If you had one wish to grow as a Christian, what would it be? At this point in my Christian walk it would be to always be filled with the Spirit to overflowing.
Ephesians 4:17-24 Paul says, "I want to share this with you who are in the kingdom of our Master: never return to living the Gentile way of life—like those outside the kingdom."
This passage talks about “a way of life” which Paul calls “a walk.” This passage states the differences between Christians and non-Christians in the way they “walk.”
Some people think that there are no differences between Christians and non-Christians other than beliefs. Some think the only difference is Christians are forgiven (also false). This passage refutes both of those beliefs.
How would you describe the “nations/Gentile” way of living in your own words? Do you know anyone living a “Gentile way of life?"
Paul describes the Gentile-way as walking around in the futility of their mind (useless thoughts without content), darkened in their intelligence (opposite of being ready to learn), hardness of their heart makes them alienated/estranged from the life of God (the very thought of God is faded and even sounds strange because of their hardening heart produced by stubbornness (closed-mindedness) because they think they know better but this is a self-deception that keeps them ignorant of God; the heart remains confined by a mental prison of lies and dries out until hard and without God), being calloused themselves (a loss of the feeling of shame or embarrassment), working uncleanness all in greediness (taking license to be sexually or sensually active in all of its forms and patterns, including pornography and/ or promiscuity, with a drive to learn the charm necessary to get as much pleasure as they can—it’s not just a working for the weekend anymore, but for an every night escapade of some kind).
This walking around aimless is the “normal lifestyle” everyone outside the kingdom aligns themselves with. This lifestyle is meant to keep their faces turned away from the light of God and its impact, and keep them on the downward spiral away from God, addicted to whatever feels good no matter how filthy and dark, and driven by an unchained greediness. That’s the habitual life of those outside the kingdom of God.
This is totally the opposite of the way of life for those inside--Christ-lovers and Kingdom-livers.
Paul is quite expressive in communicating that these Ephesians "have learned" when they encountered the truth in Christ and were discipled in His kingdom way: The Authentic Jesus-way.
Discipleship is the norm for kingdom people.
Paul spent over four years with Ephesian believers teaching what is the golden truth for us still today.
"That teaching included developing a new skill-set with regard to that former way of life you were addicted to—to put it completely behind you—your old, bent toward corruption self, that darkened mind + hardened heart = aimless living self; the real you was kept untrained by its deceitful desires and needs surrendered to Christ."
The marks of a person who has learned Christ and is living the Jesus way: Heard the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ—about his death and resurrection and the offer of forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit, baptized, learning what Jesus taught his disciples; Taught to put off the old self-way of life (how to recognize the corruption the old way brings by using deceptive techniques to trick, rationalize, justify, to get what one wants;Taught to put on, and be renewed in the spirit (attitude) of your mind.
There are marked differences between those who know God and those who don't.
"the new born-again you is in Christ now and needs discipled in new habitual ways in thinking and feeling, how to develop good attitudes, 24 and to put on the new kingdom self, created to be like God (a growing-in-the-knowing-Him mind + a rubbed-off-from-Him heart = a looking-into-His-smiling-face lifestyle). This is a much, much better way—it is The Real Life!"
Paul speaks of “learning Christ”—but what does that take? What are the attitudes of the old life vs. the renewed life?
If the new self is functioning correctly (being taught, learning, putting off/on correctly), what does Paul say happens? We become more the person God created us to be: righteous and holy!
Righteous is doing the right God requires from a transformed sense of desire called “Love for God” born out of a growing trust in Him because of Who He is; like Jesus as the Son of Man
Holiness is the virtues of God’s radiance and glory leaking out of His people in both quality and character; Like Jesus as the Son of God!
Read Romans 1:24-28 for more on the contrasted unsaved lifestyle.
Read Romans 8:29 for more on the likeness of Christ being the goal of God’s work in you.
Paul has referred to a “Jewish way of living” and now a “Gentile way of living” and communicates the idea of a third race of people called “God’s people,” neither Jew nor Gentile (Eph 2:11-22 and in 1 Cor 10:32 states, “Jew, Gentile, Church of God.”)
Why is it a hard thing for people to not live “as the Gentiles do?”
Of what importance is “being taught” according to Paul in the life of new believers?
There is always someone around you teaching you by their lifestyle how to be; and you yourself are always teaching others by your lifestyle what you believe and how to act accordingly. How are you showing others in righteousness and holiness that you are a follower of Jesus and belong to a Him and live in His kingdom within this world?
Much discipleship is caught by lifestyle rather than taught by a list of principles. It is what educators call “the hidden curriculum.”
Can those who are living a Gentile lifestyle be helped? How?
Discipleship is of extreme importance. But it takes time, effort, initiative, and basically a doing what we don’t want to do to get what it is we truly need (and desire). It involves change from the inside out. Paul calls it “putting off…and putting on.”
What is to be put off and put on and how is it to be done in its most basic forms? Paul doesn’t just give what it is to be stopped, but gives what needs to take its place. Read the rest of the chapter to get some practical ideas!We need others to help us see our blindspots. Do you have someone?
Zero in on verses 22-24 again. Are there things an entire church community can agree to put off? What are some? This should be interesting...
Are there things an entire church family can agree to put on? What are some of these things? Things like disciplines of daily devotions, prayer, family altar, scripture memory, bible reading, fasting, witnessing, seeking and extending grace and forgiveness, serving the poor and needy, loving your parents, faith without works is dead!
In the least our goals in life should have at their core to become more of the person God desires us to be.
What are some steps today you can seriously take to make that happen now more than you have been? Try these on for size: keep up with church attendance to hear the gospel, join an ABF consistently and get involved in a ministry, be a contributor, fail for Jesus somehow, start or get into a men’s group or women’s bible study, pray about what your community or workplace needs and do what God speaks to you about doing, scare someone with kindness, go on a missions trip, fast from all worldliness for 3 months (then the rest of your life), make a rule of no yelling in your household, open the bible with your kids every night before they go to bed and pray, share your testimony with someone or at least speak the name of Jesus out loud somewhere, give a bunch of stuff away, show love to a complete stranger, scheme kindness, start a prayer group at work, lead someone else at least one step closer to God, lead someone to Christ, sing on praise team, volunteer in the nursery, never be negative again, put off laziness, put on joy and smile at everyone you meet, give your life away to God for him to use however He pleases but be sure to do this regularly before you die…
Being a disciple is being counter-cultural. It cannot help be. If you are a disciple you are a third race of people. You cannot help be!
*A good (generic) article on hidden curriculum, http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/nov93/vol51/num03/Mining-the-Values-in-the-Curriculum.aspx