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OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS MEMBERS OF THIS NEW CREATION The previous two lessons have been largely informational and instructive. But starting with Chapter Four of Ephesians, Paul now teaches practical applications of this New Creation to the lives of his readers. We have a responsibility. (Responsibility = response + obligation to act correctly according to our ability.) In the remaining chapters of the Epistle, Paul outlines for us this duty. In the sixteen verses of our present lesson, this is outlined for us in general terms. Later Paul becomes more specific. WALK IN A WORTHY MANNER. (Vss. 1-6) Citing his own experience as example, Paul challenges his readers. He has learned that years of being a prisoner was his own necessary preparation to proclaim the revelation of the mystery of the New Creation in Messiah Jesus. "As a prisoner," he begins, "my example challenges you to live in your own situation in a like worthy manner." Each of us, you and I, are being exhorted to evaluate our situation in our physical surroundings, and determine for ourselves how to live in that situation as members of the New Creation. How do we "walk in" the "good works" God has planned for our conduct? (See 2:10 again.) Paul had said that he was "the prisoner in the Lord." God has arranged for each of us a particular situation, and He expects each of us to use that situation as the arena for our conduct. We cannot say, "If only I were in a different situation, I could do better." No, God intends for each of us to "walk" properly in the pathway He has placed before us. How are we to "walk worthily"? Paul cites three areas of concern: (1) our own personal deportment; (2) our attitude toward others; and (3) our diligent efforts toward promoting unity among all. (1) Our personal deportment: "with all lowliness and meekness." This does not mean an attitude of servility. Rather it seems to suggest that, remembering that of ourselves we have nothing to offer God, we take the gifts, the abilities, the talents God has given us, and use them for His purposes, not our own. (2) Our attitude toward others: "with longsuffering, forbearing one another in Love." Overlook the faults of others. Be extra patient with their apparent failure to measure up to the standards we would set. (3) Our concern for unity: "giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." It is not alone our personal conduct, nor is it our assistance toward the foibles of others, but rather it is to be conscious efforts to promote total unity among the New Mankind in Jesus. Paul says there is a sevenfold unity involved here: (1) "One body"; (2) "one Spirit"; (3) "one hope"; (4) "one Lord" (even Jesus); (5) "one faith"; (6) "one baptism"; and (7) "one God and Father of all." This unity is so great, so complete, that our overriding aim is to be that we do nothing that in any way can mar the perfection of that unity. DIVERSITY, A NECESSSARY COMPONENT OF UNITY, IS BY WILL OF JESUS. (Vss. 7-10) Unity does not mean uniformity. We are not to walk in a chain-gang lockstep. We are not to imprison our minds and thoughts in a robot-like mentality. We must allow our individual spirits to soar unfettered in the free air of God 's heaven. This is because each of us is given a different gift or gifts. And these gifts are given according to the plans and purposes of the Messiah. Because each of us is different so each gift is different. And each gift is different simply because it is the will of Messiah the Giver. In a parenthetical insert, Paul shows Scriptural justification for the right of Jesus to apportion gifts by His own sovereign will. After quoting Psalm 68:16, (with an inspired change), Paul points out that the Jesus Who ascended to the highest place in heaven earned that right (to apportion gifts) by descending to the depths of the earth (by His death and burial). (See vss. 9-10).
The gifts, then, are divided out by the will of the Giver, not that of the recipients. Let us use an illustration. If a friend desires to give two gifts: one to me and the other to another friend, the monetary value of my gift might be only twenty-five dollars; but the gift to the other person might be worth fifty dollars. It is not for me, the recipient, to complain or to feel jealous of the other gift, but rather to accept gratefully and graciously that token esteem of my friend for me. I did not earn the gift. It was given solely by the will of the giver. It was a gift chosen to fit what my friend perceived to be most fitting for me. So Jesus apportioned the gift of apostleship to some, of prophecy to others, of evangelism to others, of pastoral ability to some, of teaching skill to yet others. See vs. 11. (Perhaps the list here cited by Paul is not exclusive, but may be only examples of many other gifts also given by the Messiah.) It is, then, for each of us to ascertain what is the particular gift with which we are endowed, and then put that gift to proper use. THE PURPOSE OF THESE GIFTS. (Vss. 12-16) But even the bestowal of these (and other) several gifts was neither arbitrary nor capricious on the part of Jesus. In His sovereign will, and based upon His superior knowledge of what is best for all, He has had an overall plan for a greater good for all. In Verse 12, Paul states a threefold purpose in the mind of the Lord. It is (1) "for the perfecting of the saints," the people of God, the members of the new human race, the new creation; (2) "unto the work of ministering," i.e., that each can contribute of his gift to helping his fellow who has need of just that particular help; and (3) "unto the building up of the body of Messiah": that is, that not only is each member to be built up, but that the new mankind as a whole be brought to the same standard as its Progenitor, its New Adam. This means that our own "improvement" is not for ourselves alone. We are only parts of the whole. And in fact, it is by helping to perfect others that we ourselves are perfected. It is like an attacking army in battle. All units must advance together. If one regiment advances too far too fast, it is in danger of being surrounded and cut off by the enemy, and at the same time it affords a gap by which the enemy can advance to get behind the attacking army and damage it from the rear. We cannot advance ourselves except by helping our fellows. We must advance together toward the goal of the perfect man. This goal, Paul goes on to say, is first of all a "full knowledge", by experience, "of the Son of God." This full knowledge is the "unanimity of faith" we all seek. But further, says Paul, it is not alone to "know Him fully," but to become fully like him, which is to become a fully mature person. "Unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Messiah." (Vs. 13). What does this mean? Is it not that this "new creation," this new humanity "in Messiah," is not just an act, but is a process? God started the action; Jesus has given us the gifts by which we, and in fact the new humanity as a whole, are to grow and to mature to the full stature expected of us all. We are to advance from childhood (vs. 14) but are to "grow up" (vs. 15), so that the muscular development of the body eventually becomes proportional to the size of the "head, even Messiah." (vs. 15). The metaphor is completed when the whole body: the muscles, the bones, the sinews, the ligaments, the organs all work together in harmony in perfect good health, and the new man(kind) completes the grand design of God in this new creation. (Vs. 16). The lesson for us, then, is that this is the way by which we are to "walk worthily." It is accomplished, first, by accepting our situation (as did Paul in his imprisonment); by receiving with humility the individual gift(s) each of us is given, in order to help others (by which means we end up helping ourselves), by receiving the help we need for all of us together to reach the goal of the stature of our Progenitor in this new Mankind. Are we challenged by this? Are we aware of our responsibility, not just for ourselves, but for the purposes of God? Do we need to re-evaluate our aims as Christians? Do we see a need for us to re-align our purposes into a greater awareness of that great design? This is our challenge: to be no longer children, but to grow up to the intention of God for us.
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW, STUDY, AND DISCUSSION 1. Has a study of the reading material of this lesson given you any new vision of the meaning of the Christian life? Give an example of the way in which this text has helped you.
2. List the descriptions of unbelieving Gentiles as to their attitudes and lifestyles (in vss. 4:17-19 and 4:22.) Do any of these descriptions still fit you?
3. Paul speaks of "putting off" as of an old garment (4:22) and "putting on" (vs. 4:24) a new garment. This is a metaphor. Does this metaphor help you find a new and better way to work in transforming your life to the stature of Jesus? Discuss.
4. In 4:25-31 are listed numerous standards of conduct for the Christian. Select two or not more than three of these standards, and explain how you will endeavor to incorporate them into your own Christian conduct.
5. How do you think one can "be angry" and "sin not"? (vs. 26).
6. The Apostle James once wrote that "no man can tame the tongue." (James 3:8). How can we then successfully heed the admonition of Ephesians 4:29? Is this a special problem in your life?
7. What do you think it means to "grieve the Holy Spirit"? (See 4:30, and also Ephesians 1:13. )
8. How do you think being kind and forgiving to others (vs. 32) helps us to "put on" (vs. 24) the new man in Messiah Jesus?
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