Ephesians 4:17-24
Devotions for Sunday 15th June
What a powerful and firm message from Paul! He had begun to teach the Ephesians about accepting the gifts of God so that the church could grow and work (4:7-16) and Paul was not going to let prevarication or argument get in the way the truth about Christ, the world and the Church. Yesterday, we read Paul advice about standing firm in our beliefs and ‘speaking the truth in love’ (4:15) in the midst of the turmoil of our world, and he spoke about how this affects the church, a message as relevant today as it was back then! But here, Paul speaks even more boldly, rejecting the ways of the world outright. He describes them as ‘alien’ to the ways of God (4:18)! In this way, Paul returned to a theme which is found throughout his letters. He was adamant that a true Christian was someone in whom a radical change had taken place, and there was no room for anything except the ‘new self’, created in the image of God and motivated solely by Christ; ‘clothe yourself with the new self ...’ (4:24).
This is a very important teaching, because many Christians feel that they live a life which by their own reckoning falls short of the call they have from God. To a certain extent we can understand this because many people would stand back from any idea that they are somehow ‘perfect’ in faith and feel their own limitations deeply. Many have real problems with ‘self worth’, but do not know how to change and even have no desire to change. Some struggle with life as it is; they cannot comprehend what it would mean to abandon everything to God. However, we are all called to do just this, not as an ‘add-on’ form of spirituality which compliments going to church, but as a consequence of our salvation!
Paul’s sets out a clear challenge; either we live according to the ways of Christ, or according to the ways of the world; there is no ‘half-way house’. If we have been saved by Christ, then we will be different people and will know it, and the ways of the world will not ring true to us because we have surrendered ourselves to Christ. It is Christ who gives us true discernment and exposes the folly and futile judgements of the world, and it is Christ who reveals the insensitivity and greed which lies behind much human activity, and each of us should be able to fill in ample examples of what Paul speak about here.
As a brief example, I recall being taught as a youngster by a Christian teacher who explained that projections of population growth meant that at some time in the new millennium, it would become impossible for everyone on earth to be fed properly. What has happened in the intervening 40 years? The machinations of politicians and the pure greed which drives the world markets in everything from oil to clothing and paper, have now brought our world to the brink of disaster. The serious political and ecological debates going on all around us are not about whether there is a problem, but whether it is possible for us to avert disaster and still live on planet earth beyond a few generations from now!
Take what example of futile thinking you will, but a world without Christ is one without godly sense and perspective, and there is no more time left for sitting on the fence; we are with Christ or the world. Each of us can reduce our carbon footprints or take whatever action we can, but the biggest step we can take towards helping our planet is to submit the Creator of the World, who is the only one who can save it. Surely this is what we have learned, that Christ is our Saviour and our future is in His hands, and this means physically as well as spiritually. Whether we die, or the world comes to an end, or whether scientists, industrialists and politicians use the intelligence God has given them to solve these problems, it is only God who can save our world.
In this passage, Paul talks about the world’s futility in discernment, its ignorance, greed and hardened hearts. He appeals to God’s people to take their salvation seriously and put aside the worldly ways of the ‘old self (4:22) and be clothed with Christ (4:23). This is not a plea for some kind of new spiritual experience to revive the church; it is an appeal to Christians to show outwardly the consequences of their faith and their baptism. Christians have always been called to speak out boldly about the evils within the world and demonstrate committed faith in action. We do not know when Christ will come again, but we can make known the fact that Christ loves His world and all of us in it, and together in Him we can be victors over the evils in our world which Paul saw two thousand years ago, but we see before us so graphically and threateningly today.
17 Now this is what I say and bear witness to in the Lord: you must no longer conduct yourselves as the Gentiles do, with futile discernment. 18 Their minds have become darkened, having been alienated from the life of God due to the ignorance which is in them because of their hardened hearts. 19 They have become insensitive and have abandoned themselves to indecency and every kind of immoral gain by means of greed. 20 That is not how you learned Christ! 21 if you have indeed heard Him and were taught by Him; for the truth is in Jesus! 22 Be done with the former way of life of your old self, which is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your minds. 24 Clothe yourselves with the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
© All text and pictures on this page copyright Paul H Ashby 2008 - all rights reserved
To read the questions and discipleship challenges for this text: go to the discipleship page
Lord Jesus, help me take notice of things today.
to notice other people in need and do my best to help;
to notice the amazing beauty of the world all around me;
to notice problems around me that can be solved with Your help;
to notice the effects of what I do, and seek to learn from them all;
to notice You, and talk to You, whenever I can. AMEN
Lord God, Holy Father, Almighty Saviour and Lord;
Embrace us, empower us, enrich us, inspire us!
Our lives have no meaning without power and drive;
Energising, controlling, motivating, guiding.
Our spirits need to feed from the power of the Spirit;
Creatively, lovingly, artistically, scientifically.
Our souls crave the love and affection of the Father;
Cherishing, cleansing, nurturing, enlivening.
Our bodies cry out for the healing touch of the Saviour;
Restoring, remaking, reviving, rebuilding.
Our minds thrive on the challenge of living for You;
Intellectually, practically, logically, thoughtfully.
Thank You, Good Lord, for Your abundant love;
For now, and forever, until the end of time!
Weekly Theme: The Bible
Thank God today for the Bible, for its amazing history and the people who have given their lives so that we may have it, and for the way the Holy Spirit has used it throughout history.
On-going prayers
- Praise God for all forms of renewal in the church around the world
- Pray that governments around the world will respect civil liberties.
- Pray for leaders of industry
