21, ESV)

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[Please excuse any and all typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.] 

Introduction

Before we dive into the text of Ephesian 5:15-21 I think it would be beneficial to note its place in this epistle. This that passage that we are about to consider brings Paul’s exhortation to the church in general to “walk worthy” to a conclusion. From 4:1  to 5:21 Paul has the church as a whole in mind when as he exhorts them to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which they had been called. 

We have encountered the metaphor of walking seven times now in Ephesians.

In 2:1 we read, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—” (Ephesians 2:1–2, ESV)

In 2:10 the Apostle said, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

And then in 4:1 we hear Paul say, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,” (Ephesians 4:1, ESV)

In 4:17 we read, “Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.” (Ephesians 4:17, ESV)

5:2: “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2, ESV)

5:8: “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8, ESV)

And lastly, 5:15: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,” (Ephesians 5:15, ESV)

Clearly Paul has been concerned to open the Christian’s mind to this reality: the change that has been wrought within us by the word of God and by the power of the Spirit is to produce a new walk — a new way of life that fits our new creation self. And as I have said, up to this point the Paul has had the church as whole in view as he has urged us to walk worthy in Christ Jesus. 

But let’s look forward just a bit. And as we do we will notice that Paul will soon turn his attention to the home and to the various relationships that exist within it. In 5:22-33 he will address the relationship between husband and wife. In 6:1-4 he will discuss the relationship between parents and children. And in 6:5-9 he will address the relationship between bondservants and masters. It is not until 6:10 that he turns his attention once again to the Christian in general to offer final exhortations before concluding his letter. 

So please understand that here in 5:15-21 we have the conclusion to the section that began in 4:1 wherein Paul exhorts Christians in general, and the church as a whole — male and female, young and old, rich and poor —  to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which they have been called. Let us pay careful attention to what he says. 

In brief, Paul commands two things as he concludes this section of his epistle. One, he commands the Christian to walk in wisdom. And two, he commands the Christian to be filled with the Holy Spirit. What does he mean? 

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Walk In Wisdom

First of all, let us consider the command to walk in wisdom. 

In verse 15 we read, “Look carefully then how you walk…” 

As I said before, this is the seventh and last appearance of the word “walk” in Paul’s letter. And here we are warned by the Apostle to walk carefully in the world. All who are living walk, but not all walk carefully. 

I can remember when my children were younger some of them — and I can not remember which ones (David I know for sure) — had a bad habit of walking but not looking where they were going. I remember saying “put your eyes in front of you” many times in those years. I also remember a season where David constantly had a large knot on his forehead from running into things. Door knobs were a particular threat to him when he was at a certain hight. He was walking, but his walk was not careful. Paul says that we are to walk carefully in this world. 

But what does a careful walk look like? And conversely, what does a reckless walk look like? I think you would agree that the answer to that question will differ from person to person depending on their values. If a person values physical pleasure above all else, for example, then a walk that produces pleasure will be deemed careful, whereas a walk that produces pain or discomfort will be deemed reckless. If a person loves money above all else, then decisions will be deemed either careful or reckless depending upon the financial consequences. If a person is supremely concerned about health and safely, then the question of whether a walk is careful or reckless will be judged according to the criteria of heath and safety.  

So when Paul says, “Look carefully then how you walk…”, what does he have in mind? 

Well, he has already described a worthy walk in 4:1-5:14. He certainly has all of that in mind. And he will continue to describe a worthy walk in the rest of this letter as he turns his attention to husbands and wives, parents and children, bondservants and masters. When Paul says,  “Look carefully then how you walk…”, he is urging us to contemplate what he said in this letter, to fix our eyes upon this standard, and to obey it. 

But here Paul says more: he tells us that we are to walk as people who are wise. “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15, ESV). Wisdom is the art of godly living. To be wise is to live life according to truth. God has reveled his truth in nature, but even more clearly in his word. The wise person lives his or her life according to God’s word. There wise person obeys God’s commandments. To sin against God — to violate his law — is never wise, but is always foolish. But more than this, the one who is wise has learned to choose, not only the right path, but the best path in the realm of righteousness. And how is wisdom like this attained? It begins with the fear of the Lord, as Provers 9:10 so famously says: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10, ESV). It is impossible to walk in wisdom without first fearing God. And we grow in wisdom as our knowledge of him increases.  Wisdom comes from knowing God and his word. Wisdom increases as we learn over time and with much practice to obey God’s word and to choose the best paths as we sojourn in this world. 

Note this: Here Paul is not only calling the Christian to walk obediently — that is to say, in obedience to God’s commandments in thought, word and deed. More than this, he is calling the Christians to pursue wisdom. Obeying God’s law and walking according to wisdom are not the same thing. They are related, of course. But they are not the same. Disobeying God law is never wise — it is always foolish. But wisdom is something more. Wisdom, as I have already said, is the art of living Godly. Wisdom not only chooses the right path, but the best paths in the realm of righteousness.

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise…” And then the Apostle says, “making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15–16, ESV).

This is an interesting and very important phrase. The wise person knows that “the days are evil.” What does this mean? It means two things, I think. One, “the days are evil” in that they are, in this present aged, filled with wickedness and the temptation to do that which is wicked in the sight of God. The fool is oblivious to this reality. But the Christian who is wise knows that their “adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8, ESV), and they are watchful — careful. Two, the one who is wise knows “the days are evil” in the sense that they are fleeting, and so they make “the best use of the time” as Paul says in the first half of this verse. Notice we are to make the best use of the time. We are spend the time that we have on earth in the best possible way. We are to invest in the best things — eternal and lasting things — knowing that they “are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes”, as James says. The days of are life in this present age are evil. They are filled with temptation. They are marked by trials and tribulations. And they are fleeting. This is not to say that our days are nor also good days. Indeed, we enjoy good things in this life — very good things, by the grace of God. But in this sense “the days are evil”, and so we are to walk in wisdom, “making the best use of the time”.

And then the Apostle again describes a wise walk, saying, “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17, ESV). We speak of the will of God in two ways. His hidden or secret will is his sovereign and eternal decree. It will surely come to pass. We will know what it is only after it happens. There are some things that the Lord has revealed to us concerning the future, but most everything concerning the future is a mystery to us. Clearly, Paul is not refering to this secret and hidden will when he says, understand what the will of the Lord is, for who can possible understand that will. Instead, the Apostle is commanding us to know God’s revealed will. 

And what is God’s revealed will? Read the scriptures to find out! Know God’s law. Read the New Testament and pay special attention to the commands. For example, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 commands us to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” And 1 Thesalonians 4:3 says,  “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality…” So you see that God’s revealed will is not mysterious. It can be known. And the Christian must know it. The Christian should say to God, along with the Psalmest, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11, ESV). And the Christian is to forever grow in the art of godly living, learning to apply the revealed truths of holy scripture to the daily circumstances that we face. “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is”, the Apostle says. 

[APPLICATION: So friends, I ask you, are you walking carefully? Are your eyes in front of you, as it were, fixed upon Christ and his word? Are you making the best use of time, knowing that the days are evil? Are you pursuing wisdom, seeking to grow ever more in your knowledge of the will of God for you in Christ Jesus? 

This is what it means to walk in a manner that is worthy. Not only are we to put off the old self and the old sinful thoughts, words and deeds. Not only are we to put on the new self created anew in Christ Jesus. We are also to pursue wisdom. We must seek to know the will of the Lord, and learn to obey all that Christ has commanded.

Brothers and sisters, I wonder if we are not sometimes too easily pleased with our progress in sanctification. I wonder if we are not too easily contented with a sanctification that takes us merely to a place of socialy acceptable behavior. Do you know what I mean by that? I am speaking here of a sanctification that knocks the ruff edges off and puts forward a good face, but comes short of true holiness is thought, word and deed — a sanctification that comes short of true wisdom. May we forever chase after a deeper understanding of God’s will for us so that we might walk carefully  in this world, “not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time.”]

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Be Filled With The Spirit

The second command uttered by the Apostle in this text is found in verse 18, which says, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit…” (Ephesians 5:18, ESV). In fact, there are two commands here in verse 18. One is negatively stated: “do not get drunk with wine”. The other is positively stated: “be filled with the Spirit…” But these are to be taken together as one, the meaning being this: Instead of giving yourself over to fleshly passions and being driven by earthly things (drinking to the point of drunkenness being an example of such behavior), be driven and controlled by the Holy Spirit of God so that you carefully and soberly do God’s will.

First, Paul commands us to be not drunk with wine. Notice that he does not say do not drink wine, but rather, “do not get drunk with wine”. Whether or not you drink wine, or some other alcoholic beverage, is your choice to make. The choice falls into the realm of wisdom. Wisdom might dictate that you choose to abstain from all alcohol, but never should you judge your brother or sister who chooses to partake, and vice versa.

Second, Paul commands us to “be filled with the Spirit”. In the place of being filled with wine to the point of drunkenness, leading to other sins, no doubt, the Christian is to be filled with the Spirit of God, leading to a worthy walk. 

But what is this filling that Paul speaks of? He has already taught that the Christian is filled with the Spirit earlier in his epistle. The Christian is sealed with the Spirit (1:13, 4:30). The Christian has access to the Father in the Spirit (2:18). The church collectively is being built into a temple — a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Paul’s prayer was that the Christian would be “strengthened with power through [God’s] Spirit in [their] inner being…” (Ephesians 3:16, ESV). And in 4:1 the exhortation was that we would be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3, ESV). Everything stated in Ephesians up to this point would indicate that the believer is in the Spirit and the Spirit in the believer from the time of conversion. Paul is not here commanding the Christian to receive the Spirit or to have some experience of the Spirit, but to walk in the Spirit — to be Spirit filled and Spirit controlled from day to day. 

What Paul says here in Ephesians is similar to what he says in Romans 8:4 and following. There he describes Christians as those “who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” He continues, saying, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:4–9, ESV). 

To belong to Christ is to “have the Spirit”. All who have faith in Christ are “in the Spirit”. But here in Romans, and also Ephesians, the Apostle is commanding the Christian to walk, not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit — to be not drunk with wine, but to be filled in the Spirit.  

How do we do this? 

The context make it clear. We walk in the Spirit and are filled with the Spirit when we give the Spirit control — when we live, not for the things of this world, but the things of God — when we seek to please the Lord and not ourselves — when we walk worthily.

You will notice that the Apostle goes on to describe what a Spirit filled existences looks like. Look again at 5:18: “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:18–21, ESV)

The words “addressing”, “singing”, “giving thanks”, and “submitting” describe the means by which the Christian demonstrates that he our she is indeed filled with the Spirit. Stated in the form of a question, what will the Christian who is walking in the Spirit do? He or she will address other believers with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, sing and make melody to the Lord with their heart, give thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submit to other believers out of reverence for Christ.

Please note this: to be filled with the Spirit involves walking with Christ as a member of the church. It involves corporate worship. It involves true fellowship. The one who is Spirit filled will sing in the Christian congregation, will give thanks to God in the church, and will submit to others in Christ’s name. 

All of this makes perfect sense when we remember what the Apostle has already said concerning the church. The church, remember, is the temple of the Holy Spirit. To the church in Ephesus Paul said, “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22, ESV). To be filled with the Spirit is to obey the Spirit, and not the flesh. And the one who is filled with the Spirit will show that they are by fulfilling their function as stones in God’s spiritual temple. They will assemble to sing praises to God. They will assemble to give thanks. They will assemble to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. The one who says that they are Spirit filled who refuses to join themselves to the church and to worship God in the Christian congregation is a liar and the truth is not in them.

Let us briefly consider the three things that Paul mentions here in verses 19 – 21 that accompany a Spirit filled existence: singing, giving thanks, and submitting. 

First of all, the one who is Spirit filled will sing. 

Specifically they will sing to God. They will sing and make “melody to the Lord with [their] heart” (Ephesians 5:19, ESV). Being Spirit filled will show itself in worship. The people of God are a singing people. The angels in heaven sing. What a marvelous thing singing is. We humans have the ability to put our words into the form of song. When we pray to God we express ourselves in ordinary speech. But so great is our love and appreciation for God that we are moved to express our prayers in the form of song. To speak the mind must be engaged. To sing one must use the mind and the heart. Perhaps you have noticed that when your heart is hard towards God it is difficult — maybe impossible — to sing. Those who are walking in the Spirit will sing and make “melody to the Lord with [their] heart”.

And this they will do, not only as individuals, but within the Christian congregation. Notice that Paul describes them as singing, not only to God, but to one another. They are said to “[address] one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…” I wonder if you think about worship in this way. When we sing as a congregation our praise is certainly directed towards God, and not man. But as we sing we are in fact addressing one another. We are singing to God things that are true. And when we sing, all who are in the congregation hear those words and are encouraged by them. 

And notice that the Christian congregation is to sing, not just any song, but “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…” Some interpret these terms “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” to mean that the church is only permitted to sing inspired scripture — that is, songs found within the pages of Holy Scripture. Our view is that we should sing scripture — the Psalms and other songs that are found within it’s pages — but that the church is also permitted to sing other songs — new songs — provided that they are true to scripture, and reflect the themes, spirit, and reverence of the songs contained within. 

[APPLICATION: To be filled with the Spirit means that we will sing praises to God in the midst of the Christian congregation. I would like to slow down for just a moment to reflect, therefore, upon the importance of this element of our worship. When we gather together Lord’s Day by Lord’s Day we read scripture, we pray, we observe the sacrament, and we sing. How important our singing is! 

The songs that we sing must either be scripture, or true to scripture.

The songs that we sing should reflecting the range of human emotion found within the songs of scripture. 

Our singing must be congregational. You have noticed, no doubt, how simple our music is here at Emmaus. That is deliberate. The job of the worship leader is simply to conduct. And the church is the choir. We have grown in our convictions over the years that any style of music that draws attention to those on stage and encourages observation rather than participation from the members is out of step with a biblical notion of singing. When the church assembles each member is to participate, “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with [their] heart.” 

And think of what happens when we do this!

One, God is glorified as we collectively give thanks to him in our singin.

Two, our unity with one another is communicated and strengthened. Together we sing the same words to the same God through the same Mediator and by the same Spirit.  When we sing together, we praise the Father with one voice. By the way, I believe it is good and right for a congregation to work on its singing. We are a church, and as the church, we are also a choir. We should learn to sing well. Our singing should be strong and heartfelt. We should learn to harmonize. Think of what of what harmonizing communicates. No only is beautiful and fitting for the worship of God, it also reflects the unity in diversity that exists within Christ’s church.

Three, when we sing together those whose faith is weak will be strengthened by those who are strong. Those who are discouraged will be carried along and uplifted by the voice of those who are in that moment encouraged in the Lord.]

Those who are filled in the Spirit will sing. The will give praise with their lips to the Triune God within the Christian congregation. Secondly, they will give thanks. All of our praying and singing is to be permitted with thanksgiving. But it is at the Lord’s table that we give thanks to the Lord in the Christian congregation as we celebrate the eucharist. Remember how, “Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:26–28, ESV). When we come to the Table, we are to give thanks to God. 

And thirdly, those who are Spirit filled will submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. And with these word’s Paul concludes his general exhortation to the church to walk in a manner that is worthy. Verse 21: “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21, ESV).

This is huge. In Christ, all are to submit to one another. Male and female, old and young, rich and pour, officer and member are here commanded to submit to one another in Christ Jesus. 

I assume that you are familiar with the section of Paul’s epistle that is next wherein he gives specific instructions to husbands and wives, parents and children, bondservants and masters concerning their role within the home. It is well known that there Paul commands wives to submit to their husbands, children to their parents, and bondservants to their masters. I draw your attention to the teaching of the Apostle regarding authority and submission prematurely in order to make this very important observation: before the Apostle commands wives, children and bondservants to honor those who are over them, he commands all Christians to “[submit] to one another out of reverence for Christ”. 

Tell me, how can it be that Christian wives are in Ephesians 5:22 (the next verse) commanded to submit to their husbands when in 5:21 Paul commanded all Christians to submit to one another? Did the Apostle contradict himself? For how can there possibly be this universal, mutual submission of 5:21 and at the same time a particular kind of submission expected from some?

I pray that you would see that these two things are not at all contradictory. It is true that the wife is called by God to submit to her husband’s authority within the home. But at the same time it also true that the husband, in the another sense, is to submit to his wife in Christ Jesus. She does not have authority over him in the home, but she is a sister in Christ, and an heir with [him] of the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7). And because of this the husband is to live with her in an understanding way, he is to honor and respect her — yes, he is even to submit to her in Christ Jesus, putting her interests, needs and desires before his own. 

The point is this: before Paul commands wives, children and bondservants to submit to those who have authority over them in the home, he commands all Christians to submit to one another in Christ. And this they will do if they are walking in the Spirit. The Spirit filled Christian will be like Christ and will “look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4–8, ESV).

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Conclusion

So friends, as we seek to walk worthy, let us not only put off the old sinful self, and put on the new self created in Christ Jesus. Let us also pursue wisdom, and be filled with Spirit as we walk in the world together. May we fulfill God’s calling to function as his holy temple as we, Lord’s Day by Lord’s Day, “[address] one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with [our hearts], giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:19–21, ESV)

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 37:1–11

“Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land. In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.” (Psalm 37:1–11, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Ephesians 4:25-32

“Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:25–32, ESV)

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[Please excuse any and all typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.] 

Introduction

The question, how will we be changed? is at the very heart of the passage that we are considering today. In fact, this question has been the concern of the Apostle ever since he utter the words, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called…” (Ephesians 4:1, ESV). Walk worthy? What does a worthy walk look like? And how will it be that those who once walked in darkness will be changed so that they now walk in the light of Christ? As you know, men and women do not easily change their ways, and yet in Christ, change is expected. In fact, it is unthinkable that one who has faith in Christ would continue to walk according to the way of the world. But how will this change be brought about?

In 4:7-16 we learned, among other things, that God will use the external means of the preaching and teaching of scripture to change his people so that they walk worthily.

In 4:17-24 we learned that a worthy walk will proceed from a regenerated spirit. This principle is so very important to understand. The one who has faith in Christ will certainly change his or her ways because they themselves have been changed — they have been recreated and are being renewed by the word of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit. A new way of life is inevitable then. The Christian’s new way of life is the natural byproduct of the new life that has been wrought in them by the free grace of God, and by the agency of his Spirit. Elsewhere Paul exhorts the Christian saying, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2, ESV). And in another place he says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV). Our obedience to Christ proceeds from a regenerated spirit. Our obedience to Christ proceeds from a renewed mind — a mind renewed by the Spirit of God and the word of God.  

Now, if this were all that the Apostle had to say about the sanctification of the believer then I suppose one might conclude that the only thing for the Christian to do would be to hear the scriptures and to pray. In other words, if it were true that transformation is brought about only through the renewal of the mind by the scriptures, and by the regenerating and renewing work of the Spirit, then the child of God would need only to ingest the scriptures and to pray that God would, by his grace, renew them in the inner man. But the Apostle has more to say. He also exhorts the believer to put off the old self and to put on the new.

[APPLICATION: Friends, I hope that you pray. I hope that you pray often and fervently requesting, among other things, that the Lord would, by his grace, transform your heart and renew your mind. This is, in fact, one of the things that we are to pray for under the  third petition of the Lord’s Prayer. When we pray, “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven” we are praying “that God by His grace, would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to His will in all things, as the angels do in heaven ”  (Baptist Catechism 110). Make us able and willing to obey you Lord! In other words, transform our hearts and renew our minds so that we willingly and happily keep your commandments, Lord!

And friends, I hope that you are committed to hearing the scriptures, knowing that God will use his word to transform our minds. Read the scriptures for yourselves. Listen to word read and preached. Memorize the scriptures and meditate upon them. This is one of the means that God will use to change his people. 

But having prayed, and having faithfully received God’s holy word, do not neglect this most important thing: rise up and obey. Decide to daily and momentarily put off the old man, and to put on the new, which is yours in Christ Jesus. Devote yourself  to a life of that is holy. Friends, this the thing that is so often neglected: obedience, pure and simple. Yes, God must change you by his word. Yes, God has recreated you, and he is renewing you even still by his Spirit. Never will we move away from full and entire dependence upon the grace of God in the Christian life, therefore. But we must also simply choose to obey him.      

As the Apostle James says it beautifully: “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:22–25, ESV). And here also Paul, after teaching that a worthy walk can only proceed from a renewed spirit, exhorts the believer to diligently put off the old self, and to put on the new.]

Notice that in the passage that is before us today we encounter a slew of imperatives or commands. At first glance they might seem to be random. But upon closer examination we find that they are commands relating to our thinking, speaking and doing. The point is this: the Christian, having been recreated and renewed by the grace of God, is to obey God in thought, word and deed.

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Worthy Speech

First of all, consider Paul’s command regarding our speaking. The Christian’s worthy walk is to involve worthy speech. In verse 25 Paul says, “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another” (Ephesians 4:25, ESV). 

The one who has been recreated in Christ is to put away falsehood.

Falsehood takes many forms. Most obviously the Christian is to cease from lying. The one who has been recreated and renewed in Christ is to obey the ninth commandment which says, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” But we must learn to think more broadly about the ninth commandment, and also this exhortation from the Apostle to put away falsehood. 

Not only is the Christian is to cease from uttering bold faced lies. We are also to put away, to quote our catechism, “whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own, or our neighbor’s good name.” We are to put away flattery, gossip and slander, therefore. We are to put away all forms of manipulation. We are to cease from any and all distortions of the truth.

But pay careful attention to this: the Apostle does not only exhort the Christian to put something off or away, but to put something new on in it’s place. That is the pattern that runs throughout this passage. The one who has been recreated and renewed in Christ is to put off the old self, “and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24, ESV).

And what is the Christian to put on in the place of falsehood? Paul says, “let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” 

Once again, we should learn to think more broadly about truth telling. Paul is not only commanding us to “not lie”, but to also commit ourselves to promoting the truth with one another. These two things — not lying and telling the truth — should not be conflated. It is possible to not lie, but to also fail to also fail to promote the truth by remaining silent. Many live this way. They are not liers, but neither are the ambassadors of truth. Paul forbids this way of life. Negatively, the Christian is to “put away falsehood”. And positively, the Christian is also, “to speak the truth with his neighbor”. Why? “For we are members one of another”, he says. This statement corresponds to what Paul said back in 4:15 where he exhorted us to “[speak] the truth in love…” Truth builds up. Truth is light to our path. We are speak the truth in love. We are to speak the truth for mutual edification, “for we are members one of another” within Christ’s church. 

This exhortation to from the Apostle to speak the truth is in fact what the ninth commandment requires. Our catechism puts it beautifully  in question 82, which asks, “What is required in the ninth commandment?” The answer is that “the ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbor’s good name, especially in witness bearing.”

[APPLICATION: And so I ask you, Christian, now that you have been recreated and are being renewed in Christ, are you committed “maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man”? Certainly this includes putting away falsehood. But it also involves speaking the truth with your neighbor. Doing this well requires wisdom and tactfulness. Some might succeed in speaking the truth, but forget to do it in love. And notice also that Paul does not command us here to promote our opinions. We must learn to distinguish between “truth” and “opinion”, and that is not always easy. But are you committed to putting away falsehood and speaking the truth with your neighbor as Paul here commands?]  

The broader principle being established is this: now that we have been renewed in Christ we are to use our words, not for evil, but only for good. We are to put away all forms of falsehood, and we are to speak the truth. Put off the old self, put on new.  

In verse 29 we find another statement pertaining to the tongue. There Paul says, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29, ESV). I would encourage you to put  this one to memory. 

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths…”, the Apostle says. “Corrupting talk” is talk that is unwholesome and harmful. The word translated as “corrupting” has to do with that which causes decay. Don’t let any decaying words proceed from your mouth, the Apostle says. And notice that he does not give exceptions. He does not say, unless the other person is wrong, or really has it coming, or unless you are really angry, tired or hungry. He does not say, unless you are joking, or sarcastic. No, he says “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths…”

And this is contrasted with the phrase, “…but only such as is good for building up…” So, put off corrupting talk, and put on constructive talk in its place. Lay aside talk that breaks down, and take up talk that builds up.

And lest we think that the Apostle is forbidding firm and confrontational speech, he adds the phrase, “…as fits the occasion…” There is a time and place for words that are soft and gentle. There are is also a time and place for words that are stong and firm. We must learn to speak in a way that is fitting to the situation. But never should our words break down. The Christian is always speak so as to build up. And this includes those moments where a firm rebuke is fitting. We are to use our words in such a way that they “give grace to those who hear.”

Lastly, look down at verse 31, where we read, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (Ephesians 4:31, ESV). Clamor refers to loud screaming or shouting. To slander is to speak against someone in such a way so as to damage their reputation. These things are to be put away from the Christian. Instead we are to “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave [us]” (Ephesians 4:32, ESV).

[APPLICATION: I am going to ask you to reflect more deeply upon what Paul commands here regarding our speech. Are you walking worthily in your speech? Have you put away lying? Do you speak the truth in love? Have you put away all corrupt talk? And do you build up with your words instead?

Brothers and sisters, please do not forget to “put on” as you go about the business of “putting off”! Please understand this. The Apostle is not only calling you to cease from tearing down with your words. He is also exhorting you to use your words to build others up! 

Think of the good that a husband or wife could do for their spouse if they would not only cease from tearing down with their words but take up the habit of building the other up. Think of the life that would breath into the marriage relationship. Think of how good that would be for the other. And think of the good that mother or father could do for their children if the would not only cease from tearing down with their words but take up the habit of building their children up. Think of the good that siblings would do for one another…  And think of the good that we would do for one another if we would only put aside our old way of speaking, and learn to speak according to the “new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24, ESV).

Friends, this is something you must choose to do. You will be able to do it only because God has created you anew. And you will be able to do only by God’s grace, as he renews you by his word and spirit. But this is something you must choose to do. You must decide to put off the old self, and to put on the new in regard to your speech.]

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Worth Thoughts

Secondly, consider Paul’s command regarding our thoughts. Not only is the Christian to walk worthy in regard to speech, but is also to maintain a holy thought life. Indeed, our words and actions do not proceed from us spontaneously, but emerge from the inner man. How vital it is, therefore, to take every thought and emotion captive to obey Christ. 

In verse 26 we read these words: “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26–27, ESV)

Friends, anger is not a sin. Christ himself experienced the emotion of anger, and rightly so. It is right and good for us to feel the emotion of anger when we encounter that which is contrary to God’s law. Sin should anger us. Oppression should anger us. Injustice should anger us. 

Please pay careful attention here. The verb translated as “be angry” at the beginning of verse 26 is in the imperative mood. It is a command. It is right for us to be angry provided that we are angry about the right things. There is righteous anger, and there is unrighteous anger. 

Anger is sinful when it is in response to the wrong thing. Often times we are angered, not because God’s will has been violated, but because we didn’t get our way! This is unrighteous anger. 

Anger is sinful when it moves us to rage. It seems to me that this is what Paul has in mind when he says, “Be angry and do not sin”. In other words, be angry about things that are sinful and unjust, but do not allow that righteous emotion to drive you to rage. Rage is anger that has exploded out of control. Anger may be righteous. Rage is never righteous. “Be angry and do not sin”.

And anger is sinful when turns to bitterness within the heart. If rage is anger that has exploded out of control, bitterness is anger that has been allowed  to fester like a slow burning fire.  A Christian must never allow anger, even if it is righteous anger, to turn into bitterness. And this is what Paul is concerned to guard against when he says, “do not let the sun go down on your anger.” If someone or something has angered you, and if it is right that you are angry, you must not explode with anger, but neither are you to allow that anger to burn slowly, to fester, and to result in bitterness. Instead, you must deal with the issue appropriately, whatever it is. And having dealt with the issue appropriately, you are to forgive from the heart. If the person repents, forgivness is to be  transacted with the word, “I forgive you”. If repentance is not expressed, even still we are to forgive from the heart, and leave it to the wrath of God. “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12:19, ESV).

Paul revisits this theme in verse 31 where he says most directly, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (Ephesians 4:31, ESV). Notice the words bitterness, wrath and anger. These are all emotions that are felt. These reside within the inner man, within the heart and mind. And Paul is commanding the Christian to put them away! 

The word “bitterness” refers to intense resentment or hate. 

The word “wrath” refers to intense anger characterized by outbursts. 

The word “anger” in this context must have the sense of fury. 

These passions are to be put away from the believer. And place of these we are to “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32, ESV)

“Kind” might also be translated as gracious.

“Tenderhearted”means that we are to be compassionate and affectionate. 

You are to forgive, just as God in Christ has forgiven you. 

Put off the old self, friends. And put on the new. This must done even within the inner man. It will not do to change our words  and our deeds, for these proceed from the heart. We must put away bitterness, wrath and anger. 

And  pay careful attention to Paul’s warning, where he says, “…give no opportunity to the devil…” The word opportunity might also be translated as “place” or “foothold”. When we fail to honor Christ in the inner man — when we allow our thoughts and emotions to go unchecked and to run afoul — we give the evil one territory where he is able to gain a foothold in our lives.

If you allow bitterness, wrath and anger to reside within you, you give the evil one a foothold in your heart. And if he has a foothold in your heart, he has a foothold in your marriage, your family and within the church.  Don’t give him an opportunity, friends. Don’t surrender an inch oof territory to him. Drive him out completely by keeping your heart  pure. “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31–32, ESV)

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Worthy Deeds

Thirdly and lastly, consider Paul’s command regarding our deeds. Not only is the Christian to walk worthy in regard to thought and word, but also in deed. Paul address this in verse  28 where he says, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need” (Ephesians 4:28, ESV).

Our new life in Christ is to manafest itself in a new way of life. Instead of living for self, the Christians to live for the good others. And the transformation of the thief who takes from others into the worker who gives serves as an example of this.

And by the way, I think this is what is going on throughout this passage. Paul is concerned to say, in general, walk worthy.Put of toehold self, and put on the new. Do this in thought, word and deed. And instead of listing every sin of the mind, mouth and action, he  put’s forth examples.  Put away falsehood — speak what is true instead. Put away bitterness and rage — forgive from a tender heart instead. Put away thievery — do honest and productive work so that you might give instead. Many more examples could be given of thoughts, words and deeds that are to be put away, and thoughts, words and deeds that are to be put on in their place, but Paul mentions only these. The function as examples,  therefore. And what do all of these sins have in common? They take from others and the tear down. They do not give or build up. Falsehood robs others of the truth and is damages reputations. Truth edifies. It builds up. Bitterness and wrath are destructive wherever they are present. Kindness, graciousness and forgiveness build up. Thievery only takes from others — it gives nothing in return. But the one who does honest and productive works earns his wage and provides a product or serve to another. And this enables the worker to the share with those who are truly in need. Instead of taking from others, the regenerated thief should be eager to give. 

Thievery takes many forms. A thief will sometimes take from others by force. At other times the thief will take by deceit or through manipulation. Whatever the means, the thief takes from others, but does not give. A thief might work very hard at his thievery, but he does not engage in work, properly speaking. 

To work is to offer a service to others in exchange for a wage. Work takes many forms. But all work has this in common — it gives before it gets. Some kind of service is rendered, before compensation is received.   

The Christian must put away all forms of thievery. The Christian must abandon the practice of procuring wealth by means of taking from others, be it by force, by trickery or the manipulation of others. And in the place of the thievery the Christian is to work  with his own hands so that he might have something to share  with those in need. 

And not only is the Christian to engage in work, but “honest work”. Honest work is the standard for the Christian. There are some activities that might in fact qualify as work — a good or service might in fact be exchanged for a wage — but the work falls short of honest work. The drug dealer is in fact compensated for providing a product to others. I suppose that the what he does might indeed be called work, but it is not good or honest work. It is not productive work, for the product he provides leads to destruction, and not to the building up of others. 

[APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, we should think about the work that do and ask, is it honest work? First, is work? Are we in fact being compensated by providing a good or service for others. And secondly, is it good, honest and productive work? Does it build others up somehow? 

Are there situations where it is appropriate for Christians to cease from work? I say, yes. 

In the case of mental or physical disability, for example. The Christians who has ceased from work for these reasons need not feel guilty.  Paul is here presenting the general truth that Christians are to work. They are to serve others with their time and energy. If it is true of you that you have  ceased from work due to mental or physical ailment, I would encourage you to use your time and energy to serve others. And in so doing you will fulfill the spirit of what the Apostle is here commanding. Retirement is also a valid reason to cease from work. 

Retirement is a benefit that the worker has earned over time. But I would exhort the Christian who is retired to never retire from the service of others. Use your time and energy, not to serve self, but to serve others. Serve others in prayer. Find ways to meet needs within Christ’s church, and to build others up. In so doing you will fulfill the spirit of what the Apostle here commands.

To the parent who does not earn a wage, but stays at home to devote time to raising children, I say that your efforts are of great importance. Knowing when it is time for a parent to work outside the home requires wisdom and will differ from situation to situation. Again I  say, parents who are blessed to cease from work, use your time and energy to serve others. In so doing you will fulfill the spirit of what the Apostle here commands.

And what is the spirit of what the Apostle here commands? The one who has been recreated in Christ is no longer to live for themselves, but for others. The thief is the epitope of one who lives for himself — he  takes and takes, but does not give. This way of life, whatever form it takes, must be put away. And in its place the Christians is to “labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need” (Ephesians 4:28, ESV).

To you brothers and sisters who are stuck in a job that is less than ideal or satisfying to you, I would encourage you look for another job. But in the meantime, I would  urge you to see that what you are doing is good — indeed, it is very good, so long as the work is honest work — for you are living according the command of scripture. By engaging in honest work you are being a productive member in society while fact providing for yourself and for those under your care.  This is what God designed us to do when he made us in his image. Now that we are fallen, work is arduous (the ground produces thorns and thistles). But is good to engage in honest work — work that serves others — work that is productive — work that builds up. 

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Conclusion

There is one little phrase that I have left off for the conclusion. It is probably the most famous phrase in this passage, and it is of great importance. Paul urges the believer to put off the old self, and to put on the new in thought, word and deed, so  that we “do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom [we] were sealed for the day of redemption”. 

Here in this little phrase the Apostle directs our thoughts back to the central issue — if you are in Christ you have been recreated by the power of the Holy Spirit. You have been sealed by him. This means that he has put his mark on you. You belong to God. And God will bring you safely home. He has guaranteed it with the sealing  of the Holy Spirit. Water baptism is the visible sign of this. And, having been redeemed by Christ, and belonging now to God, we are to live for him in this world as members of his family, as citizens of his kingdom, and as a part of the new humanity that has been brought into existence by the work of the crucified and risen Son of God.  Having been called by God to have faith in Christ, we are to now walk worthy. And when we fail to walk worthy — when we fail to lay aside the the old self and to put on the new — the Spirit of God is grieved within us. 

Now, of course the Spirit is not grieved, properly speaking, for God does not change. He is not moved by anything external to himself — he does not experience the passions of man. But we feel the affect of the Spirit’s grief. When we walk in the darkness the Spirit of God is “depressed” within us, and we feel the affects of it. And when we walk in the light the Spirit of God is “overjoyed” within us, and we feel the affects of it. 

Stated differently, the Spirit chastens us when we sin. He withdraws the joyous light of his countenance. And the Spirit rejoices within us when we obey the Lord in thought, word and deed. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” (Psalm 1:1–3, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Ephesians 4:7-16

“But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’ (In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:7–16, ESV)

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[Please excuse any and all typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.] 

Introduction

In the previous passage we received this strong exhortation from the Apostle based upon the truths he had established previously in his letter: “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called…”, he said. In particular, walk “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…” And be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” These words were for the Ephesians, but they are also for us, friends. They apply to every church of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

But the question might be asked, what has God supplied us with so that we might be strengthened to walk in this way? How has he equipped the church to fulfill this mandate? What has he  given to the church so that she might be built up. This is the question that Ephesians 4:7-16 answers. In 4:1-6 we received a strong exhortation from the Apostle, but here in 4:7-16 we are told of God’s gracious provision for his church. Here we learn that God has not only commanded us to “walk worthy”, but he has also graciously provided for our every need so that we might in fact attain to this worthy walk. 

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The Ascended Christ Gives Gifts To Men (4:7-10)

Notice first of all that it is the ascended Christ who gives these gifts to men. In other words, it is through the Christ, who was raised from the dead in victory, and who ascended to the right hand of the Father in glory, that God distribute his gifts to the church, so that we might all walk in a manner that is worthy. 

This is communicated in verses 7-10, where we read, “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’ (In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)”

This passage has puzzled many. A few clarifying remarks are in order. But before I procede to explain this text I want for you to see the very simply message that is at the heart of it. Grace has been distributed to all who are in Christ. And this grace is distributed according to the measure of Christ’s gift. This is what verse 7 says. Not only have we received the gift of salvation, therefore, but other gifts have been lavished upon us by Christ as well. This is Paul’s central point. The ascended Christ gives gifts to men. 

Now, what does Paul mean when he goes on to quote some other passage, saying in verse 8, “Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” And then he adds this explanation in verse 9, saying, “Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’” What is the meaning of this quotation and explanation from Paul?

First of all, it is important to recognize that this is a reference to Psalm 68. When Paul says, “Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men”, the “it” is a reference to Psalm 68. This Psalm is too long for us to read in its entirety this morning. As some of you know, I read this Psalm and offered some remarks about it in the prayer meeting devotional this past Wednesday. You should read it for yourself if it is unfamiliar to you. In brief, this is a Psalm about God’s victory over all his enemies. This Psalm calls for glory to be given to God. It describes God as a King entering victoriously into his heavenly sanctuary. This Psalm calls for all “who are of Israel’s fountain!”, to “bless God in the great congregation” (Psalm 68:26, ESV). And it describes the nations of the earth coming to pay tribute to the LORD. The image is that of a victorious King with two groups of people standing before him: his enemies who have persisted in their rebellion who will taste his wrath, and those who have humbly bowed the knee before him. The Psalm concludes with these words: “Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!” (Psalm 68:35, ESV). 

Secondly, it is important to recognize that Paul quotes only one verse from Psalm 68, and he quotes it loosely, modifying it every so slightly to fit his context. He loosely quotes Psalm 68:18 which speaks of God, saying, “You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there” (Psalm 68:18, ESV). Paul does not say this exactly, but in stead he says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” The most significant change is this: Instead of God receiving gifts, Paul says that he gave gifts to men. This has caused many to wonder what Paul was up to when referencing Pslam 68. Did he have a laps in memory? Was he quoting some other translation besides the original Hebrew? Many theories abound. It seems clear to me that Paul was not attempting to quote Psalm 68:18 with precession, but that his words are meant to summarize the whole of Psalm 68 and to apply that Psalm to his current situation. True, Psalm 68:18 does not say that God “gave” gifts to men (as Paul says here in Ephesians 4:8), but rather that he “received” gifts from men. But we should remember how Psalm 68 concludes! It concludes with God giving gifts to his people! Again, Psalm 68:35 says, “Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!” So, again, it is my view that Paul was not attempting to quote Psalm 68:18 with precession. Instead, he was making reference to the whole Psalm, and in one short phrase he managed to sum up its meaning for the Ephesians and for us. And what was Paul concerned to communicate? That God, who has ascended in victory, gives gifts to his people! “Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!” This is what Paul wants us to see. That our God, who sits high and exulted over every power, is eager to bless his people, and to lavish them with his gifts. 

Thirdly — and this is the most significant thing to notice about Paul’s use of Pslam 68 — he applies the whole thing to Christ in verses 9 and 10 where he says, “In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things” (Ephesians 4:9–10, ESV). 

I do wish that you would take the time to reflect upon what Paul is doing here. Compare Psalm 68 with Ephesians 4:7-10 and ask yourself, how did Paul (and the other Apostles, being taught by Christ himself) interpret the Old Testament Scriptures?  The answer is that they saw them as being fulfilled by Christ. 

Notice a few things:

One, Psalm 68 says nothing about Christ. It only speaks of God, who is called the LORD. 

Two, Psalm 68 says nothing about descent. It only describes God’s victorious ascent into his heavenly  sanctuary. 

Three (and this is the most significant thing to notice), Paul says that this Psalm is all about Jesus the Christ. His interpretation of Psalm 68 is that though it speaks of the LORD’s ascent, descent is implied. In fact the whole Psalm is about the salvation that has been provided by the LORD through Christ, who is the eternal Son of God come in the flesh. 

I guess Christ was serious when he taught his disciples after his resurrection saying “everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44, ESV). And it appears that Paul got the memo. When he read the Psalms — and in this instance, Psalm 68 — he understood them to be about Jesus the Christ. When Psalm 68 spoke of the victorious ascent of the LORD into his heavenly sanctuary, Paul understood that it spoke of the ascent of the Christ, who is the eternal Son of God come in the flesh. This was a mystery in ages past. But now that the Christ has come, Paul (and the other Apostles of Christ) could speak with clarity concerning these things. 

And a victorious ascent does indeed imply a purposeful descent. If a King returns home in victory, receiving glory and honor from his subjects as he returns, it is only because he first went out with the purpose to get the victory! And so it is with God in Christ. He ascended in victory only because he first descended with the purpose to redeem. And this is what Paul means in verse 9 when he says, “In saying, ‘He ascended’ [in Pslam  68:18], what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? (Ephesians 4:9, ESV).” 

We know when Christ ascended. Clearly, he ascended after his death, burial and resurrection after showing himself alive to his disciples. Acts 1:6ff describes his ascent. But when did he descend? Well, he descended in his incarnation. He descended when he was conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. He descended when he was born into this world, as he suffered, and especially when he died. When Jesus the Christ was placed into that tomb, the stone being rolled across the entrance of it, that was the lowest point of his descent. And that is what Paul refers to when he says (and I quote the KJV here, for I think it is better translation than the ESV in this instance), “Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?” (Ephesians 4:9, KJV 1900), “the lower parts of the earth” being a reference to the grave, or to Hades as it is sometimes called. The grave was the lowest point of the Son of God’s descent. But, as you know, he was risen from the grave in victory! It was from the grave that he began his ascent having defeated his every foe, including death itself. And by his victory over sin and death, he did also set the captives free. 

This is what Paul wants us to see —that God in Christ has won the victory, which is the victory that Psalm 68 spoke of long  before Christ was born. Furthermore, God in Christ has won the victory, and he has set us free. He has redeemed us from the curse of the law. And not only has Christ  redeemed us, he has also given gifts to those who belong to him, as Psalm 68:35 says, “Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!” 

God, through the victorious and ascended Christ, gives gifts to men. That is the point.

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He Has Gifted The Church With Ministers Of The Word (4:11-12)

And what gifts does he give? Well, we know from other passages of scripture that God gives gifts — that  is to say,  spiritual gifts — to all who believe upon him. These gifts are to be used by all who believe for the building up of the body of Christ and for  the glory of God. If you are in Christ you have been uniquely gifted to serve within Christ church, which is his body. 1 Corinthians 12 speaks of these gifts. So too does 1 Peter 4:10-11, which says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:10–11, ESV). And this passage in Ephesians 4 will also conclude with a reference to the giftedness of every believer, saying that we all “are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15–16, ESV). Every believer, being uniquely gifted by God, has a part to play in Christ’s church.

But here  in this text Paul’s emphasis is upon something other than the spiritual gifts bestowed upon every Christian. Instead, he hones in upon another gift that Christ has given to the church, namely, ministers of the word of God. Paul is here teaching that Christ has called and gifted ministers of the word, and that these ministers are Christ’s gift to the church. Christ has called undeserving men such as myself to the ministry, and he has equipped them take the place of a servant in the mist of the Christian congregation, so that the word of God might be proclaimed and taught for the building up of the body of Christ. That is what Paul is talking about here in this text.  

In verse 11 we read these words: “And he gave…” This indicates that Paul is about to specify the gifts that the ascended Christ has distributed to his people. And what does he say? Verse 11: “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11, ESV). As I have said, Paul is here teaching that one of the gifts that Christ has given to his church are ministers of the word of God, for that is what each one of these are — ministers of the word. 

Apostles were eye witness of the resurrection of Christ who were sent by Christ to preach and teach the his word.  Prophets — and I take this as a reference to the prophets who lived in the age of the Apostles — were certainly ministers of the word of God. They spoke with prophetic authority just as the prophets under the Old Covenant did, saying, “thus says the Lord.” Evangelists are also ministers of the word. When you think of an evangelist think of a missionary or church planeter who is sent out from a local church to plant local churches. And how are local churches planted except through the preaching of the gospel and the ministry of the word? Shepherd’s (elsewhere called pastors, elders or overseers) are ministers of the word. One of the qualifications of an elder is that they be apt to teach the scriptures. And teachers are also ministers of the word. They are to teach the scriptures faithfully in the Christian congregation. While all shepherd are teachers, not all teachers are shepherds. It is our view that some may be gifted as teachers, but not called to the office of elder within the local church. The thing to recognize is that Paul is here teaching that ministers of the word are a gifts from Christ for the good of the church. Through their faithful ministry the church will be strengthened and unified. 

Paul has already said in this epistle that the apostles and prophets make up the foundation of the new creation temple of God, with Christ himself as the cornerstone. There are no longer apostles and prophets in the church today, for their ministry was foundational. The apostles served in a special way as Christ’s ambassadors, being eyewitness of his resurrection and commissioned by him directly. The prophets too spoke with a special kind of authority. Today there are shepherd and teachers who minister the word in the local congregation. Evangelists minister the word being sent near and far to plant churches through the proclamation of the gospel and to see to their establishment. 

And what is the task of these ministers of the word of God? In verse 12 we learn that, though they differ in the details of their callings, they share these three things in common:

One, they are to “to equip the saints”. Two, they are to devote themselves to “the work of ministry”. And three, they are to labor for the “building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12, ESV). These three things are what every minister of the word is to devote themselves to. 

If you have been around the church for a while — and especially if your church experience has been outside of the Reformed tradition, as was the case for most of us —  you might notice that my explanation of Ephesian 4:12 is a little different from the one that is popular today. The popular view is not that these three things are the work of the minister, but only first of the three. The last two are often said to be the work of the church member. The way that the ESV reads (along with most of the more modern English translations) actually leads to that popular interpretation. Let me read it again, commenting along the way, so as to explain the view that has grown in popularity. Christ has given the church these ministers of the  gospel and their job is [verse 12] “to equip the saints”, and it is the job of the saints to then do “the work of ministry”, and all of this is “for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12, ESV). As I have said, that is the popular view today. And as I have said, the ESV nudges the reader in that direction by not inserting a comma after the phrase “to equip the saints”. But I think a strong case can be made for a comma there. In fact, the KJV puts a comma there, and I think this is correct. It reads like this: ministers of the word have been given by Christ to the church, and I quote, “For the perfecting of the saints [comma], for the work of the ministry [comma], for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12, KJV 1900). This translation rightly communicates that each of these things is the task of the minister of the word. Christ has given the church evangelists, shepherds and teachers, and their task is “to equip the saints”, they are to devote themselves to “the work of ministry”, and they are to labor for the “building up the body of Christ”. This is the task of the one who has been called to the ministry of the word. 

You might be thinking to yourself, really, what difference does this make, Pastor? 

Well, I  would argue that it makes a pretty big difference. But I will admit that my past experiences might have  something to do with my sensitivity to this issue. In my experience there is a trend within churches for pastors to be distracted with many things, to neglect what it is that they have been called and appointed to do, and to delegate “the work of  the ministry” to the saints. Here I am referring to that model of church leadership that views  the Pastor as a kind of CEO, whose job it is to cast a vision and to mobilize others to actually do the work of the ministry. I think this has become a problem in the church  today. The end result is that Pastors are not acting like Pastors, and laymen are doing the work that Pastors should be doing, though they have not been called, equipped or appointed by the congregation to do the work. Perhaps you have been in a church like this where “every member is considered a minister”, the distinction between officer and member, laymen and clergy, being all but obliterated. It’s unhealthy. And a misinterpretation of Ephesians 4:12 is a root problem. 

Now, before you get all up and arms and say, but shouldn’t a Pastor delegate? And shouldn’t each member serve within the church?, I will say,  of course they should! I have already said that Paul speaks of spirituals gifts elsewhere. And he even concludes this passage by exhorting each member to do his or her part, the end result being that the body grows and “builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:16, ESV). 

But here I am saying that Pastors need to act like Pastors. There are simply some responsibilities that should not be delegated. Their calling is to “to equip the saints”, to do “the work of ministry”, and to “[build] up the body of Christ”, as ministers of the word of God. 

To “equip” means, “to make someone completely adequate or sufficient for something” (LowNida, 679). This is the task of the minister — to devote himself to making those under his care “adequate or sufficient “ for the work and walk that the Lord has called them to. 

“Ministry” means “service”. But here the word is being used to refer to the work that ministers of the word are to engage in. Do you want to know more about what that work entails? Then the best place to go is to the pastoral epistles of Paul. When Paul wrote to Pastors Timothy and Titus he provided a thorough explanation of the what the “work of ministry” entails. For our purposes here I want for you to notice two things. One, Pastoral ministry is work — it is hard work. And it is a work of service.  

It is important for those who desire to go into the ministry to come to terms with these two things — Pastoral ministry is work, and it is a work of service. I suppose that preaching is the task that most think of when they envision the work of a the ministry. And preaching is certainly a very important part of the ministry — indeed, it is the most important part! But there is so much more. The word of God is to be ministered in many other less glamorous ways. The church must also be led. The flock must be comforted, encouraged, exhorted, and sometimes disciplined. A Pastor, if he is to fulfill his calling, must clothe himself with the garb of a servant, for he is called to a work of service. 

Lastly, Paul says that the minister of the word is given to the church “for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12, ESV). Two metaphors are mixed here. First of all, we have the image of a home builder. That is what the noun translated as “building up” means. It refers to a home builder. And this image certainly corresponds to what Paul has said earlier about believers being spiritual stones in God’s new creation temple. Ministers of the word are given by Christ for the building up of his spiritual house, which is elsewhere called a dwelling place for God. Secondly, we have the metaphor of the church as the body of Christ, which Paul will expand upon later in this passage. Ministers of the word are given to the church for the building up of the body. That is Paul point.

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Conclusion

I had originally intended to go further through to the end of verse 16, but simply ran out of time. We will consider verses 13 through 16 next Sunday, Lord willing. And there we will see the intended results of a faithful ministry of the word within Christ’s church, namely, unity, maturity, stability, and growth. 

Let me conclude todays sermon by making a few suggestions for application. 

One, it is important for us to see that Christ has provided, not only for our salvation, but, as 2 Peter 1:3 says, “all things that pertain to life and godliness…” (2 Peter 1:3, ESV). Having ascended in victory, Christ gave gifts to men. To quote again Psalm 68:35, Christ “is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!” (Psalm 68:35, ESV). You are well supplied, friends. When God redeemed you he did not leave you poor and vulnerable. To the contrary, he has lavished you with good gifts and has supplied for your every spiritual need so that you might walk worthy. Let us appreciate those gifts, and make use of them. 

Two, let us appreciate Christ’s gift to the church in the form of ministers of the word. Ministers are to be supported (financially and in other ways) so that they might devoted themselves to the word, to prayer and to the oversight of the church. And these ministers are to make it their objective to be faithful servants of Christ and of his church. This was Paul’s perspective, as he said in  1 Corinthians 4:1: “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:1–2, ESV). Faithfulness to Christ and to the gospel of Christ should be the ministers goal. And every local church should appreciate the ministry of the word,  and to make every effort to encourage and support it.

Three — and this will become abundantly clear as the text progresses — let us recognize that it is not the minster himself who is the source of blessing to the church. He is not the one who brings about her growth. Instead, it is who he represents, namely Christ, and what he ministers, namely, the word of God, that brings about the growth of the church. Stated differently, it would be wrong to assume that it is the minister who has the power to bless or to grow Christ’s church in and of himself.  No, only God can give true increase. And only God’s word can truly nourish the congregation. This is why Paul exhorted Pastor Timothy, saying, “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2, ESV). It is not healthy for a congregation to be centered around a charismatic personality, friends. This is something that we should be wary of in our day and age. We should remember Paul’s words to the Corinthians,  saying, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ or ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Corinthians 1:10–17, ESV). It seems to me that Paul was very much opposed to a man centered ministry. To the contrary, he was committed to simple and faithful ministry of the word of God within the church. Let us desire the same. Let us recognize that the church will flourish when God’s  word is faithfully ministered in her mists. As Paul said to the Colossians, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Ephesians 4:1-6

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:1–6, ESV)

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[Please excuse any and all typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.] 

Introduction

We have now come to the second half of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians wherein he applies the truths that he established in the first half of his epistle. The word “therefore” clues us in to the transition. When Paul says, “therefore”  he means, now, here is how you should live given all that I have just taught you.

Doctrine is always practical, friends. Truth must always lead to application. 

It is important, therefore, that we not forget the truths that Paul established in the first half of his letter. What he is about to say here in this application portion is directly linked to the truths presented in the doctrinal portion. The application flows naturally out of the doctrine. So what did Paul teach us?

I will not review in detail the teaching of Paul found in Ephesians 1-3, for we have recently considered these passages. In brief, Paul taught that Christ has accomplished the Father’s plan for the redemption of his elect. Paul established the supremacy of Christ over all things. He taught that in Christ we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the high heavenly places. Both Jew and Gentile are reconciled to God through him. Though we were all by nature children of wrath, in Christ we have been adopted as sons. In him we have redemption, the forgivness of sins, and an eternal inheritance. Though the Jews were especially blessed and used by the Lord for ages — and though for a time the Gentiles were alienated from God and without hope in the world — now that the Christ has come, Jew and Gentile have together been  brought near to God. By God’s grace both Jews and Gentiles are saved through faith in Christ. They are together spiritual  stones in God’s Spirit filled temple, being built upon the foundation of the  Apostles and Prophets, with Christ as the cornerstone. Paul’s prayer for us is that we “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:18–19, ESV). Truly, the theme of the first half of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is “unity in God’s inaugurated new creation” (S.M. Baugh). 

With this in mind, it is no wonder that Paul then exhorts the believer to pursue unity within the church, and holiness in the whole life. If it true that in Christ we are stones in God’s new creation temple, then it follows that we must pursue unity within Christ’s church and holiness. God’s temple cannot be divided. And God’s temple must be pure. Much of the application that Paul presents in the Ephesians 4-6 is centered on these themes. 

Notice three things in our text for today.  One, Paul exhorts the believers to walk worthy. Two, he urges us to bear with one another in love. And three, he implores us to eagerly maintain unity within Christ’s church. All of this application flows from the truth that in Christ we have been reconciled to God the Father. 

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Walk Worthy

First of all, let us consider the command to walk worthy, which is found in verse 1. “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called…” (Ephesians 4:1, ESV).

Notice that Paul again refers to himself as a “prisoner of the Lord”, just as he did in 3:1. Perhaps this is to remind the Ephesians that to follow Christ involves suffering — walking with Christ in this world requires humility — humility being a theme that he will soon develop. 

He then urges, or pleads, with the believer to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which they have been called. 

Walking is often used in the scriptures as a metaphor for the Christian life. It is a very appropriate metaphor, for the Christians life is a journey. We are sojourners. We are to live carefully in this world. We are to walk with constancy. 

Consider, briefly, Paul’s use of the work “walk” in Ephesians. 

Back in 2:2 Paul reminded the Ephesians that before they believed upon Christ they “were dead in the trespasses and sins in which [they] once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience…” (Ephesians 2:1–2, ESV). 

But in 2:10 Paul reminds the Christian that “we are [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10, ESV). 

Everyone living in this world “walks”. All have a way of life. All are moving in some direction, being moved by something — having their sights set on something. This is true of those who are in their sin, as well as the redeemed. Paul is eager to show us in this epistle that in Christ, our walk is to be different. Whereas we once walked in sin and in death, following the course of this world, now, that we have been recreated in Christ, we are to walk in the good works that the Father has prepared for us beforehand. 

Here in 4:1 Paul exhorts us to “walk worthy”.

In 4:17 he will command us, saying, “you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds” (Ephesians 4:17, ESV).

In 5:1-2 we find this command: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:1–2, ESV).

In Ephesians 5:8 Paul says, “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8, ESV). 

And lastly, in 5:15-16 we read, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15–16, ESV).

So how is your walk, friends? Do you walk with a Christ-like gate? Are you walking in a heavenly direction? Are you walking with God centered purpose, being moved by the Spirit, with an appetite for eternal things?

Here in 4:1 Paul begins to make application by simply urging the believer “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which [they] have been called” (Ephesians 4:1, ESV). 

“Worthy” here means “fitting” or “proper”.  The idea is this: consider what God has called to out of, and consider what he has called you too — and walk in a way that corresponds to, or fits, that calling. Again, I will leave it to you to review what has been said in Ephesians chapters 1-3 which tell us all about our calling in Christ. It is a marvelous calling. In brief, I will simply say that you have been called out of death and darkness to be adopted as children of God. Now walk as children of God, for this is certainly right, fitting and proper. Stated negatively, it is most unworthy and improper for someone who bears the name of Christ to walk like a child of the evil one. Brothers and sisters, you are to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called…”

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Bearing With One Another

This command to walk worthy has very broad and far reaching implications. By it Paul certainly means the that we are to live holy and obedient lives. He means that we are to walk in the light, and not in darkness. But notice how Paul specifies what a worthy walk looks like in this following verses. In particular, walking worthy in Christ, means walking “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2, ESV).

Please consider this before we go any further: though it is not explicitly stated, it is certainly implied — walking worthy in Christ means that we walk with Christ alongside other believers —  that is to say, in the church, and not as isolated individuals. Paul’s words wouldn’t make any sense at all if this were not so. The first thing that he says about walking worthily in Christ is that we be humble, gentle and patient with one another, bearing with one another in love. Stated differently (and negatively), if you profess faith in Christ but refuse to join yourself to a local church, you are not walking in a worthy manner.   

This should not surprise you at all if you have been paying attention to the teaching of Paul in this epistle. He has taught that those who have faith in Christ have been reconciled to one God, are adopted into one family, and are individual stones in one Spirit filled heavenly temple. God did not send the Christ to redeem isolated individuals, but to create a new humanity in him. 

This does not do away with the individualistic aspects of our redemption in Christ. Indeed, individuals were chosen by God in eternity past. The sins of individuals were atoned for by Christ. Individuals are reconciled to God and adopted as sons by faith. The names of individuals are written in the Book of Life. All of this is true. And never should we minimize these truths concerning the redemption of the individual. But neither should we neglect the corporate or collective aspects of our redemption. For it is also true that in Christ, God is forming a new family. He is creating a new humanity — and it will be this new humanity that fills his new creation. 

Friends, here is the thing that we must recognize: being a member of this new creation family of God, or of this new humanity is not a future hope only, but it is a present reality for those who have faith in the risen Christ. Those who have faith are adopted now, and they are citizens now in Christ’s kingdom. And where is this new creation family of God visibly manifest on earth today? Where do we see it? It is made visible in the local church! When the local church assembles for worship on the Lord’s Day we are given a small glimpse of God’s adopted new creation family. 

Now, I am not saying the local church is the new creation family of God. I am not equating the visible church with the kingdom of God. You know full well that the local church is not so pure. Indeed, there will always in be goats amongst the sheep, weeds amongst the wheat, and false believers amongst the true. This is how things will be until the Lord returns to make all things new. The church will remain imperfect and impure. Instead, I am saying that God’s new humanity is manafest in the local church whenever she assembles, impure as she may be. 

And this is why Paul is so concerned to urge us to bear with one another in love. Within the church there will be a mixture of true believers and false. But even amongst the true believers there will be immaturity, foolish behavior and sin. Bear with one another, Paul says. To bear with is to endure difficulty. To bear with is to patiently suffer hardship. And notice that Paul commands us to bear with one another. What does this say about the local church, then? Does this statement not imply that there will be trouble and difficulty within the local church? Indeed, it does! And this should not surprise us at all.

Have you read the scriptures, friends? Have you read of the trouble that Israel had with sin? Have you read of the difficulties that arose amongst Christ’s own disciples? Have you read of the troubles experienced by the first churches that existed even in the age of the Apostles? It is terribly naive to assume that church will be pure and without controversy. It is naive to assume to Christians will not struggle continually with sina s they sojourn in this world. Corruptions remain within us, friends! And therefore, it is a terrible excuse, to say, I love Jesus, but I cannot join the church, because of the hypocrites that exist within it. 

Now, I will grant that there are some churches that have so degenerated in doctrine and in life that they can no longer be called churches of Christ, but are in fact synagogues of  Satan. I am not saying that true believers should join themselves to congregations like this. But I am saying that even in the best of churches Christians must prepare to bear with one another in love. The church in Ephesus was a strong church, and even they needed to hear this exhortation from Paul to bear with one another in love. 

Peter said something similar to his audience. “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8, ESV). I do love that phrase — “love covers a multitude of sins”. Peter does not say that love ignores sin. God himself did not, and does not, ignore our sin. But he covers it. And so too never should we ignore our sin, or the sins of others, but we should be eager to cover it. This means that we should never exploit the sin of others. Never should we fixate upon it, or to hold on to it with un-forgivness. Instead, we should bear with one another in love, and be eager to forgive. 

This will require that we all walk in “humility and gentleness, with patience…”, as Paul says. Again, “I… urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…” (Ephesians 4:1–2, ESV)

So what does it look like to “bear with one another in love”?

Well, first I will tell you what it does not mean. It cannot mean that sin is tolerated or ignored within Christ’s church. To ignore sin — to let it go unaddressed — would be to disobey the many other passages that call the church to address sin within her midst. There will be times when believers will need to confront one another. And their will be times when the eldership will need to lead in discipline, as Paul himself wrote to Timothy, “As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear” (1 Timothy 5:20, ESV). And to Titus he said, “give instruction in sound doctrine and… rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9, ESV). And again to Titus he said, concerning those who persist in sin, “rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith” (Titus 1:13, ESV). 

But friends, even sharp rebuke is to be delivered in “humility and gentleness, with patience…” as we bear with one another in love. In fact, I would argue that to deliver a firm rebuke to a sinning brother or sister is the hight of love. I suppose there are some who enjoy confrontation, but surely they are in the minority. Most dread confrontation. In my opinion, confrontation is terribly draining. And yet if we love one another, we will confront one another concerning unrepentant sin. Any fool can fly off the handle being driven by anger, but we are to walk in “humility and gentleness, with patience…” as we bear with one another in love. 

Bearing with one  another in love also  means that we are to be patient with one another’s immaturity. It means that we are to take the long view  as we remember that sanctification is a process for all of us. Don’t forget the great commission, friends. Christ commissioned his Apostles saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20, ESV). I will draw your attention to phrase “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” When someone is converted, baptized, and received into the church, the process “teaching them to observe all that [Christ has] commanded” has only just begun.  Sanctification is a process — sometimes it is a long and arduous process. Let us never forget it. 

Bearing with one another also means that we will put up one another’s quarks. Here I am refering not to sin, but to the differences in personalities and temperaments that will undoubtably exist within Christ’s church. The church is not a society of friends formed around common interests, compatible personalities, or shared attraction. Instead, our bond is wrought by the Spirit and rooted in Christ. And God has called a diversity of people to himself — rich and poor, male and female, black and white, introvert and extrovert, timid and bold — I could go on. The point is this, we should be prepared to bear with, what we consider to be, the quarks of others, to celebrate the diversity within Christ’s church, and to remember that just maybe we are the quirky one. 

Bearing with one another also means that we will respect the opinions of others. Some things are clearly revealed in the scriptures. Other things are less clear. And some things are a matter of opinion, falling into the realm of wisdom. We must learn to clearly differentiate between things essential and non-essentials, God law and matters of wisdom. And we should never quarrel over opinions. We must learn to humbly bear with one another in Christ, even where differences of opinion exist.   

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Eager To Maintain Unity

And why would we “bear with one another” like this? Well, for many reasons. But in particular we “bear with one another” because we are  “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3, ESV). That is what Paul says in verse 3: He commands us to walk worthy, bearing with one another, being “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

I have only a few brief observations to make about this verse:

One, this unity that Paul speaks of is not something that we are called to create, but to “maintain”. It is something that we are to cause to continue, to retain, and keep. This unity is not created by us. It is not something we bring about. Rather, it already exists. This unity is ours to maintain.  

Two, it is the Spirit of God who creates this unity, which is also called “the bond of peace”. Again, Paul says that we are to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Here is what binds us together — our shared peace with God. You are at peace with God, and I am at peace with God, we together being adopted as Sons.  And how was that peace secured? It was accomplished by Christ in his life, death, burial and resurrection, and it is applied by the Spirit through his effectual calling, regeneration, and sealing. For this reason Paul refers to our unity with one another as the “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Three, Paul says that we are to be eager to maintain this unity. By this Paul means that we are to be zealous to maintain this unity. It is something that we are to pursue with intense effort. Maintaining unity within the local church and between churches is something that we are to work very hard at. 

Maintaining unity is hard work, friends. It is easy to be offended and to run off as a result. It is also easy to be offended and fly off the handle. Both are fleshly responses to offense within Christ’s church. But the spiritual response to sin and offense within Christ’s church is to go to your brother or sister, to speak with them humbly and gently, to listen carefully to them, to encourage them, to exhort and rebuke them, and to be persistent and patient in this. Time must be invested. Energy must be invested. All of these things must be covered in prayer. We must constantly examine our own hearts, motives and actions. We must prepare to speak. And when we speak, we must labor to controle the tongue. Brothers and sisters, I am telling you, this requires work. It takes effort. If we are not “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”, we will never make the investment.    

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For We Have All Been Reconciled To God, Who Is One

There is a lot at stake, friends. We are here talking about maintaining unity within the church of Christ, which is an earthly manifestation of the new creation family of God. All division is terrible, but it is especially terrible when it is found within Christ’s church, for our unity is wrought by the Spirit, mediated by Christ, and rooted in God, who is one. And that is how Paul concludes this passage, by reminding us of the source of our union. 

Look with me briefly at verses 4-6. There Paul says, “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4–6, ESV). What a beautiful passage this is. Why should we be eager to main our unity in Christ? Because of its great depth and eternal significance. 

You know this to be true from experience. Division is tragic in proportion to the depth of the bond that is fractured. It is sad when a conflict drives acquaintances apart. But it is especially tragic when division separates close friends or those of family relation. But here I think that Paul demonstrates that the most tragic kind of division is division within Christ’s church given the depth of the bond. 

Here Paul reminds us that there is only one body, a reference, no doubt, to the church, which is elsewhere called the body of Christ. Furthermore, he says that there is one Spirit, refering to the Holy Spirit, by whom you are sealed if you have faith in Christ. Should Christ be divided? Should the Spirit be divided? No, for they are one. Paul also mentions our shared hope. You and I together have this in common — we hope in Christ, his promises, and in the new heavens and earth that he has secured. What a bond we have! He then says that there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism. Why are you in the church to begin with? Is it not because you have confessed that Jesus is Lord? You placed you faith in him and expressed these things through the waters of baptism. Is there more than one Lord? If there were, then I suppose we would be content with division within the church. Is there more than one faith? No, there is only faith — a body of doctrine that we have all received and confess to be true — a shared trust in the risen Christ. And is there more than one baptism? No! There is only one. Baptism into water is how each of us have made that public profession, signifying that our sins have been washed by the blood of Christ, that we have died to the old self and have been raised to walk in newness of life. If there were many faiths and many baptisms, then I suppose that divisions in Christ’s church would be acceptable. But there is only one body, Spirit and hope. There is only one Lord, faith, and  baptism. And Paul saves the best for last, saying, that there is only “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all”. And here is the deepest source of our union with one another — we have been reconciled to God the Father, who is himself one. 

When Paul says that there “is one God and Father of all”, the all is in reference to “all” who have been reconciled to him and adopted as sons. The context of Ephesians makes this clear. All who are united to Christ by faith share this in common — we have God as Father. And God our Father is over all, through all, and in all. It is to this God — the one true God, who is himself simple and undivided — that we have been reconciled.

If I were to ask you the question, what is the unity that you have with your brothers and sisters in Christ rooted in, there would be many acceptable answers. You would be right to say that you are bound together because you are members of the same body and sealed by the same Spirit. It would also be right to emphasize that you have the same Lord, confess the same faith, have been baptized with the same baptism. All of those things ae true and very substantial. But nothing is deeper than  this — through faith in Christ and by the Spirit we have all been reconciled to God the Father, the one true God, “who is over all and through all and in all.”  

New Testament Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:14–21, ESV)

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[Please excuse any and all typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.] 

Introduction

This passage that is before us today brings the first half of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians to a conclusion. As I have said before, Ephesians is divided neatly into two sections. In the first half Paul teaches. In the second half he makes application based upon the doctrines that he has taught. The application will begin in 4:1 with the word, “therefore”. And so here sin 3:14-21 we have the conclusion to the doctrinal portion of Paul’s letter. 

And please notice that Paul brings this doctrinal portion of his epistle to a conclusion with prayer. Just as he did in 2:15-23, Paul reports the content of his prayer to the Ephesians, saying, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named” (Ephesians 3:14–15, ESV). Paul is here describing prayer, and then he goes on to reveal to us the content of his prayers for the redeemed in Ephesus. 

It is only right for to begin by making this simple observation: Paul was a man of prayer. Yes, he was a gifted leader within the early church. Yes, he was a great missionary and church planter. Yes, Paul was a skilled writer — a theologian par excellence. But notice this: Paul was a man of prayer. He was devout. He was pious. And when I say “pious” I do not mean to suggest that he was in any way prideful or self righteous. I understand that the word “pious” has taken on a negative meaning over time. Instead, I mean that Paul was religious, reverent and God-fearing in all the best ways. He was a humble and deeply devoted servant of God. This is what I mean when I say that Paul was pious. 

Friends, I think we need to resurrect that word within the church today. We should not be afraid to pursue piety in the Christian life. Never should the Christian be self-righteous, proud or aloof. But the Christian should be humble and reverent — deeply devoted to God and to the things of God. And perhaps nothing is more revealing concerning one’s piety than consistency in private prayer. If we really believe what we say we believe, we will pray. If our love for God is sincere, we will pray. If our love for others is true, we will pray. Paul — the great Apostle of the early church, the great missionary and theologian — was, like his Savior, a man of prayer. His habit was to “bow [his] knees before the Father.”

Notice that Paul here in verse 14 refers to the Father as being the one, “from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.” What is the meaning of this? Well, in fact, there is a bit of difficulty associated with translating this phrase from Greek into English. If you were to compare modern English translations you would notice some differences of opinion. Again, the ESV says, “from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.”  The NKJV says, “from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” And the NIV84 says.  “from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.” I actually think that the NIV is the best of the three translations that I have cited. Paul is not here saying that every family in heaven and on earth bears God’s name, which I suppose would in a sense be true, given that God is Creator of all. But rather Paul is here emphasizing that in heaven and on earth there is one family of God that bears God’s name. God the Father, by his mercy and grace, has set his name upon those he has redeemed in Christ. He has adopted these as sons, remember? And these are all one. These are members of one household. They are brothers and sisters, who bear God’s name. They are unified as one — Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, male and female, slave and free — for they all sons of God through faith in the Beloved Son of God. This is the “Father” to whom Paul prayed. As Paul said, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name” (Ephesians 3:14–15, NIV84).

Notice also that our passage for today begins with the words, “For this reason…” We should probably pause to ask the question, for what reason, Paul? And when we pause to ask that question we must remember that the answer will not be found in the previous passage (3:1-13), for that passage was a digression of thought. Instead, the answer will be found in the passage before the previous one, that is to say,  Ephesians 2.

Paul presented  some marvelous truths in Ephesians chapter 2. He spoke of the fact that though we were worldly, rebellious, fleshly, children of wrath by nature and dead in our sins, God has made us alive in Christ. All of this is by his grace, and received by faith. And he also spoke of how for a long, long time prior to the resurrection of the Christ, the Gentile nations were “separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12, ESV), but that God has brought them near through Christ. The Gentiles being “no longer strangers and aliens, but… fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord…” (Ephesians 2:19–22, ESV).

It is “for this reason…” — or, because of these marvelous truths previously presented  — that Paul bowed his knees “before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name” (Ephesians 3:14–15, NIV84). ” This family is the family that the Father has graciously redeemed by the shed blood of Christ. He has adopted these children — both those who are alive today on earth, and those who have gone to glory and are with God in heaven — in Christ, the eternal Son of God come in the flesh. When Paul blowed his knees to the Father, he was mindful of this family — the heavenly, Spirit filled, new creation family of God — that bears the Father’s name.

So when Paul prayed to the Father on behalf of the Ephesians, for what did he pray? In verses 16 through 21 we will find three petitions followed by a doxology. The three petitions, or things for which Paul prayed, are marked off in the Greek text by the conjunction ἵνα, which means “that…”

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That You Would Be Strengthened In The Inner Being (3:16-18)

First of all, Paul prayed for the Ephesians that they would be strengthened in the inner being. And this is also my prayer for you, that God would strengthen you spiritually, in the inner being. That you would grow in faith and in you love for God and one another. 

It is in verse 16 thatPaul reported to the Ephesians that he bowed his knees before the Father and prayed “…that according to the riches of [God’s] glory he may grant [them] to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in [their] inner being, so that Christ may dwell in [their] hearts through faith… being rooted and grounded in love…” (Ephesians 3:16–17, ESV).

The core thing for which Paul prayed was that the believers in Ephesus would be “strengthened with power… in [their] inner being.” You are aware of this, I am sure, that there is an outer man, and there is an inner man. As Paul  says elsewhere, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16, ESV). Man is composed of body and soul. And while it is important that we take  care of our bodies as good stewards of all that God has given to us, an even greater priority is to be given to the care of the inner man, or the soul. This is why Paul wrote to Pastor Timothy, saying, “train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7–8, ESV). Here in Ephesians Paul reports to have prayed for the strengthening of the inner man. 

And I wonder, are you  growing stronger in the inner man? Are you training yourself for godliness? Godliness does require effort,  friends. We must put off the old man, and put on the new. We must fight against temptation. We must develop discipline. You know these things to be true regarding physical training, and it is no different with the soul. Strength in the inner man does not just happen. We must set our minds upon it and strive after it, with God’s help. Yes, this means we must examine ourselves to see if there is anything lacking. And we must learn to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called. 

Notice a few things about Paul’s prayer for strength in the inner being:

One, he prays that God would “grant” this strength to the believer “according to the riches of his glory”. God is glorious. He has all power. And Paul here prays that the Father would “grant” or “gift” the Christian with strength in the inner man. While it is true that we must make effort in the Christian life, this does not nullify the fact that we are always and ever dependent upon God’s grace. When we strive, we are to strive in God. We are to toil — not as independent and self-sufficient creatures, but as creatures who are always and forever dependent upon God for all things. And this was in fact the way that Paul spoke of his own strivings. Concerning his gospel ministry he said, “For this I toil, struggling with all [God’s] energy that he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:29, ESV). Notice this: Paul toiled, but he toiled with God’s energy, and so should we. 

When we pray for ourselves and others that we be strengthened in the inner man, we should pray as Paul did, beseeching the Father that he would graciously grant us this strength according to his power and glory.  And having prayed for this gift from God, we should then rise up from prayer to strive after him with “all [God’s] energy that he powerfully works within [us]”, exhorting our brothers and sisters in Christ to do the same. 

Two, Paul says that this power from God the Father is worked in the believer through his Spirit. The Spirit of God is our Helper. He convicts us of sin. He leads us in paths of righteousness.  He strengthens the believer with the power of God. Again, Paul prayed for the Ephesians, “that according to the riches of [God’s] glory he may grant [them] to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in [their] inner being…”

Three, Paul’s prayer to the Father was that the Ephesians would be strengthened through the Spirit so that “Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…” You’ll notice the Trinitarian structure of this passage, I’m sure. Paul’s prayer was to the Father that he would strengthen the believer through the Spirit so that Christ the Son would dwell in their hearts. 

Pay careful attention to word “dwell”. You have probably noticed a theme developing in Ephesians, and that is the theme of “temple”. Earlier in this epistle Jewish and Gentile believers were said to be stones in God’s temple, with the Apostles and Prophets being foundation stones, and Christ himself being the cornerstone. And what is a temple except a “dwelling place” for God — a place where man enjoyes communion with God. Here Paul’s prayer is that by God’s grace we would be strengthened in the inner man through the Spirit so that “Christ would dwell in our hearts through faith”. He prayed that we would be strengthened in the faith to function as a temple of Christ.  

And how is it that Jesus the Christ dwells in the heart of the believer given his human nature? Well, he dwells in us not according to his humanity, but according to his divinity and by the agency of the Holy Spirit. This is what Christ taught when he spoke of sending the Holy Spirit in John chapters 14 through16. Take, for example, what Christ said to his disciples in John 14:15-16: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:15–17, ESV). So how does Christ “dwell” in our hearts? Not according to his humanity, of course, but according to his divinity, and through the agency of the Holy Spirit, who is the Helper whom the Father and Son have sent. 

Notice that Christ is said to dwell in our hearts “by faith”. Faith is the instrument by which Christ is received. And faith itself is a gift from God. Christ is not received by works, but by faith alone, so that no one may boast.

And notice also that Christ is said to dwell in the hearts of the one who has faith, “being rooted and grounded in love.”  To have faith in Christ is to love Christ. And to love Christ, is to keep his commandments. That, after all, is what Christ himself said in the passage that I read just a moment ago regarding the Holy Spirit. Jesus began by saying to his disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” And then Christ said, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:15–17, ESV). 

So when all is considered, what did Paul pray for when he prayed that the Ephesians would be strengthened in the inner being? Well, his prayer was that God, by his grace would strengthen the faith of the believer by the power of the Holy Spirit; that God would enable the believer to love God and love one another; that they would keep God’s commandments, living in obedience to Christ, walking with him, so that Christ would dwell in their hearts, by the agency of the Holy Spirit. 

And there are few points of application that I might draw from this. 

One, I ask, are you daily being strengthened in the inner man? Are you growing in faith? Is your love for God and Christ  increasing? Are you living in obedience to to his commandments? Are you walking in Christ, and is he dwelling in you? As I have said before, this is something you must pursue. Spiritual growth will not happen automatically. You must be in God’s word. You must read it and listen to it preached. You must be in prayer. And you must daily choose to put off the old self and to put on the new in Christ Jesus. 

Two, I ask, are you praying for yourself in this regard? Are you praying that “God by His grace, would make [you] able and willing to know, obey, and submit to His will in all things, as the angels do in heaven” (Baptist Catechism, 110). If you are daily praying through that prayer which is commonly called the Lord’s Prayer, then you will certainly pray for this under the third petition, which is “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. Given that our growth in faith is itself a gift from God, then it is only right that we regularly petition the Father for that gift. We should pray to the Father, saying, refine me. Strengthen me. Increase my faith. Teach me your law. Make me willing and able to keep it. Father, increase my love for you. 

And three, I ask, do you pray this way for others?  Do you pray for others as Paul prayed, that God, by his grace would strengthen them in the inner being? Parents, do you pray this way for your children? If they do not yet have faith in Christ, then we should pray for their salvation. But if they have faith, then we should pray continually that their faith be strengthened. Husbands, do you pray for your wife in this regard? Wives, do you pray for your husband that  they would be strengthened in the inner man. Elders, are we praying for the member of this congregation as Paul prayed? And members, are we praying for one another, “that according to the riches of [God’s] glory he may grant [us] to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in [our] inner being, so that Christ may dwell in [our] hearts through faith… being rooted and grounded in love…” Once more, if we are praying according to that prayer that Christ taught his disciples, which is commonly called The Lord’s prayer, then we will pray for others in this way, for Christ did not teach us to pray saying my Father, but “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…” (Matthew 6:9–13, ESV). In the Lord’s Prayer we are taught to pray, not only for ourselves, but for others also. 

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That You Would Comprehend The Love Of Christ (3:18-19a)

Let us now move on to the second of Paul’s three petitions which are marked off in this text by the Greek conjunction, ἵνα, which means “that”. In the ESV the “that” is found in the middle of verse 17, but it goes with the petition found in verses 18 and 19. There Paul prays that the Ephesians would “have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge…” (Ephesians 3:18–19a, ESV). And this is my prayer for you, that you too would comprehend the love of Christ for you. 

I should say before moving on that these three petitions of Paul are interrelated. In other words, one of the ways that we grow strong in the inner man is to grow in our comprehension of the love of God for us in Christ Jesus. Comprehension is important, friends. It is important that we understand what God has done for us in sending the Christ. It is vital that we grasp the depth of his love for us. When we comprehend God’s love for us in Christ we are then moved to love and obey him more and more out of gratitude for his grace. 

Here Paul prays that we would have the strength to comprehend the love of Christ. To comprehend is to grasp. And we should remember that the Paul bowed his knees before the Father and prayed as he did “for this reason”, which referred back to what Paul had written in Ephesians chapter 2. That text would be a wonderful text to return to, therefore, to contemplated the marvelous love that has been shown to in Christ. For in that text Paul does tell us all about our helpless and hopeless condition apart from Christ, and God’s gracious intervention. 

Paul’s prayer for us that we would comprehend the love of Christ with all the saints. The Christian religion is not an individualistic religion — it is corporate. When we come together has God’s people we are to contemplate the love of God that has been shown to us in Christ Jesus. We are remember our former way of life. We are to testify to the mercy of God that has been shown to us. We are together to reflect upon the glories of the gospel, and to give God thanks. This ability to grasp or comprehend the love of Christ for us is not reserved for a few within the church, but is for all of the saints. Paul’s prayer is that all Christians would comprehend God’s love for them.    

Notice that Paul piles up terms to describe the greatness of Christ’s love for us. He prays that we would be able to wrap our minds around the width and length of it, the hight and the depth. I suppose Paul could have simply chosen one of these terms to describe greatness of Christ’s love. He could have simply said that his love for us immeasurably high, or very deep or extremely wide. But by calling our attention to the breadth of Christ’s love, and to the length of it, and also the height and depth, he moves us to contemplate carefully the richness of Christ’s love — the multifaceted affect of it. Everywhere we look — be it up or down, before us or behind us, or to this side or that, we see evidence of Christ’s love. His love is all about it us. He has surrounded us with hi love. He has hemmed us in on every side. Indeed, we are swimming in deep within an ocean of his love, and Paul is here praying that we would have the strength to comprehend it. 

And then Paul adds this in verses 19: that we would “know the love of Christ that surpassesm knowledge…” (Ephesians 3:19, ESV). His prayer is that we would know something that is beyond knowledge. How is this possible? Well, it is possible to know something truly without knowing it exhaustively. It is possible to grasp something but to at the same time acknowledge that the thing is deeper still. Many things pertaining to God and our redemption in Christ are like this. In Christ we know God truly, but we do not know him exhaustively. Though we know him truly and even call him by the name Father, he is beyond us still. And so it is with the love of Christ. With God’s help we can grasp it. But the true “breadth and length and height and depth” is beyond our ability to fully comprehend. 

I wonder, Christian, have you paused to contemplate the love that the Father has lavished upon you in Christ Jesus? Have you slowed down to reflect upon your helpless condition and that grace that God has shown to you? Have you considered how rich you are in Christ — how blessed you are to have your sins washed away, to be reconciled to the Father and how marvelous your inheritance is? Ephesians 2 would be a great place to go to reflect upon these truths, for it is there that Paul presented them, and here he prays that you would have the strength to comprehend what he has written. 

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That You Would Be Filled With All The Fullness Of God (3:19b)

Thirdly, and lastly, in verse 19 Paul prayed for the Ephesians that “…that [they] may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19b, ESV). And this is also my prayer for you — that you too would be filled with all the fulness of God. 

Again, we must remember the theme of “temple” that has developed within Ephesians. You have been redeemed by the Father to function as God’s temple. And just as the tabernacle in Moses’ day, and the temple in Solomon’s, was filled with the glory of God upon completion, so too the Christian individually, and the church corporately, is to be filled and overflowing with all the fullness of God — and this is Paul’s prayer. 

You will notice the Trinitarian structure of Paul’s temple talk. In Ephesians 2:22 Paul said, “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” In 3:17 Paul reported to pray that “Christ may dwell in [our] hearts through faith…” And here in 3:19 Paul reports to pray that the Christian be filled “with all the fullness of God.” We have been redeemed by the blood of Christ so that God the Father, Son and Spirit might dwell with us and in us by the agency of the Spirit, for we are his temple. 

This temple imagery, and all of this talk of God the Father, Son and Spirit dwelling within the redeemed should not surprise us. This is not Paul being innovative. Instead, this is Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, showing how the Christ has brought to completion God’s original design for man, and has ratified the Covenant of Grace, which has this promise of God at the core of it —  I will be their God, and they will be my people, and I will tabernacle in the midst of them. 

Friends, you were created to know God and to enjoy sweet communion with him, and this is what Christ has accomplished. He has reconciled you to God so that Father, Son and Holy Spirit dwell with you and in you. And this is why Paul prayed for the redeemed, that they would be filled with all the fulness of God. 

Tell me friends, do you sense God’s presence with you? Do you know that he is near? Do you “know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20, ESV)

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Doxology (3:20-21)

In verses 20 and 21  Paul  concludes  this passage with a doxology. In the Greek it is has the form of a song. What better way for Paul to conclude this passage — and the whole first half of his epistle —  than to give glory to God on behalf of all the redeemed, Jew and Gentile alike, saying, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20–21, ESV).