The Epistle to the Ephesians

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 We ended the last lesson with: 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, • Paul had given us a brief yet complete sketch of the old man, the person we were before we came to know Christ. • Paul described how the moral state of the old man derived from his mental state. • The mental state of the old man was one that willfully rejected the knowledge of Christ. • The moral state was one of continual subservience to the desires of the flesh. The old man is a slave to his sin nature. • This is not an appealing picture. J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 We ended the last lesson with: 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, • “But” indicates a change in direction. Paul moves from speaking about the old man, to speaking about the new man—who we are in Christ. • “Learn” is from a word that is similar to the word for disciple. These believers had literally become disciples of Christ. • “Learn” is also in the active voice. They were actively involved in the learning process. • Paul centers the difference between the old man and the new man not on “how”, but on “who”. J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 We ended the last lesson with: 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, • In 22-24, Paul gives us a partial description of what took place when we were placed in Christ. • These verses are not commands about what we should do. They are revelations about what has been done for us. • Beginning in verse 25, Paul will describe how this change will work itself out as a walk in our new condition. • Everything Paul has discussed up to this point is saturated with Grace. Everything Paul discusses in the latter portion of the epistle are the results of that Grace. J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, • “If indeed you have heard Him” assumes that they actually have. A better translation is “Surely you did hear of Him.” • The Ephesian believer had “hear Him” and had “been taught in Him.” Had these believers personally heard the incarnate Christ? How can Paul say that they had heard Him? • We come to know Christ personally through the teachings about Him. • We can know more about Christ through the Scriptures than we can about any other person in any other way. J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, • “Truth is in Jesus.” There is no other truth. • It makes perfect sense why the old man is futile in his thinking, and why his reasoning processes are darkened. Truth is in Jesus, and he does not know Him. • Any other “truth” gets its true-ness by its relation to Christ. How do we obtain this truth? • Two key verbs are “heard” and”have been taught.” • “Heard” has an active voice. The Ephesian believers were actively listening. They were actively involved in this process. J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, • “Have been taught” is in the passive voice. • Teaching is something that is done to us. Hearing is something that we ourselves do. In order for growth to occur, both need to be happening. • The teachers God has gifted the Church are only as effective as the listeners listening to them. • Some churches seem to think that all they need is powerful teachers. Others seem to think that people show listen regardless of the content of the teaching. • A growing body has faithful teachers and active listeners. J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 Romans 6:6-13 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with {Him,} in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin {as} instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members {as} instruments of righteousness to God. J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 Colossians 3:9-11 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its {evil} practices, 10 and have put on the new selfwho is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him-- 11 {a renewal} in which there is no {distinction between} Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 Ephesians 4:22-24 (Wuest's translation) 22 That you have put off once for all with reference to your former manner of life the old man which is being corrupted according to the passionate desires of deceit; 23 moreover, that you are being constantly renewed with reference to the spirit of your mind 24 that you have put on once for all the new man which after God was created in righteousness and holiness of truth. J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 22 That you have put off once for all with reference to your former manner of life the old man which is being corrupted according to the passionate desires of deceit; • Verse 22-24 tell us what the believers learned. • Being consistent with other passages, the actions described in this verse happened in the past. • All this graciously and miraculously took place the moment we believed the gospel. • According to Romans 6, our old man died on the cross with Christ, and we were separated from our sin nature. • This is not something we have to continually do. J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 22 That you have put off once for all with reference to your former manner of life the old man which is being corrupted according to the passionate desires of deceit; What good can come for the old man? Is there anything redeemable about him? • The “old man” is continually being corrupted. He is becoming more and more dilapidated • The desires of the flesh are deceitful. Whatever they offer is not what they deliver. • The old man is hopeless. He must be replaced. J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 23 moreover, that you are being constantly renewed with reference to the spirit of your mind • Unlike verse 22, the action in this verse is present participle. It started in the past and continues on in the future. • Just like verse 22, though, this is something being done to us. It is not something we can do ourselves. • This verse describes the Holy Spirit's work. It is the process He works in us as we walk by faith. • 2 Corinthians 4:16--Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 23 moreover, that you are being constantly renewed with reference to the spirit of your mind What is the “spirit of your mind”? J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 24 thatyou have put on once for all the new man which after God was created in righteousness and holiness of truth. • We who are believers are right now a new man in Christ Jesus. • This new man, unlike the old man, is not constantly being corrupted by deceitful desires. • This new man is created “after God” (NASB: in the likeness of God). We share in the glory of God's character. What is one of the primary benefits of the new man, who is created in God's likeness? • Fellowship. We are now in a position to fellowship with God. J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 24 thatyou have put on once for all the new man which after God was created in righteousness and holiness of truth. What is a major difference (according to this verse) between the new man and the old man? • The new man is created “in righteousness and holiness of truth.” • The new creation is heavenly. We are re-created “in Christ,” who is in the heavenlies. • Adam was earthly and innocent. We who are in Christ are heavenly and righteous. • The new man (our heavenly position) is eternally secure. J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians A History Lesson—Ephesians 4:21-24 Summing up. • In verse 21, Paul notes that the Ephesian believers had “heard Him and been taught in Him.” Their knowledge was a sufficient basis for their new walk. • In verses 11-16, Paul describes the function of the local body. It is to adequately equip people with knowledge of Christ. • In verses 22-24, Paul lists what the Ephesians had learned. These are the basics that the local body should teach. • The teachings are: Christ has put away our old man, is constantly renewing our inner man, and has put on a new man. J. Doan—Holly Hills—May 31, 2009

The Epistle to the Ephesians