Efésios 4
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Efésios 4:29
Wiersbe - We expect a change in speech when a person becomes a Christian. It is interesting to trace the word mouth through Romans and see how Christ makes a difference in a man’s speech. The sinner’s mouth is “full of cursing and bitterness” (Ro 3:14+); but when he trusts Christ, he gladly confesses with his mouth “Jesus Christ is Lord” (Ro 10:9-10+). As a condemned sinner, his mouth is stopped before the throne of God (Ro 3:19+); but as a believer, his mouth is opened to praise God (Ro 15:6+). Change the heart and you change the speech. Paul certainly knew the difference, for when he was an unsaved rabbi, he was “breathing threats and murder” (Acts 9:1+). But when he trusted Christ, a change took place: “Behold, he is praying” (Acts 9:11+). From “preying” to “praying” in one step of faith! (See The Wiersbe Bible Commentary) As noted above Paul uses the present imperative with a negative saying in essence "Stop letting these rotten words project, fly out of your mouth" (or do not let this practice begin!) Note the associated admonition in the next verse to not grieve the Holy Spirit. Clearly grieving the Spirit is related to rotten language ejecting from our mouths and ultimately reflecting what is in our hearts (see Lu 6:45+, Mt 12:34-35+) because the mouth and heart are connected. Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. -- Psalm 141:3 = A good prayer Unwholesome (4550) (sapros from sepo = cause to decay, to putrefy, to rot away, be corrupted) describes that which is rotten, putrefying, corrupt, disgusting, perishing, rank, foul, putrid, worthless (e.g., in Mt 7:17,18 = a tree that produces no good fruit, in Mt 13:48 = fish). In secular writings sapros was used to describe spoiled fish, rotten grapes on the ground, crumbling stones. The basic meaning relates to the process of decay. Sapros is used of things unusable, unfit, bad. It describes that which is harmful due to the fact that it is corrupt and corrupting or defiling. Charles Hodge says sapros." literally means “putrid,” (in an advanced state of decomposition and having a foul odor) and then figuratively “offensive and injurious.” (Ephesians 4 Commentary) THOUGHT - MAY I SUGGEST A LITTLE EXERCISE? Our English word saprophyte is derived from sapros and describes an organism, especially a fungus or bacterium, that grows on and derives its nourishment from dead or decaying organic matter (a picture of something decomposing). Now as apply this thought to our speech it presents a pretty sad picture of "saprophytic speech!" We use mouth wash so our breath will smell good (not rotten). We need to daily wash our hearts with the Holy Word and the Holy Spirit as "preventive maintenance" against "foul smelling" words coming out of our mouth without any warning! If God's Word is already in our heart (from morning devotionals or frequent memorization and meditation), the chances of wholesome words proceeding from our mouth are greatly increased! So if you have never done so, you might consider memorizing Ephesians 4:29, Ephesians 4:30 (grieving the Spirit - "short circuiting" your Power Source) and Ephesians 5:18+ (Your "Everyready Energizer," the Spirit). Write them on a card. Memorize them. Chew on them during the day, asking the Spirit to illuminate the meaning and to apply them to your heart and mind, trusting Him over time to transform your mind, renew your thinking patterns, so that you may prove (by your practice) what is the will of God which is good and acceptable and perfect and which when practiced is pleasing to Him. All that begins with a decision of your will to memorize and internalize the eternal Word! Don't delay. Do it today. The words that come from your lips will "smell" much sweeter. God's Word is your guarantee and warranty that you will not be disappointed. One caution! Do not expect instant results. Practice, practice, practice. Over time God's Word and God's Spirit will bear a bountiful harvest. Sapros - 8x in 6v - Matt 7:17, 18; 12:33; 13:48; Luke 6:43; Eph 4:29 Matthew 7:17+ "So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad (sapros) tree bears bad (poneros) fruit. 18 (note) "A good tree cannot produce bad (poneros) fruit, nor can a bad (sapros) tree produce good fruit. Matthew 12:33+ "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. Matthew 13:48+ and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. Luke 6:43+ "For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. Ephesians 4:29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Graham in the Exegetical Summary of Ephesians - Paul is condemning any use of the faculty of speech that is morally unhealthy [Candlish, Lloyd-Jones], that suggests impure thoughts [Calvin, Candlish, Lloyd-Jones], light views of sin, irreverence towards God, or trifles with serious things [Candlish]. Profanity and obscenity, as well as careless or light speech, profane religious and sacred concepts which results in a nullification of sacred ideas conveyed by language, which is man’s most powerful weapon for influencing the thoughts and lives of his fellows [WBC]. (Graham, G.. An Exegetical Summary of Ephesians. Dallas, TX: SIL International) John Eadie - The general meaning of sapros is foul, rotten, useless, though sometimes, from the idea of decay—old, obsolete, ugly, or worthless. In Mt. 7:17, 18, 12:33, and in Lk 6:43, the epithet characterizes trees and their fruit, and in the Vulgate is rendered simply malus. In Matt. 13:48, it is applied to fishes. In all these places the contrasted adjective is agathos. Locke in his paraphrase has, “no misbecoming word.”...It signifies what is noxious, offensive, or useless, and refers to language which, so far from yielding “grace” or benefit, has a tendency to corrupt the hearer. 1Co 15:33; Col 4:6-note...May there not be reference to sins already condemned? All falsehoods and equivocations; all spiteful epithets and vituperation; all envious and vengeful detraction; all phrases which form a cover for fraud and chicanery—are filthy speech, and with such language a Christian's mouth ought never to be defiled. (Ephesians 4 Commentary) TDNT - Relating to the process of decay, sepo means “to cause to decay,” or, in the passive, “to decay,” “to rot,” and figuratively “to perish.” Sapros means “rotting,” either literally or figuratively, and the sense of “unpleasant” (even to the ears) is also possible. A person is sapros when old, and the same applies to food and drink, which may be better when sapros (e.g., ripe cheese). In general, what is sapros is “unserviceable‘’ rather than “offensive,” but the word may also mean “harmful” or “notorious” (someone’s name). (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Eerdmans) Word (3056) (logos) means something said and in context refers to a saying, speech, or utterance. Mouth (4750) (stoma) mouth or opening, chiefly as an instrument of speech. It has been well said that nothing is so opened more by mistake than the mouth! Let...proceed (1607) (ekporeuomai from ek = out + poreúomai = go) means to depart, be discharged, proceed out of, project, come forth, come out of, go forth. This is a very picturesque verb, giving the sense that once the word (with the thought) has taken wing from our tongues, we cannot capture it. It's too late. We need to shut the cage door before the word flies out like a deadly projectile! Someone once said (but I'm not sure how scientific it is) that 90% of the friction of daily life is caused by the wrong tone of voice. Someone else has written "Of all deeds, words are the most revealing, the most instantly available, the most freighted with personal significance." BUT ONLY SUCH A WORD AS IS GOOD FOR EDIFICATION ACCORDING TO THE NEED OF THE MOMENT: alla ei tis agathon pros oikodomen tes chreias: but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, Dt 6:6, 7, 8, 9; Ps 37:30,31; 45:2; 71:17,18,24; 78:4,5; Pr 10:31,32; 12:13; 15:2, 3, 4,7,23; 16:21; 25:11,12; Is 50:4; Mal 3:16, 17, 18; Lk 4:22; 1Co 14:19; Col 3:16,17; 4:6; 1Th 5:11 for edification Ep 4:12,16 Ephesians 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Ephesians 4:17-32 Solving Conflicts - Steven Cole Ephesians 4:28-32 - Wayne Barber Ephesians 4:28-29: A Brand New Way of Life - 4 - Wayne Barber Ephesians 4:17-5:14 Study Guide (see dropdown menu) - John MacArthur Related Passages: Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit (either "rotten" or "good"! Comment - Take your choice. Your "harvest" will depend on which seed you sow with your speech! Choose wisely. Redeem every moment, every word, every conversation. Proverbs 12:18 There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 15:23 (RIGHT WORDS AT RIGHT TIME) A man has joy in an apt answer, And how delightful is a timely word! Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 17:27 He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Proverbs 25:11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in right circumstances. Proverbs 25:12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise reprover to a listening ear. Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. Ecclesiastes 10:12 Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him; SEEK TO SPEAK SALUTARY SAYINGS Salutary (interesting etymology = from Latin salutaris = wholesome, from salus = safety! WHOLESOME WORDS ARE "SAFE" WORDS!) means designed to effect an improvement, healthful, remedial, favorable to health, wholesome, promoting or intended to promote health, promoting or conducive to some beneficial purpose; wholesome. But only such a word as is good (agathos) for edification (oikodome) according to the need (chreia) of the moment - But (alla) highlights a dramatic contrasting thought. The words that should proceed from my mouth should edify, build up, encourage, not tear down, not discourage, not denigrate, not disparage, not destroy! According to the need - ESV = "as fits the occasion." Lord, make my words gracious and tender, for tomorrow I may have to eat them! -- Anonymous THOUGHT - The section continues Paul's practical application of laying aside the old garment of the old self (unwholesome speech) and (by contrast) putting on the new garment of the new self (gracious, edifying speech that is sensitive to the needs of others, not focused solely on self - cf Php 2:3, 4+). This is simply another way of saying that now we as believers are to let Jesus live His supernatural life through us (think "rivers of living water" Jn 7:38+, or "Christ, your life" = Col 3:4+, cp Gal 2:20+, Jn 20:31, 2Co 4:10, 11, 1Jn 4:9+, 1Jn 5:11, 12+, 2Ti 1:1+ - Our new life is not only "with" Christ, it "is" Christ!). Remember that we cannot imitate Jesus (by simply relying on our natural strength), but we can daily (Ro 12:1+) and moment by moment present ourselves to Him, surrendering our whole being to Him as living sacrifices and allowing Him live His life in and through us (Gal 5:16+). (See fuller discussion of this vitally important truth The Holy Spirit-Walking Like Jesus Walked!). This is simply another description of the our new life of progressive sanctification, of learning to walk in holiness, of daily becoming more like Jesus. As we practice (which we will need to do the remainder of our short stay on earth) these things (Php 4:9+), we will be taking off the old garment of self and putting on the new garment of Christ and as we do the God of peace will be with us. To make Paul's point more emphatic, observe how our Lord defines "careless words" declaring "And I say to you, that every careless (argos from a = negative + ergon = work -- literally "not working words"!) word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment." (Mt 12:36+) According to 2Cor 5:10+ we each will be repaid for our edifying words but not for our careless (in 2Co 5:10 bad = phaulos) words. Lord, so teach us to number our days that we learn more and more how to speak Your words. Set a guard O Lord over our mouth. Keep watch over the door of our lips. (cf Ps 141:3+)
Efésios 4:30
Wiersbe - We must obey the Holy Spirit’s impressions in our heart. My wife and I have both had the experience of being awakened at night and impressed to pray for someone, only to learn later that the person was facing a crisis at that time. When I have been praying in my daily devotional time and been impressed to intercede for someone or some ministry, I have learned to interrupt my prayer and obey the Spirit’s leading. One day in heaven I will discover what was involved. We must learn to exercise discernment when we receive these impressions lest we are detoured by the spirits instead of directed by the Spirit. If we are lying to the Spirit (Acts 5:3), grieving the Spirit (Eph. 4:30) or quenching the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19), he will not assist us; but if we are walking in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16), he will not fail us. (New Testament Words for Today: 100 Devotional Reflections) Warren Wiersbe - John 14:17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. The believer’s union with Christ through the Holy Spirit is a foundational truth that must be emphasized. Phrases such as “in Christ” and “in him” are used 164 times in the New Testament. Unless we abide in Christ, who dwells in us by his Spirit, we can do nothing (John 15:5). It’s good to have training, education, giftedness, and zeal, but they accomplish nothing if we are trusting them instead of yielding to the Spirit. The Holy Spirit had been with the disciples in their Master, but the Spirit would fill each of them personally on the Day of Pentecost and baptize them into the body of Christ (Acts 1:5; 2:4; 1 Cor. 12:13). Consider first the Spirit and Jesus Christ. He was conceived by the Spirit in Mary’s virgin womb (Luke 1:35) and grew up under the Spirit’s care (2:52). When he began his ministry at the age of thirty, the Holy Spirit empowered him for his daily life and ministry (Matt. 3:16–17; John 3:34). Daily he communed with the Father, meditated on the Word of God, spent time in prayer, and followed the Spirit’s leading in what he did and said. He did not use his divine powers for himself but for the benefit of others. The Holy Spirit helped him when he was arrested, beaten, and crucified (Heb. 9:14), and the Spirit participated in his resurrection (Rom. 1:4; 1 Pet. 3:18). If our Lord in all his perfection needed the ministry of the Spirit to accomplish the Father’s will, how much more do we disciples need him! Now consider the Spirit and the believer. The identifying mark of a true believer is the presence of the Holy Spirit, who ministers to the believer just as Jesus did to the disciples. “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Rom. 8:9). If we have the Spirit, we will read the Scriptures with understanding and have a desire to obey them. We rejoice at the privilege of worshiping the Lord and fellowshiping with the saints. We feel “at home” in a Bible study or a prayer meeting, and we want to share Christ with others. Jesus taught his followers and the Spirit teaches us (John 16:12–15). Jesus prayed for them (and intercedes for us today) and the Spirit also intercedes for us (Rom. 8:26–27). Jesus gave power and authority to his disciples (Luke 9:1) and the Spirit enables believers today to serve the Lord (Acts 1:8). The Spirit has made each believer’s body a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19–20) and the members of the body tools with which to serve the Lord (Rom. 6:12–13). The Spirit longs to make us more and more like Jesus (2 Cor. 3:18). Finally, consider the Spirit and the believer in the world. The world cannot grasp who the Spirit is and what he does, because the mind of the unsaved person is blind to spiritual truth (1 Cor. 2:14–16) and understands only what can be seen, weighed, and handled. At Pentecost, the Spirit both filled the believers and baptized them into the body of Christ (Acts 1:5; 2:4; 1 Cor. 12:13). It is through the ministry and witness of God’s people that the Spirit brings conviction to the lost and leads them to Christ. We must demonstrate God’s love and share God’s truth, and be salt and light in the world. Only the Spirit of truth can overcome the spirit of this world (1 Cor. 2:12) and bring sinners to the Savior, and the Spirit must use us to be witnesses. We must stay on good terms with the Holy Spirit and not grieve him (Eph. 4:30), lie to him (Acts 5:3), resist him (7:51), or quench him (1 Thess. 5:19). If our goal in life is to glorify Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will help us, for that is his ministry (John 16:14). (New Testament Words for Today: 100 Devotional Reflections) He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4 Ezekiel 3:16-17 - Beware of Warnings Americans are getting warned to death. Manufacturers are growing increasingly wary of being sued when their products are misused, so they are attaching warning labels to hundreds of items. For example, a Batman outfit bears this caveat: “Parents, please exercise caution—For Play Only. Mask and cape are not protective; cape does not enable user to fly.” So many warnings appear on items sold in our stores, say the experts, that they’ve lost their effectiveness. While these kinds of warnings may fall on deaf ears, the Bible points out the importance of heeding God’s warnings. Ezekiel’s words in chapter 3 make it clear that a warning is vital not only for the person receiving it but also for the person giving it (Ezek 3:16-21). God’s words must be taken seriously. “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit,” we are told (Eph. 4:30). “Abstain from every form of evil,” we are reminded (1 Th. 5:22). Jesus warned against adultery and lust (Mt. 5:27-28) and against judging others self-righteously (Mt. 7:1-5). The devil is subtle, deceptive, and sly; He cleverly tricks us to swallow his lie, But his cunning methods we're sure to discern By making God's warnings our daily concern. —DJD God's warnings are to protect us, not to punish us. Acts 16:6-10 Listen To His Promptings After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. —Acts 16:7 On Friday, my day of rest as a pastor, the Holy Spirit prompted me to call a young single mother in our faith community to see if her car had been repaired. I had some reservations about making the call, but I obeyed. Little did I know that my obedience would help save her life. She said later: “Friday at work I was planning on taking my life; but in a time of need, I believe God was there for me. He had Pastor Williams call me, and just by listening to his voice, I knew that God loved me.” The apostle Paul must have had reservations when the Holy Spirit prompted him and his team not to go into the provinces of Asia and Bithynia. Instead, they felt the Spirit’s call to go into Macedonia to preach the good news. In each situation, they obeyed the Spirit’s promptings. As a result, Paul and his team were instrumental in giving birth to a new faith community in Philippi (Acts 16:11-15). Holy Spirit, we would hear Your inner promptings, soft and clear; And help us know Your still, small voice So we may make God's will our choice. —D. De Haan Make the right choice: Obey the Spirit's voice. D. J. De Haan in his devotional on Ephesians 4:30 asks "Are You Sensitive to the Little Things?" - Sensitivity to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, even in little things that seem harmless, marks the mature Christian. While preaching in a small church in Florida, a young evangelist noticed that his gold wristwatch sparkled in the light. He wrote, "I saw people looking at it. The Lord said to me, `Take it off. It's distracting.' I said, `Lord, I can surely wear a wristwatch that my daddy gave me.' But it was sensitivity that God was teaching me—to be sensitive to the little things. I took it off and . . . never wore it in the pulpit again." It's not always easy to know when God is speaking, because inner urgings may arise from fear, selfish desire, or Satan. Yet if we learn biblical principles through reading the Word, and if we daily yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit, we will gradually come to recognize His gentle prompting. The writer of Hebrews said that mature believers have had their senses "exercised to discern both good and evil" (Heb 5:14). Whatever exalts Christ over self comes from God, and we can obey with confidence. But whatever is unkind, unloving, and self-seeking grieves the Spirit. When we do something like this, we must confess our disobedience to God at once to restore our fellowship with Him. "Lord, make me sensitive" is a prayer that should always be on our hearts. When we yield ourselves to the Spirit's control, we do not lose our self-control. Robert Neighbor - The Holy Spirit in Ephesians • The Naming of the Spirit (Eph. 1:13, 17). • The Sealing of the Spirit (Eph. 1:13). • The Pledge of the Spirit (Eph. 1:14). • Access through the Spirit (Eph. 2:18). • The Indwelling Spirit (Eph. 2:22). • The Strengthening Spirit (Eph. 3:16). • The Unity of the Spirit (Eph. 4:3). • Grieving the Spirit (Eph. 4:30). • Filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). • The Sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17). The Book of Ephesians lifts us up above the miasma of swamp experiences, into the pure ozone of the life that is in the risen, ascended and seated Lord. In such a Book we expect to find much about the Holy Spirit of God, because it is He Who makes possible the Higher Christian Life and enables us to scale the altitudes of victory. With the exception of the seventh statement in the outline above (Grieving the Spirit), there is a steady progression in thought: we are climbing round upon round the ladder of the operations of the Spirit as He meets every need of our Christian experience. The expression "Grieve not the Holy Spirit" in 4:30, is a much needed warning, and, until victory is found in that realm we are helpless to enter into the blessings of the Spirit-filled life of 5:22. The Book of Ephesians is divided in the middle. Chapters 1, 2 and 3 are doctrinal; they tell us what we have "in" and "with" Christ Jesus. Chapters 4, 5 and 6 are duty, they tell us how we should walk. By noticing the outline it will be seen that of the eight statements concerning the Spirit in Ephesians, five occur in the first half of the Book and three in the last half. Personal Declension and Revival of Religion in the Soul by Octavius Winslow (1841) Chapter 6: On Grieving the Spirit "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God." (Ephesians 4:30) This subject stands in close and solemn relation to the spiritual and personal declension of the believer: his decay in grace necessarily and painfully involves it. Of all that has been wrought in the believer in the way of conviction, repentance, faith, joy, holiness, etc., the blessed and Eternal Spirit is the sole Author. Great and glorious is his work: yes, but for it, the redemption accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ, as to any saving effects, would have availed nothing. The "Sun of righteousness" might have risen upon the world in all his peerless splendor; but until the mental eye had been opened by the Holy Spirit, not a beam had found its way into the dark chambers of the understanding and the heart. The Gospel "supper" might have been prepared, the Lamb slain, and the invitation issued; but without a supernatural power working upon the will, the desires, and the affections of man, all would have "made light of it, and have gone their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise." "It is expedient for you that I go away," said Jesus, "for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." Our views of the work of the Spirit cannot be too spiritual, nor can our estimate of its value be too high. The great danger to which we are exposed, is, not in overrating, but in undervaluing the office-work of the Spirit; not in thinking too high, but in thinking too low of it: and that anything tends more to wound, grieve, and chase from us his sensible presence, than a known and permitted declension of his work, we cannot imagine. This is the solemn and important point, to which the consideration of the reader is now to be directed. The phrases, "vexing the Spirit," "grieving the Spirit," " quenching the Spirit," " resisting the Spirit," &c., though metaphorical, are nevertheless highly significant and solemn in their meaning. Grief is not a passion in the Holy Spirit, as it is in us, any more than "anger," " wrath," " revenge," are unholy emotions in God, though ascribed to him. In condescension to our weakness, these expressions are employed to set forth God's extreme hatred of sin, and the holy sensitiveness of the Eternal Spirit to any neglect, undervaluing, or declension of his most gracious work and influence in the soul. Properly, the Spirit cannot be grieved, cannot be quenched, cannot be resisted; because he is not a creature, though a person. To believe the contrary, would be to invest the Holy Spirit of God with such attributes as would be incompatible with his Divine glory and infinite perfections, - such as belong only to a weak, sinful, finite creature. But, metaphorically, to " grieve the Spirit" is to disregard his voice, oppose his influence, and slight his kind, loving, and tender nature; and thus cause a withdrawment from the soul - in some cases temporary, in others eternal - of his presence, influence, and blessing. In the case of the regenerate, the withdrawment of the Spirit on being grieved, is for a season only; in that of the finally impenitent and unbelieving, the hushing of his voice, speaking to them in conscience, in providence, and in his word, is the giving of them up for ever. But these are points that will appear in a more advanced elucidation of our subject. Let our attention now be directed to the way in which the Holy of God may be grieved, and then to the consideration of some of the certain and mournful consequences. (Click here for full message) James Scudder - You Can't Leave Home Without It! Ephesians 4:30 Before I got saved, I foolishly thought I had to work my way to Heaven. I would try and try to be good. It seemed, though, that the harder I tried, the worse of a person I would become. It was quite a struggle. One of my tactics was to leave "God" at home whenever I would go out and do something sinful. Then I would come back, ask God for forgiveness, and try to do good again. Finally, a college buddy of mine told me how futile my efforts to be good were. Nothing I did would get me to Heaven. All I had to do, he told me, was accept Jesus Christ as my Savior. I gladly did that and my life has never been the same. Now that I am saved, I can no longer put "God" in the top drawer if I feel an impulse to sin, because God is always present inside of me. As soon as I became His Child, God gave me His Holy Spirit. That happens to every believer at the time of salvation. Now as I live for God, I must remember that the Holy Spirit is inside of me wherever I go. If I watch a filthy movie, He is with me. If I listen to worldly music, He is with me. If I enter a tavern, the Holy Spirit enters that tavern with me. There is no option to leave the Holy Spirit at home. His presence motivates me to live a holy life. Believers cannot escape the presence of the Holy Spirit. You Can't Leave Home Without It - Ephesians 4:30 Did you ever consider the fact that the Holy Spirit is a person? He is not a mysterious force, but a genuine person. Not only is He a person, but the Holy Spirit is God. He is a member of the Trinity, fully God. We often don't like to think of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Christ because it would make us uncomfortable. Imagine dragging Jesus to the wretched places of this world! How utterly embarrassed we would be! Yet, we actually do drag Christ into some of the devil's raunchiest environments. In my years in ministry, I've heard many arguments against living a separated, holy life. Why does it matter? Aren't we living in an age of grace? The fact that God himself is dwelling inside of us is enough reason to me to live right. Sure, we'll still sin. But, to continue to live in sin is to shame God himself. Ask yourself this question: If Jesus was right here with you, would you be embarrassed if He followed you around for a day? Would there be things you'd try to hide? Would you have to alter your normal routine? Could you take Him to the places you normally frequent? Would you scramble to hide your dirty magazines and filthy movies? What would Jesus find if He lived with you? Let me assure you that He is with you in the form of His Holy Spirit. The Scriptures say that He is with us until "the day of redemption." Wherever we set our eyes, plant our feet, or rest our head, we bring the Holy Spirit. When God Feels Pain - If you love Me, keep My commandments. —John 14:15 (Read: Hebrews 4:14-5:3) A men’s group was discussing the reasons for living a morally pure life. One man argued that it was fear that kept him in line. Another insisted it was love. But a third man suggested that it was a love-motivated fear. Yes, he did fear the shame, the disgrace, and the punishment he might endure for wrongdoing, but worst of all was the fear of making his wife suffer. “I’d rather be beaten to death,” he exclaimed, “than to see the hurt in the eyes of the woman I love.” That sheds some light on our Savior’s statement, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (Jn. 14:15). If we willfully break those commandments, we will suffer loss. But it should also matter to us how God responds to our disobedience. Hosea 11:8 tells us that God the Father feels loving anguish. Because of Israel’s sin, He said, “My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred.” Jesus also experiences pain when we disobey. He wept over the city of Jerusalem when it spurned His love (Lk. 13:34). And in Ephesians 4:30-31, Paul exhorted believers not to grieve the Holy Spirit by being hard-hearted. If we consider how much pain God feels when we are disobedient, we will find ample motivation to shun what is wrong and pursue what is right. O help me, Lord, to be afraid Of disobeying You; And may I bring You highest praise In everything I do. —Sper The highest motive for serving God is the desire to please Him. BY WHOM YOU WERE SEALED FOR THE DAY OF REDEMPTION : en o esphragisethete (2PAPI) eis hemeran apolutroseos: By whom you were sealed - Eph 1:13-14 For the day of redemption - Eph 1:14; Hosea 13:14; Luke 21:28; Ro 8:11,23; 1Cor 1:30; 15:54 Ephesians 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Ephesians 4:17-32 Solving Conflicts - Steven Cole Ephesians 4:28-32 - Wayne Barber Ephesians 4:28-29: A Brand New Way of Life - 4 - Wayne Barber Ephesians 4:17-5:14 Study Guide (see dropdown menu) - John MacArthur Related Passages: Philippians 3:20, 21+ For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly (expectantly) wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ Who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory (ED: At which time our "redemption" will be complete), by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. Ephesians 1:13-14+ In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. Luke 21:28+ “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Romans 8:19+ For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God (aka FUTURE TENSE REDEMPTION). Romans 8:23+ And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit (PAST TENSE SALVATION), even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly(PRESENT TENSE SALVATION) for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. (FUTURE TENSE SALVATION) 2 Thessalonians 1:10+ when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day (WHEN THEY ATTAIN THEIR FUTURE REDEMPTION OF GLORIFIED BODIES), and to be marveled at among all who have believed–for our testimony to you was believed. Signet Rings with Seals to be Pressed on Wet Clay to Mark the Owner THE DAY OF HIS RETURN AND OUR REDEMPTION By Whom you were sealed (sphragizo) for the day of redemption (apolutrosis) - By Whom is literally "in Whom" and Grundy astutely points out "with the Spirit” (Eph 1:13) is replaced by “in Whom” to stress the closeness to the Spirit that makes Christians’ disobedience grieve him ." Sealed signifies that God places the Holy Spirit in us permanently as His "signet" (signet = a seal used to stamp or authenticate documents) Sealed is in the aorist tense which is a past completed action. The passive voice signifies that subject, believers, are acted upon by an outside force or power, God (the divine passive). The indicative mood is the mood of certainty which states a thing as being a fact -- the point is that every believer receives the Holy Spirit the moment he or she believes (Ro 8:9+). The good news then is that the "sealed work" (Eph 1:13+) of the Spirit is final and cannot be "unsealed," even though we may "grieve" the Spirit! Amazing grace and mercy! Notice all three "Tenses of Salvation" are depicted in this passage, for sealing speaks of past tense salvation and in this context day of redemption speaks of future tense salvation and not grieving is our present tense salvation (aka, progressive sanctification, growth in Christlikeness - cf 2Co 3:18+). Adam’s likeness now efface Stamp Thine image in its place. -- Charles Wesley Why would Paul mention the day of redemption in this passage on grieving the Spirit? What is the day of redemption? Is it not our blessed hope? Is it not something about which we can be 100% certain? What does future hope do to our present behavior? Does it not serve to motivate us? (all rhetorical questions of course) And so in this hope serves as a Biblical truth which should motivate us to do all we can (even that being enabled by the Self-Same Spirit!) to avoid grieving the Spirit. And so as we look forward to Jesus' imminent return at which time we shall be like Him (the redeemed fully redeemed and like the redeemer! = 1Jn 3:2+), that mindset (that truth) should motivate us to purify our selves as He is pure (1Jn 3:3+, cp this future hope in Ro 8:23+). The seal speaks of security, authenticity, and ownership. S Lewis
Efésios 4:31
Wiersbe has a practical comment on "bitterness" to which any saint can fall prey - "An unforgiving spirit is the devil’s playground and before long it becomes the Christian’s battleground. If somebody hurts us, either deliberately or unintentionally, and we do not forgive him, then we begin to develop bitterness within, which hardens the heart (cp Mt 6:12, 14, 15+). We should be tenderhearted and kind, but instead we are hardhearted and bitter. Actually, we are not hurting the person who hurt us; we are only hurting ourselves. Bitterness in the heart makes us treat others the way Satan treats them, when we should treat others the way God has treated us. In His gracious kindness, God has forgiven us, and we should forgive others. We do not forgive for our sake (though we do get a blessing from it) or even for their sake, but for Jesus’ sake. Learning how to forgive and forget is one of the secrets of a happy Christian life. (See The Wiersbe Bible Commentary:) (Bolding added) John
Efésios 4:31
Wiersbe - Blasphemy involves much more than taking God’s name in vain, though that is at the heart of it. A person blasphemes God when he takes His Word lightly and even jests about it or when he deliberately defies God to judge Him. (Bolding added) (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor)
Efésios 4:32
Wiersbe - Here Paul put his finger on the basic cause of a bitter attitude: We cannot forgive people. An unforgiving spirit is the devil's playground (cp Ep 4:26, 27+), and before long it becomes the Christian's battleground. If somebody hurts us, either deliberately or unintentionally, and we do not forgive him, then we begin to develop bitterness within, which hardens the heart. We should be tenderhearted and kind, but instead we are hardhearted and bitter. Actually, we are not hurting the person who hurt us; we are only hurting ourselves. Bitterness in the heart makes us treat others the way Satan treats them, when we should treat others the way God has treated us. In His gracious kindness, God has forgiven us, and we should forgive others. We do not forgive for our sake (though we do get a blessing from it) or even for their sake, but for Jesus’ sake. Learning how to forgive and forget is one of the secrets of a happy Christian life. Review once again the motives for “walking in purity”: We are members one of another (Ep 4:25+); Satan wants to get a foothold in our lives (Ep 4:27+); we ought to share with others (Ep 4:28+); we ought to build one another up (Ep 4:29+); and we ought not to grieve God (Ep 4:30+). And, after all, we have been raised from the dead—so why wear the grave clothes? (Ep 4:22+, Ep 4:23+) Jesus says of us as He said of Lazarus: “Loose him, and let him go!” (Jn 11:44KJV) (Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor) (Bolding and color added for emphasis) Each other (1438) (heautois) is the third third person reflexive pronoun which in this context emphasizes the fact that believers are all members of Christ’s body—everyone members one of another. As Alford phrases it "Doing as a body for yourselves that which God did once for you all” DOCTRINE PRECEDES DUTY Just as God in Christ has forgiven us (cp Col 2:13+) - The underlying motive (and power) for believers to forgive others is God's action through Christ toward us (cp 1Jn 3:16) and the gift of His Spirit Who enables us. The believer's duty (even privilege) is to forgive, based on the doctrine that we have been forgiven. Revelation always calls for a response from the heart (cp Mt 18:35). If the revelation remains in the head, we run the risk of becoming modern day Pharisees, hearers but not doers of truth. What we believe should always determine how we behave. If we believe (and comprehend to some degree the measure of) God's immeasurable forgiveness, we should behave according to that truth in which we trust. As someone has said, God's imperatives (commands, instructions) are always preceded by His indicatives (mood of reality = statement of objective fact). It follows that we as God's children are most like our Father when we exercise the Spirit enabled, supernatural grace of forgiving those who have offended us and in a sense owe us a "debt". The old adage is appropriate "Like Father, like son." As sons (and daughters) we are to accurately reflect His character, especially His gift of unconditional forgiveness, to a lost, skeptical and cynical world which desperately needs to see God's love in action vis–à–vis forgiveness freely given to those who don't deserve it! (cp Mt 5:16+, Php 2:15+). THE CRUCIAL QUALIFYING PHRASE Just as (2531) (kathos from kata = down + hos = as) is a marker of cause or reason and here designates the grounds on which believers are enabled and (should be) motivated to forgive others. It conveys the sense of “in the same way as", "just like", "according as", "to the degree that". Meditate on this transformative truth! It should serve as a strong motive to supernaturally stimulate us to forgive those who have wronged us! In Christ - The idea can be expressed as "through Christ", conveying the sense of Christ's finished work being the means ("instrumentality") through which the Father can now forgive sinners. Some take "in Christ" as alluding to our union or oneness with Christ and so render this phrase "in your union with Christ." UBS adds that "Most translations, which simply have “God in Christ,” seem to take it in the sense that God is present in Christ, that is, he is active, working, forgiving, in Christ’s person." (Ibid) Wuest interprets in Christ as meaning that "It is the God Who forgives in the sphere of Christ in that His forgiveness is made possible from the point of the law, through the atonement." (Ibid) Christ (5547) (Christos from chrio = to anoint, rub with oil, consecrate to an office) is the Anointed One, the Messiah, Christos being the Greek equivalent of the transliterated Hebrew word Messiah. As a Jew learned the Torah, now the Christian learns Christ! Pardon from an offended God! Pardon for sins of deepest dye! Pardon bestowed through Jesus’ blood! Pardon that brings the rebel nigh! Who is a pard’ning God like thee? Or who has grace so rich and free? O may this glorious, matchless love, This Godlike miracle of grace, Teach mortal tongues, like those above, To raise this song of lofty praise: Who is a pard’ning God like thee? Or who has grace so rich and free? --Samuel Davies Has Forgiven (5483) (charizomaifrom charis = grace) speaks of the exhibition of God's grace in providing undeserved help to those who were unworthy to receive it. Note that charizomai is in the aorist tense which signifies God's forgiveness of sinners in Christ is full, final and finished. This is the standard of forgiveness by which believers are to model their forgiveness of those who injure them in thought, word or deed. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones - I say to the glory of God and in utter humility that whenever I see myself before God and realize even something of what my blessed Lord has done for me, I am ready to forgive anybody anything...If we really know Christ as our Saviour our hearts are broken and cannot be hard, and we cannot refuse forgiveness Lehman Strauss comments that "Perhaps the one who wronged you does not deserve your forgiveness. Neither did you deserve God’s forgiveness. (The Conduct and Duty of the Church Ephesians 4-6)