Ephesains 4;20;30

Ephesains 4;20;30

20But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22to 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, 24and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27and give no opportunity to the devil. 28Let 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. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
 
A wonderful passage of Scripture. They had learned that Christ embodies TRUTH. It is noteworthy here that the Apostle uses Jesus earthly name, Jesus. After the resurrection it is interesting to see that the writers of the N.T. always speak of the Lord Jesus, or Jesus Christ. This leads us to understand that the TRUTH spoken of here is that Truth that was embodied in the Lord in his earthly life. He was (and is) divine reality light and life, which contrasts with the deception (absence of these qualities) in the former existence of these Ephesian believers.

The Greek is difficult here, but a careful study leads us to see that if we want to live in the TRUTH we need to put off the qualities of our old life outside of Christ, and live a life that mirrors the life of Christ on earth. And this we can only do through the power of His Spirit living in us. This, of course, is not just a negative action, but in the putting off of the old life we put on the new life and live positively in the TRUTH.
 
God Bless you Guys! The Lord is all that matters. There is nothing in this life worth turning from Him for a minute, I see the peril Paul adressed to the Galations.

"He must become more important, but I must become less important."
"He must increase, but I must decrease."
John 3:30

I admire at how the Lord used Paul in 2 Corinthians 10 and 11.

May God guard all of our hearts in Christ.
 
Back
Top