Laura J. Davis
  • Home
    • About
    • My Testimony
  • Bible Studies
    • Devotionals
  • Blog
  • Bookstore
  • Interviews & Reviews
  • Home
    • About
    • My Testimony
  • Bible Studies
    • Devotionals
  • Blog
  • Bookstore
  • Interviews & Reviews



​Unlocking God's Word

How A Christian Should Live

1/2/2017

8 Comments

 
Picture

Read Ephesians 4:17-32

If you have been following along with me in Ephesians then you will have begun to notice a theme Paul had with this letter - one of unity within the body of Christ. Last week we learned how the Spiritual Gifts each Christian is given are to be properly used - to equip us for ministry and to edify each other in the Lord. With the theme of unity and spiritual gifts in mind, Paul now tells the Ephesians (and us) how we should be "walking the walk" as followers of Jesus Christ.

How a Christian Should Behave
​

Keep in mind that Paul is very concerned about the Gentile converts in Ephesians who were coming out of paganism. They had indulged in idol worship, which consisted of all kinds of bizarre practices, from sexual immorality (which involved orgies and temple prostitutes), to drinking blood. But now they were coming out of that lifestyle and so Paul wanted to make it clear to them, how they were now expected to live and it was quite a contrast. Even though Paul's mindset was focused on this problem with the Gentile converts, his examples on how a Christian should live and behave, still apply to us today. 

  • We should no longer live or walk as we used to. Paul makes it clear right away to the Ephesians - don't do what you did before! (Ephesians 4:17). That way of life, Paul explains, leads to futile thinking. Why? Because a life lived in continual sin will lead to having our thoughts darkened. Which leads to being alienated from the life of God and to ignorance, because our hearts are blinded. Continuing to live as we did before we came to the Lord will keep us where we were - in perpetual sin and darkness. For the Gentile converts it meant reverting back to giving themselves over to lewdness, uncleanness and greediness. It is one thing to say "I accept Jesus as my Saviour" it is quite another to make Him Lord of your life. That requires abiding in Him and turning from sin on a daily basis.
  • Be renewed in the spirit of your mind. The "renewal" mentioned in Ephesians 4:23 isn't about improving our memory skills. Nor is it about our judgment or perception in regards to our thinking. It is not about attaining a level of awareness and centering ourselves either, as some New Age T.V. preachers keep telling us to do. But, "the spirit of the mind," which, under the controlling power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, directs its bent and energies Godward so that we may enjoy fellowship with God and with His Son, Jesus Christ. We do that through Bible study and prayer. In other words, we direct our lives away from its former way of doing things and instead find our fulfillment in the will of God. We become "God-focused" rather than being "self-focused." And our thought processes (our minds) become renewed or changed, so that in everything we do, we find ourselves looking to God for approval rather than the world. And so we "put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:24).
  • Do not lie. Paul says we need to speak the truth with each other. Why? Because we are members of one another. I know that sometimes the truth can hurt, and so we are tempted to "couch" it to make it seem less hurtful. But truth spoken in love is better than letting your friends or family believe in a lie. 
  • Do not sin in your anger. Ephesians 4:26 says "Be angry, but do not sin." Implying that it is okay to get angry, just don't cross over into sinning while angry. When Jesus went into the Temple and drove out the moneychangers, He was angry. He had every right to be, for as He stated, they had made His house (temple) into a den of thieves (Matthew 21:12). Jesus had righteous anger. But there are other kinds of anger. Anger that is caused by a cheating spouse or a disobedient child, or a politician whose every move seems to make our blood boil. Anger from injustice or anger from road-rage. These types of anger can lead us to sin and that happens when we allow them to fester and grow. As we are reminded in 2 Corinthians 10:5, we need to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. 
  • Do not let the sun go down on your wrath. In other words, if you are angry - GET OVER IT and do it quickly, otherwise you will give the devil a foothold and your anger will lead to sin. That guy on the highway may have cut you off and made you angry, but when you begin to plot about how you are going to "make him pay" that is revenge and it is sin. A simple way to get over this type of anger is to remember that not everyone is intentionally meaning to be a jerk. That guy might be trying to get to the hospital to visit his dying mother. That gal, might have just received horrible news and she isn't thinking straight. Forgive, forget, and move on.
  • Don't steal. Now this seems a rather odd statement to be making to one who has given their lives to Christ. But again, we are reading a letter Paul wrote to Gentile Christians who were coming out of paganism. Stealing was second nature to them. So let's look at the rest of that verse which says, "but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need" (Ephesians 4:28). In other words, use your hands for the good of others. If you used to be involved in illegal practices, stop doing them right now and start thinking about how you can make the lives of others better.
  • Watch your language! Ephesians 4:29 says, "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers."  A potty mouth is not becoming of anyone. It shows a lack of self-control, underlying anger issues and disrespect for others. But when a Christian swears or takes God's name in vain, it shows they have not allowed the Holy Spirit to abide within them. It also shows they do not respect God's holiness and authority in their lives.
  • Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. What would grieve the Holy Spirit? Ignoring Him and living as you did before you accepted Jesus as your Saviour. Ephesians 4:31 says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." All these types of behaviour grieve the Holy Spirit, so do away with them.
  • Be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving toward one another. Why? Because Jesus forgave you and most importantly because we are of one body in Christ. We are knit together in bonds of unity and from our shared bond we have a desire to grow in the Lord and honour Him with our lives.

Living the Christian life is never easy because our sin-nature is still there. Yes, we've been forgiven, but that basic instinct to sin is always present. So it is all about the choices you make. Will you choose to live for Christ? In a way that honours and pleases Him, or will you choose to live as you did before? The choice is  yours.
An InLinkz Link-up
8 Comments
Sherry Stahl link
1/2/2017 01:30:35 am

Laura,

Such great practical advice from Paul laid out so clearly from your post. Our faith in Christ should affect the way we behave and bring us into unity as the body of Christ as we grow closer to HIM!
~Sherry Stahl
xoxo

Reply
Laura Davis link
1/2/2017 09:59:54 am

Amen!

Reply
Michele Morin link
1/2/2017 07:12:31 am

It's always a challenge to bring our practice into line with our beliefs. We are so blessed to have the revealed will of God in so many areas right in the Bible. May we find grace each day to read and then to obey all that we read!

Reply
Laura Davis link
1/2/2017 10:00:53 am

It certainly is a challenge, something to strive for in this New Year.

Reply
Heidi Braden link
1/3/2017 11:24:07 pm

Great advice laid out in Ephesians that is still so very applicable today. Every day is another day to grow closer to God. Thank you for explaining the daily living tips so clearly in your post. Love it!

Reply
Laura Davis link
1/4/2017 11:14:13 am

Thank you Heidi.

Reply
Cynthia link
1/7/2017 12:09:55 pm

It's really interesting to read all of this in the context of new believers coming out of paganism. I love your link party. So glad I found this blog.

Reply
Laura Davis link
1/7/2017 01:05:38 pm

Glad you found me Cynthia! I hope to see you again.

Laura

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    October 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    July 2018
    June 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016

    Categories

    All
    Angels
    Anger
    Baptism
    Beatitudes
    Bible
    Bible Study
    Blessings
    Book Of James Bible Study
    Confession
    Demons
    Devotion
    Devotional
    Ephesians
    Exhortation
    Faith
    False Prophets
    False Teachers
    Fasting
    Forgiveness
    God's Plans
    God's Will
    God's Word
    Grace
    Healing
    Heaven
    Hope
    Jesus
    Judging
    Knowing Jesus Series
    Lamb Of God
    Love
    Peace
    Practising Holiness
    Prayer
    Predestination
    Prophecy
    Prosperity Gospel
    Psalms
    Repentance
    Satan
    Sermon On The Mount
    Serving
    Sexual Immorality
    Spiritual Gifts
    Submission
    Submitting To God
    Suffering
    Teaching
    Torah
    Trust
    Universalism
    Worry

© 2014 Laura J. Davis. All Rights Reserved.
Photos used under Creative Commons from John 9:25, symphony of love