Dr. Bradford W. Reaves
Crossway Christian Fellowship
Hagerstown, MD
www.mycrossway.org
View This Sermon at: https://mycrossway.churchcenter.com/episodes/123580
As we’ve said in previous messages, Chapter 4 marks a critical transition in the letter to the Ephesians. The first three chapters of this letter present a profound theological explanation of the astounding spiritual mystery that exists in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now we are leaving the theological understanding of the spiritual significance of the gospel and moving into the practical aspects of being called a child of God. There are significant and contemporary qualities that should be evident in the Christian life. So for the remainder of his letter, Paul presents a series of exhortations toward godly living.
The division between chapters 1 through to 3 and chapters 4 through to 6 is, in some senses, illustrative of that division within modern evangelicalism. There are some who lean sharply toward the foundation of doctrine. While others place a greater emphasis on the praxis of Christianity. Paul is not providing us an either/or narrative here, but because of this, the results should be demonstrated like this.
Specifically, what Paul is telling us in his letter to the Ephesians is connected right back to the first word of this transitional chapter, “Therefore.” For the sake of clarity, let me underscore this a little more before we get into today’s text.
?In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (Ephesians 1:7)
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— (Ephesians 2:4–5)
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, (Ephesians 2:19)
And so on. All throughout this letter, Paul is unveiling the richness of God’s eternal blessing available to you who call Jesus Lord. Now once again, we look here at verse 17. Therefore - because of all of this:
?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. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:17–24)
I. The Weight of Warning : Your Salvation Means Something to the Rest of Your Life
Paul starts this passage with the words “Now this I say and testify in the Lord...” What Paul is about to say is life and death. The words have eternal meaning and eternal consequences. Don’t miss the point of what I’m about to say...”
As I sit here and write this message, the world is falling into deeper despair. To read the headlines we come to a realization that there is little hope in the world. There are continued unchecked horrors of war happening in Ukraine, not to mention the atrocities happening in China, Ethiopia, and a continued growing list of human suffering. A little closer to home, we have a growing mob of people who are demanding the legalized murder of unborn and newly born children. People who celebrate their participation in the murder of babies, while decrying the acts of removing a bird’s nest. There are impending food shortages, a manufactured energy crisis, increasing racial divides, surging lawlessness at our border and cities, sexualization in our kindergarten classes, and perversion in our children’s cartoons. The growing list of how this world is abandoning God’s moral law is distressing.
I think it would be a fair question if someone were to ask, "So why do we focus our attention on such small, personal matters when there are largely social and global issues to be concerned about?” My answer would be that the Christian message of salvation places the condition of the world on the sinful nature of man. In other words, the effective influence of the gospel on the world and the righteous ministry of the church go hand in hand.
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 2:2)
Some people ask how they know for sure they are true Christians. (we’re going to talk about this over the next couple of weeks). To be born again under the power of Christ is a life-transforming event. If you once went to an altar or said a prayer and left that place without the transformative power of God wrecking your sinfulness, I would implore you truthfully, but as lovingly as I can, to evaluate your salvation and to get right with God. Now. And the reason I say that is because of the message of Paul to the Ephesian church and what the Gospel means.
Your salvation means something to the rest of your life. When the righteousness of Christ enters into and takes over your life, the new life given to you hunger and thirsts after the things of God and abhors the things that grieve the Spirit of God. The Gospel is about rebirth. Undoing the power and bondage of sin and resurrecting a completely new man who has put on the very nature of Christ. The first place that takes place in the mind.
II. The Christless Life is Empty; Salvation is Transforming
that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ! (Ephesians 4:17–20)
Paul’s description of the unregenerate person is a description of meaninglessness and futility. Look at the descriptors of the person who lives without Jesus: Futile, Darkened, Alienated, Ignorant, Hardness, Callous, Sensual, Greedy, Impure, Corrupt, Deceitful. The Apostle Paul is not being personal or defamatory, but waning the Christian to see the distinctiveness and spiritual transformation that takes place through our rebirth in Christ. Instead of futile we become fruitful; instead of darkened we are inspired; instead of alienated from God we are united with God; instead of ignorant we are educated; instead of hard-hearted we have understanding; instead of callous or proud of their perversions we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit, instead of greedy and unrestrained we are poised and conservative; instead of impure we are holy; instead of corrupt we are honorable; instead of deceitful we are truth-seeking.
?But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. (2 Timothy 3:1–5)
A life lived in denial and rejection of the gospel has both moral and ethical consequences. The way we think affects the way we feel which affects the way we act. The unbeliever's walk is, therefore, characterized by hardness of heart and callousness. This hardness of heart and callousness is a result of sin and leads to further and increasingly outrageous degrees of sinning
?Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it, we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, (Philippians 3:19–20)
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:20–21)
III. The Results of Salvation are Transformed in Our Living
?But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:20–24)
Remember that Paul is writing to the Church. The believer in Christ is not someone who has added Christ to a list of positive changes he’s made over the years. Christ is not a god we add to the closet of preferences in our hearts. Christ is the center and Lord of everything within us. If we are indeed reborn in him and by him and if our purpose is the glorify him forever, then we must walk differently, interact with the rest of the world differently, and think differently.
?The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Christians, do not live like the rest of the world. (John 10:10)
Christians, do not become futile in your thinking. Do not become obsessed with the pursuits and promises of this world. Be single-minded, and focus on the glory of the gospel of Christ.
Christians, do not become darkened in your understanding. Do not exchange the counterfeit life offered by this world for the abundant, joyful, and eternal life in Christ Jesus.
Christians, do not allow your hearts to become calloused and hardened. Christians do not sacrifice their lives in pursuit of sensuality and impurity.
?I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezekiel 36:25–27)
This renewal as a result of removing our hope in ourselves and the world and putting our full hope in Christ alone changes everything about us. How we act, treat our family, understand the world around us, how we pray, and how we treat others. It is the complete renewal of the mind that the world cannot understand
?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)
This is why the Bible reminds us time and time again that we are students of God’s Word. We are to be educated in our understanding and the things of God.
?So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)
It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— (John 6:45)
Paul reminds us that we are not to return to the old ways and habits of doing things but to follow the pattern Christ set before us when he walked on this earth. That means that the things we desired, things that appeal to the flesh be it sensuality, substances, or certain behaviors are no longer part of the Christian’s life. The way he illustrates this is by taking off the “old self” and putting on the “new self”
?We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (Romans 6:6)
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1–3)
Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:7–8)
The call of the gospel is to leave the old things, the sinful ways, behind. The “why” is found in the “Therefore” at the beginning of this chapter. Because the sin is abhorrent to God and therefore it should be abhorrent to you.
Conclusion
?He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds, you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24)
What is the result of hearing the gospel and being redeemed by God in you today?
Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” (John 5:25). Your life is no longer futile and dark. You are no longer alienated from the life of God. Jesus Christ has spoken this morning in the truth of his Word.
If you have heard my words today, but are still living in darkness. Come to him.
?Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29)
Without Christ, your life is empty. The Christless life isn’t life at all. It is living under the deception that sin will one day give life. In Christ, you are a new creation, a partaker of the Divine nature having been given the gift of eternal life. You are still connected to mortality in this body and that’s where sin remains, but that is the part of you that will one day die. The question is, to which are you going to serve?
Admit that you are a sinner
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ
Confess Jesus as Lord
