The Walk Of The Believer In Jesus (Part 2) Series

Dr. Bradford Reaves

Crossway Christian Fellowship

Hagerstown, MD

www.mycrossway.org

Watch this message at: https://mycrossway.churchcenter.com/episodes/129300

Introduction

As we continue through the end of Ephesians 4, we have learned from Paul several transitions in the life of the believer that should be observed as a result of the work of Christ in their life. Paul tells us that:

Ephesians 4:17 “that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.”

The life of the the unregenerate can be summarized with one word: futile. In fact, Ephesians describes the life of the unbeliever as futile, darkened, alienated from God, ignorant, hard-hearted, callous, greedy in their impurity (Ephesians 4:17-19).

But then the Apostle Paul adds, “But that is not the way you learned in Jesus Christ” (Eph 4:20). It all comes back to Jesus. Paul is not simply outlining a list of do’s and don’ts for the believer to live by. This is transformation that happens through our faith Jesus.

The character of Jesus has not only been the highest pattern of virtue, but it is our strongest incentive. His life has exerted such a deep influence, that the simple record of the three years of his ministry life has done more to regenerate and to soften mankind than all the lectures of philosophers and all the laws of legislation. His life has influenced the entire course of history. (Zacharias) That being the case, how his followers should be described should match the significance of his very life.

Christianity is not a political theory. It is not a social justice program or a cultural revolution. At it’s root Christianity is all about changing the heart of every man and woman, so at our very core we begin to think God's thoughts and act in accordance with his character. The Apostle Paul likens it to taking the old man off and putting a new man on. Think of a prisoner who is released from prison, but still wears his prison clothes and acts like a prisoner and not as a free man. The first thing to tell that person is that they should put on some new clothes. (Guzik) Paul says that for the Christian, there must be a break with the past. Jesus isn’t merely added to our old life; the old life dies and He becomes our new life.

Now, as we continued through this portion of Scripture, we learned of two transformations mentioned by the Apostle. First, we are to put away all falsehood and be people of the truth (Ephesians 4:25). Second, we are not to sin in our anger, giving the devil a foothold in our lives. Today we move on in verse 28:

?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. 29 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. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:28–30 ESV)

I. The Believer’s Life is Marked By Honest Generosity

What does the Bible have to say about stealing? Let me first say that stealing is one of those default sins that is dwells in the human heart. So much so that God wrote it as the 8th of the 10 Commandments

?“You shall not steal. (Exodus 20:15 ESV)

With those 4 simple words, God demands the entirety of our sin nature to be undone. There is a deep-rooted fleshly attraction to take what does not belong to us. Now, most of you are likely not going to go out and rob a store or burglarize a home, but stealing is far beyond the violent acts and is as common as not telling the truth. A paper given at an American Psychological Association symposium on employee theft presented a breakdown on the 8 billion dollars that inventory shortages cost department and chain stores every year. Of these losses, 10 percent were due to clerical error, 30 percent to shoplifting, and a shocking 60 percent (sixteen million dollars a day!) of theft by employees. (Hughes)

Years ago on Candid Camera, children were used in an experiment about generosity. The children were placed by themselves in a room with a plate of cookies. On the plate were at least two cookies, there may have been more, but one of the cookies was very large. The adult left the room and the kids were allowed to take a cookie. You know, they all took the big one. One boy was challenged as to why he took the biggest cookie. Alan Funt, the host, told the boy, "All you left me to eat was the little cookie. I would have eaten the little cookie and given you the biggest one." Without a blink the boy responded, "Then you got the one you wanted."