Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Looking at v1-14
• In the practical section of Ephesians
• Chapter 4 - church relationships
• We are family members
• E.g. v25, v32
• Chapter 5 - moves to witness and the world
• The Church being a light
• We are to walk as children of the Light
• We are to let that light shine before men
• There ought not to be anything unfitting in the church
• Looking at a searching passage
• Continues on from chapter 4
• Therefore, ...
• Outline
• Gospel Commands & Gospel Prohibitions (v1-6)
• Being what you are (v7-14)

Gospel Commands (v1-6)

• The Gospel Commands
• Imitate your Father (v1)
• Walk in Love (v2)
• Give Thanks (v4)
• The Christian life is positive
• Someone who is loving and tenderhearted
• Someone who is like God
• Someone who gives thanks
• We should be known for our positive attributes and being like God

Imitate your Father (v1)

• How can I ever be like God?
• There are many things about God that we will never be like
• We are called to be like many of His characteristics
• Loving
• Holy
• Wisdom
• Justice
• Being imitators of God as dear children
• No harshness in the apostle's voice but tenderness
• Knowing their background, they are precious to God
• Children imitate their parents
• v32: be kind, tender hearted, forgiving
• Let there not be any wrath, malice, anger, bitterness or clamour
• These are gospel commands
• Do you see this as a daunting command or a high calling?
• God has placed a huge dignity on our life
• God would not call us to this if He would not give us the power to do so

Walk in Love (v2)

• Walk (v2, v8, v15)
• The Christian life is pictured as a walk
• Not a race [in this instance]
• We are to take small steps, to keep plodding on, to walk with God
• The first walk is 'walk in love'
• Love is often the first thing on the list
• Love is emphasised in every epistle
• There is always a call for Christians to love
• If you have a true knowledge of God, this will lead you to a life of love
• If your understanding of the Bible leads you to be judgmental and against people - your theology is not right
• As Christ loved us and gave Himself for us
• [Consider His self-sacrificial love]
• He yielded Himself
• We are to love like Christ
• We are to consider others
• We are not to put self first
• We are to make sacrifices
• Questions
• Do we love our spouses in this way?
• Do we love our work colleagues?
• Do we love those in our community and our neighbours?
• Do we love our enemies?
• How do we love?
• By looking at the cross
• By remembering how much God has loved us in Jesus Christ

Give Thanks (v4)

• The antidote to wrong speech and a selfish life
• Our satisfaction is in God
• Lord, why have you saved me?
• Lord you have loved me
• Give thanks for your family, friends and the church
• If we name our blessings one by one, it will surprise us
• A cure to a discontentful life is to give thanks to God for every blessings

Gospel Prohibitions (v1-6)

Sexual Sin

• The Ephesians lived in a very sexualised society
• They lived in a Roman society (with all its ills)
• You are to live a holy life
• These things are not fitting for saints
• Society today
• Casual relationships
• Our language has changed
• There are some problems in the church
• The church needs to work this through
• If there is unrepentance then discipline should be administered
• One of the greatest problems is in the area of sexual immorality
• Do not give way to sexual sin

Covetousness

• A lust for things, people, money
• Greed - wanting more and more
• We live in a very materialistic society and the church ought to be seen to be different
• We should not be seen as grabbers but givers
• Example from George Muller
• Covetousness can be linked to a failure to trust God

Crude & profane language

• Not against a joke but crude language
• The Ephesians came out of this situation
• Giving thanks always for all things (v20)

• Continuing in theses ways is a proof that this person is not a Christian (v5)
• Do not be deceived - these are sons of disobedience on whom the wrath of God will come (v6)
• Gal 5:19
• If you are really saved, it will be evident in your lives
• Yes you may fall and you may have temptations
• You will not carry on as you were before
• The fruits of the spirit should characterise your life, not the lusts of the flesh
• 1 Cor 6:9

Being what you are (v7-14)

• Walk in the Light
• Because you are light do not walk in darkness
• Separation is little taught today
• It became legalistic and Pharisaical
• The pendulum has gone the other way
• Do not do the works of darkness (v8)
• You were once darkness, now you are light
• You were evil but now have been given a new nature
• The fruit of the light (v9)
• Goodness, righteousness and truth
• How do others see you at work?
• What is acceptable to the Lord
• Would this please the Lord?
• Separation from the world (v11)
• Exposing the darkness - not ranting about everything
• Shining his light of godliness
• Personal example
• The way we speak does matter (v12)
• We must understand prudence
• We must relate to people but be mindful of our speech
• Society and culture is shifting - we must not bring down the standards of God's word
• Sins are exposed by the light (v13-14)
• Example of drunken man
• v14 - is a gospel text

• May it be that we walk in love, imitate our Father, thankful people
• Because of our love for God obey these Gospel commands and prohibitions