Ephesians 4:25-32
By: Alexander Rico
In our lesson last week, Paul exhorted us to put off the old man, which is often referred to as our Adamic nature, and place on the new man, which is after God. The old man is characterized as corrupt because of the deceitful lusts, and the new man was characterized as righteousness and truly holy. The old man was controlled by the flesh; the new man is controlled by the spirit. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 assures us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Now knowing these things, Paul follows up this thought with a series of exhortations. These exhortations can be located in verse 25 through 26. What are they? Well, Paul tells us to put away lying (v.25); and, anger (v.26) not allowing them to take hold of the new man as they would have in the flesh; therefore, completely shutting the door to Satan, who would attempt to find an opening as to lead us into the thinking that we are doing more than we actually are, and cause us to think that we are truly righteous than we really are. Many times, we see these types of people; people who think because they do great things in the church they are secured and promised that hope of heaven (A LIE!). As Christians, we know this to be a wrong because of Jesus himself made it clear that, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Jesus is the only way to heaven, not works! For, works and faith work hand in hand as James tells us (James 2:17-22). See, we know as Christians the tools of the enemy, we understand his ways. Paul re-enforces this when he writes to the church in Corinth and reminds them that we are not ignorant to his devices (Ephesians 6). Satan is very crafty, all he seeks is an opening through anger, bitterness, lies, etc.; then, he can move in, and once in he begins to enlarge his propriety and hold on our lives. Look at Eve, Satan used his crafty ways to appeal to her flesh through her eyes (i.e.: the fruit). He so often uses this method to infiltrate us, through the gate of the eyes. Many times, it is the most frequent way that we sin. Through lustful desires that we have when we see a good looking man or woman. In our minds we begin to undress them; or, we think perverse things of them, this is sin a sin of adultery, as Jesus stated. What these things do, are open the door to the devil and give him entrance and residence in you.
Verse 28, Paul lays out the first important attribute of the new man, a life away from stealing. Stealing we know to be taking something that does not belong to you, but to someone else. It can also be taking something that you did not earn, except of course unless someone gave it to you. Stealing we know to be one of the highest problems in our society today. Whenever we turn on the television, we see car chases with criminals, people stealing from stores, their jobs, and robberies of banks across our nation; each costing us all. Due to stealing, stores have to increase the prices on their products to take in the factor of the goods that will be stolen. Little singing Elmo now has to cost $30.00 instead of the suggested retail price of $20.00. So, we all are forced to pay higher prices. When people steal by spending extra time on their breaks, or lunch, they are stealing from their employer. They are receiving wages for the time that they did not work; and, because of that many times privileges are cut and sometimes less pay given.
Secondly, Paul urges us to make sure nothing foul proceeds from our mouths. I have known people in the past that every time they opened their mouth, nothing but foul language and cuss words would come forth. My mom before she was saved would use cuss words like as filler. Almost after every sentence, she would drop it in, even if it didn’t fit or make sense. Psalms tells us that the tongue is like a sharp razor; at times this is true isn’t it? How does it make you feel when someone cusses you out or yells at you; probably tiny, right? Paul tells us to not allow this foul language to proceed because our tongues are called to minister grace to the hearers. How great it is when your tongue declares the goodness of God, as opposed to the rottenness of Satan! In our tongues, we have the capacity to bring joy and blessing to those around us, and bring forth hope and strength (Psalm 71:15-18).
Thirdly, Paul tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit (v.30). This is one of the texts that in fact, points out that the Holy Spirit is not an “it” but rather, a person. How could one grieve the wind or air? It cannot be done, correct? So now knowing that one can grieve the Holy Spirit, allow us to look into the, how. It was in the days of Noah that we read that wickedness on the face of the earth was great, that every thought and imagination of man’s heart was evil continually (non-stop sin). The earth was corrupt, and filled with violence. The people of that time kept lusting after their flesh, they did not believe the promises of God. The book of Mark makes it clear that Jesus was grieved at the hardness of the hearts of the people. Stephen boldly accused the council in Jerusalem of always resisting the Holy Spirit. In the context, Paul speaks of being past feeling, giving them over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greed. So, what is the result of this grieving the Holy Spirit? Well the answer is clearly given to us in Hebrews 10:3, “wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, they do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I swore my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest. Take heed, brethren, lest there be any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Paul again speaks of being sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. We saw sometime back that in chapter 1 Paul spoke of being sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which was the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession. Here he declares that we have been sealed until the day of redemption. See, God has redeemed us from the powers of darkness; Jesus paid the full price for yours and my sins. It was there on the hill of Calvary that He claimed ownership of me, and put His seal of ownership upon me which is His Holy Spirit. Now, one day He is going to come back for me, His possession, and I am eagerly waiting that day as a child waits for his father’s return from work. Paul wrote to the Romans, that we and all creation groaned together as we waited for the manifestation of the sons of God, to wait the redemption of our bodies.
Here in these verses he speaks of lying, stealing, corrupt communication (cussing), and grieving the Holy Spirit. In the following verses he speaks of bitterness (a long standing resentment; letting something just continue to simmer inside, until it finally eats away at us), wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking (swearing or cursing), and malice; however, in contrast to this, he tells us to be kind to one another. This kindness is a characteristic of Jesus. We see Him as a kind and gentle person who graced the earth. We see the kindness with which He dealt with sinners (i.e.: the woman at the well, the man suffering from palsy which was a disease that was usually associated with sexual acts, the prostitute that anointed His feet, and the woman taken in adultery. We see His kindness in the ways which He dealt with the demanding crowds. He never once seemed to be the lest bit irritated with the pushing and shoving that was going on about Him; and, the shown kindness towards those who were physically afflicted.) Therefore, in Jesus we know that we too are to be kind to one another.
Tenderhearted: Is it so easy to harden our hearts when we have been wronged and taken advantage of, yet we need to guard ourselves against becoming hard hearted. Sometimes, I know, we have been deeply hurt by someone and we determine that we will never let them hurt us again; so, we harden our hearts against them or against the situations. How many of you here have ever seen the tragedy of an older person who has become bitter and hard hearted? I know I was once one. See, when I was dumped by my ex girlfriend, I basically closed the door to any further relationships; I held a huge grudge and did not want to go through that same experience again, so I became hard hearted. We need to have in these situations a tender heart. This tender heart is a contrast to the bitterness spoken of earlier in the previous verse.
Forgiving one another: At this we cringe and think how often am I to forgive a person the same offense? Please be honest now, can you rise to the suggestion of Peter and forgive them seven times? But we know that it is not seven times that we are asked to forgive someone; but seventy times seven. Jesus takes Peter’s seven times, and times it by seventy. Now, if you were to do the math on this, you’d come to a total of four-hundred and ninety (490). However, we do not know from this passage if Jesus was counting this as daily or weekly amount. I personally feel, he was referring this to a daily amount, and as so, take our four-hundred and ninety, and times it by another seven (amounts of days in the week). By doing this, you will come to see a larger number equaling three-thousand four hundred and thirty (3430). Now, let’s take this even further…Lets times that amount by the number of weeks in a month (4-5). I’ll use four weeks to make it a little easier. Once you multiply that, you should get a number equaling about thirteen thousand-seven hundred and twenty (13720). And so on, and so forth…
Is that not a large number? (Especially if we were to calculate that for a year.) See? By simply doing the math, we can see that Jesus was attempting to show his disciples, and us, that forgiveness is an act that should not be counted. It is not like we are to go around and forgive people, but check off the amount of times that we have already forgiven them.
In a story called, “I will always Forgive you”, written by Joni Eareckson Tada found in the book entitled, ” Stories for the Extreme Teen’s Heart”, compiled by Alice Gray, we read of a young girl and her brother. One day in Sunday school, the teacher was teaching them about this very same passage. Lisa (the young girl) took it to heart, and began to count from four-hundred and ninety down, each time she had asked her brother (Brent) for forgiveness. She eventually drew up a check box system, and Brent insisted that it was not necessary. But, she wanted too … as time went by she had plenty of things to check off on that chart. By the time she had reached four hundred and ninety, she had her brother sign it off; it was a golden moment we read. However, it was not the last, and in fact, Joni tells us that, it’s hurt would last forever….
See, her brother Brent had become a great Oboe player, and in fact was to try out for New York City’s great orchestra. But, he had been called out which left his sister to answer the phone; and, as it was, she was eager to get on work on time. So, they called, and she not having a pen took down the information in her mind.
A week had since passed, and her brother asked their mom when he was to do the try-out. Lisa remembered, and felt ill…. she told her family about the message, but at this point it was too late, it was that day. Brent ran off to his room, and did not come out all day.
Feeling incredibly horrible for messing up her brother’s future, she ran away from home in the middle of the night, she got a job in Boston as a waitress, and every time she’d get a letter from home she’d ignore it. One day, a friend of the family came into the place where she worked, and told her that her brother, Brent, had died in an accident. Lisa returned home that very afternoon, and ran to her room, thinking about her brother. She opened up a small box of treasured items, and memories. Inside, she found a note from her brother stating, “Dear Lisa, It was you who kept count, not me. But if you are stubborn enough to keep count, use the new chart I’ve made for you. Love, Brent.”
She turned the second page, and it looked exactly like the chart she had made when she was a little girl. Written in red felt tipped pen over the entire chart were the words, “Number 491. Forgiven, forever.” Now think if you don’t forgive someone who do you think suffers the most? The guilty party, or the ones who would not forgive them? The truth of the matter is that both sides suffer. It is important to know that I have been forgiven, however, is equally important to forgive. Why? Well, a bitter heart can be dangerous to you physically creating chemicals in your body that begin to eat away at your stomach lining. What is the extent or measure of our forgiveness? Do you recall the story of the master who had a servant that owed him estimated 16 million dollars? You are that servant, you have been forgiven a mammoth debt! God has forgiven you completely and graciously, you now to are called also to forgive completely, and graciously! See, God will never bring it back up again, and nor should you!
Perhaps some of you are hearing this today, and have not had the chance to be forgiven for your errors, and mistakes…your faults, and your sins. Perhaps you have been giving a doorway (an opening) for Satan to come and take residence in your life. Perhaps, you have been grieving the Holy Spirit. If that is the case, there is one who will always forgive you, cleanse you, and kick Satan out where he belongs. No, it is not your close friend, neighbor, or relative. Nope, instead, his name is Jesus Christ, and he died on that cross to take your errors, mistakes, faults, and sins….
All you have to do now is simply cry out to him, and ask him to come and be the LOVE, and the LORD of your life.
The Bible tells us in Romans 10:9,10, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart, God raised him from the dead, you will be saved!! For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved!!”
So, what are you waiting for? If you’d like to accept Christ; then by all means, please join me in this simple prayer of acceptance, asking Jesus into your heart, mind, and soul.
Lord Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner, and take this time to confess all my sins and ask for your forgiveness. Come into my heart, my mind, and my soul. Take complete control, and be LORD of my life. I ask these things all in your precious holy name, AMEN.
If you prayed that prayer along with me, I’d like to announce that today, the moment you accepted Christ into your life the Bible says, […] there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner represents. (Luke 15:10)
So, just like that, you are FORGIVEN! Before, you may have been weeping, knowing you had done wrong and not knowing who to turn to with your confession; but, now the Lord has come into your life and has taken residence in your heart. You can walk now knowing that no matter what happens in your life, you are forgiven, and even better, given eternal life with Him. Now, after receiving Christ into your heart, and life, there are several things you should do to continue to grow in a relationship with God.
- Read the Bible This is God’s love letter to you. It also provides us with a foundation for relationships with others, and tells us about attitudes, motivation and truth. It is important to know, and enlist the principles in the Bible into your life, they keep you on the right way and allow us to make sound judgments concerning people and doctrine.
- Prayer In any relationship communication is important, priority factor. God desires to communicate with each of us. Prayer is not just a forum for requests. God wants to hear our feelings, hurts, ambitions and joys. Through this he is able to change and refine those parts of us that need it.
- Fellowship Get plugged into a church or local group that studies the bible. As we begin to share with others what we have learned from the Bible and prayer, we encourage others to grow and ourselves. Fellowship as God planned it is not a clicke or special club designed for gossip. We must be careful to keep our conversations with others honest. It’s best described as a fire. One coal alone dies down quickly, but a mound of coals burn white hot, just as one Christian alone will struggle to stay ‘on fire’, while a group together keeps each other hot.
- Witnessing “Go into the world and preach the good news to all creation.” (Mark 16:15). Jesus gave this as a command, not an option. God has chosen all Christians to be agents of His gospel. We are either missionaries or mission fields. That does not mean that everyone should travel to different countries, but it does mean that no matter where go we should be prepared in life and in word to be ambassadors for Christ. “Pray for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given to me so I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. (Ephesians 6:9)
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