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The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
Today we continue our series based on the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians The theme is “Making a New World”.
Today we are talking about Instructions for New recruits.
Text
Ephesians 4:17 NKJV
The New Man
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
Scripture Reading
Ephesians 4:17-5:2 NKJV
The New Man
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But you have not so learned Christ,
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Do Not Grieve the Spirit
25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.
26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
27 nor give place to the devil.
28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Walk in Love
5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
Prayer
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Introduction
Many of the people to whom Paul wrote had just accepted Christ.
They were new recruits.
Paul wanted to give these new believers some instructions.
If they heeded his instructions, they would become accustomed to the new life in Christ and would develop into disciplined soldiers for the Lord.
- Believers must forsake pagan practices.
- Everybody has a former life.
Paul addressed believers who were converted from paganism.
We often have the tendency to think that all believers were converted from paganism.
This is not true.
Some have been concerted from religious backgrounds with strong morals.
Nonetheless, all of us have a former life.
This former life is self centeredness.
Any life that seeks to put self at the centre dishonours God.
B. Everybody needs to forsake the former life.
The self dominated life must be forsaken.
Paul described those who lived in sin as “having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”
Paul highlighted some of the prominent features of the pagan life, vanity, darkness, alienation, ignorance, blindness of heart, callousness, lust, uncleanliness, and greed.
It is a grim and revolting picture.
2. We must find our Christian conduct.
- Christian conduct begins with Jesus Christ.
Verse 20 says “But you have not so learned Christ.”
The term learn describes an experience with the risen Lord.
Only by opening their lives to Christ can people start their Christian pilgrimage.
When people receive Christ, they are taught that Christian discipleship requires the renunciation of pagan practices and the cultivation of true Christian holiness.
B. Christian conduct becomes part of a believer’s lifestyle.
The essence of the Christian lifestyle is defined by three things.
First Christians are to “put off” we are told in verse 22.
This is the picture of stripping off the old you and putting on the new.
Second, Christians are to be renewed.
This expression is in the present tense.
It is continuous progress in the believers life.
Third, Christians are to “Put on” we are told in verse 24.
The statement is the counterpart to “Put off.”
The “new man” is the new self, the new life in Christ.
New recruits to Christianity must discover Christ’s lifestyle for them.
Forsaking old ways is not enough.
Taking on Christ’s kind of life is essential.
3. We must follow Christian conduct.
Paul gave six specific commands on how to live the Christian life.
- Christians practise truthfulness.
Verse 4:25 says, Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.
Instead of being deceitful and dishonest, Christians should tell the truth.
B. Christians control anger.
Verse 26 tells us, “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
Anger should not be given a place to take root within the heart.
C. Christians should not steal.
Verse 28, Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
Stealing was an ordinary means of livelihood for pagans.
D. Christians honour God with their speech.
Verse 29, Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Personality may be defined as the power of self communication.
To abuse conversation perverts the personality.
People may be blessed or hurt with words.
E. Christians should not grieve the Holy Spirit.
Verse 30, And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
God is grieved when people rebel against Him.
F. Christians guard their disposition.
Verses 4:31-5:2 say, Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Walk in Love
Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
As children imitate the attitude of their parents, so should God’s children imitate their Father.
Conclusion.
Come into God’s kingdom and receive abundant life.
You can’t change on your own, but by His Holy Spirit within you, Christ is able to teach you His ways and make you like Himself.
Until next time
Stay in the Blessings
I really want to encourage you to be diligent with your Bible study time, because God has so much more for us than we can get from just going to church once or twice a week and hearing someone else talk about the Word.
When you spend time with God, your life will change in amazing ways, because God is a Redeemer.
Theres nothing thats too hard for Him, and He can make you whole, spirit, soul and body!
You’re important to God, and you’re important to us at www.refinerylife.org
When it comes to prayer, we believe that God wants to meet your needs and reveal His promises to you.
So whatever you’re concerned about and need prayer for we want to be here for you! Or even if you just want to say Hi, you can contact us
2021 IS A YEAR OF REFORMATION
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