Ephesians 4 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Ephesians 4:1-6

A. Find Out:    

1. How does Paul describe himself? v.1a
   • As a prisoner for the Lord
2. What does he urge them to do? v.1b
   • I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received
3. What characteristics are to be theirs? v.2
   • Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
4. What and how are they to do? v.3
   • Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
5. For what reason? v.4a
   • There is one body and one Spirit,
6. What other signs of oneness are there? v.4b-6
   • just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

B. Think:

1. How do you think calling and lifestyle are supposed to be linked?
2. Why should there be unity among Christians?
3. What characteristics help unity?

C. Comment:

Paul now moves on to the CONSEQUENCE of our calling: it is to live a life commensurate with that calling. We have been called by God through Christ so that Christ may now dwell in us by the Spirit, and therefore the consequence of that ought to be holy lives. 

He then moves to the CHARACTERISTICS of that life: humility, gentleness, patience and love, things that will enable us to live in harmony with other people. Where we have those things, we will not be pushy or divisive in demanding our viewpoint.

Yes, that takes us on to the CALL TO UNITY, the ultimate call from Paul, to have a unity in the Spirit (not, notice, in the Word), bonded together in peace.

Finally, he gives us the CORE REASONS for having unity. It is the Spirit dwelling within each one of us who makes us one body. We ARE one and so we should live as one. Not only that, there are not a variety of hopes, Lords, baptisms etc. but just one outworking of knowing Christ. We don’t have an option, unity is an essential to the Christian life, because it is a reality by the Spirit, and so should be an experience by our wills. Failure to have unity means we have failed to have those characteristics in verse 2.

D. Application?

1. God HAS united us by His Holy Spirit who dwells within us.  
2. We now live in that light, with humility, gentleness, patience & love.

Passage: Ephesians 4:7-10

A. Find Out:

1. What has been given to each of us? v.7a
   • But to each one of us grace has been given
2. What is the measure of that grace? v.7b
   • as Christ apportioned it.
3. What did Christ do when he ascended? v.8
   • This is why it says: ‘When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.’
4. What had Christ already had to do? v.9
   • (What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?
5. Where did he then ascend? v.10a
   • He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens
6. With what purpose? v.10b
   • in order to fill the whole universe.

B. Think:

1. What would you say this short passage is all about?
2. Why was Christ able to do what he did?
3. What is the implication for us today?

C. Comment:

Paul, having called for unity, now starts to move towards a position where he is going to say, yes but recognise your God-given differences in that unity. He starts to speak about that saying we are different because each of us has a different measure of grace given to us by Christ. More of that tomorrow. As he says that, the Old Testament quotation from Psalm 68:18 comes to mind that actually finishes, “That you O Lord God might dwell there”, which is what he was speaking about earlier in his letter, God in us.

When Christ ascended on high after his resurrection, he took with him as captives from his victory on the Cross, death, the curse, and sin, fear, hate, doubt, unbelief etc. etc., all the things that could no longer have sway over us (see also Colossians 2:15). Of course before he could do that he had do descend from heaven onto the earth where the mighty work was done on the Cross at Calvary, that meant that not only did Christ triumph over Satan and Sin, but he also opened the way for multitudes to turn to God, be born again and enter the kingdom of God and receive the gifts of grace that Paul is now about to write about. He then ascended to the highest place in heaven to rule and continue his work until that rule fills every part of all creation. Praise & worship His wonderful name!

D. Application?

1. Christ has taken sin captive and now dispenses gifts of grace instead.   
2. His rule WILL eventually fill the whole universe.

Passage: Ephesians 4:11-13

A. Find Out:

1. Who gave the ministries? v.11a
   • So Christ himself gave
2. What five ministries are spoken of? v.11b
   • he apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers
3. What is their function? v.12a
   • to equip his people for works of service
4. With what end result? v.12b
   • so that the body of Christ may be built up
5. How long will this continue? v.13a
   • until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God
6. What is the end result? v.13b
   • and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

B. Think:

1. Who are to do the works of service in the church?
2. What is the role of the five ministries?
3. What is God’s desire for us?

C. Comment:

Perhaps this passage is best considered in reverse order. What is God’s ultimate desire for us? It is that we grow into unity in the Christian faith and in particular in knowing Christ, so that Christ can express himself in us, the body, as fully as is possible.

So how will the body grow and grow, being built up in the faith? By doing the works of Jesus that he gives it to do. That is how a body grows and matures, by doing what it was made to do.

But how will we, the members of the body, achieve this? As God equips us using the various gifts of ministry that He has given to the church: apostles with their vision and wisdom for church growth, prophets as they minister the now word of God for direction and encouragement, evangelists as they spread the saving word, bringing others into the kingdom and encouraging the rest of us to be witnesses, pastors as they care for the flock, and teachers as they impart knowledge and understanding to us. As these ministries operate they will enable the rest of us to do the works of Jesus, ministering to one another and to the world round about us so that the body is added to, strengthened and built up. Yes ALL the members of the body are to be involved in works of service, serving Jesus, the head of the body.

D. Application?

1. An alive body does things, the things of Jesus.  
2. God has given ministries to equip the rest to do the works of service! 

Passage: Ephesians 4:14-16

A. Find Out:

1. Then what will we not be? v.14a
   • Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves,
2. What will then not happen to us? v.14b
   • and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
3. Instead what will we do? v.15a
   •  Instead, speaking the truth in love
4. What will happen to us? v.15b
   • we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
5. How is the body held together? v.16b
   • From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows
6. How does it grow? v.16c
   • grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

B. Think:

1. According to this passage, what is the first fruit of maturity?
2. What is the second?
3. What is necessary for that to happen?

C. Comment:

Paul has been writing about the body of Christ, the church, and the various ministries given to it to help it mature. Now, he says, a sign that this is working out in you, and you are growing in maturity is that you become stable in the faith and not swept around by strange teachings and deceiving teachers. No, you will be able to discern the truth and stand in it unaffected by their prattlings!

Not only that, but as the truth is spoken by these ministries and received by the body, as it comes in the environment of love, so the body is going to be strengthened and it will grow, both numerically and in spiritual maturity.

Two words occur twice here. The first is “grow”. It is Jesus’ intention that his body continues to grow, and if it doesn’t there is something wrong with it. The second word is “love” and that is to be the agent that causes strength and growth. When the love of Christ is exhibited in the body, one to another and to the world round about, then the body WILL grow, both numerically and in the experience of Christ. Note also that it is as EACH member is working, is active. Christ expects every member of his body to be alive and active and operating in his love.

D. Application?

1. The church is to be a GROWING body.
2. It grows as Christ’s love spreads truth inside and outside the body.

Passage: Ephesians 4:17-22

A. Find Out:

1. How must they not now live? v.17
   • So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
2. What is the state of unbelieving Gentiles? v.18a
   • They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God
3. Why? v.18b
   • because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
4. What have they done? v.19
   • Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
5. How had they been taught? v.20,21
   • That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.
6. What had they been taught to do? v.22
   • You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

B. Think:

1. What is the state of heart of an unbeliever?
2. What does that do in respect of God?
3. What does it do in respect of their style of life?

C. Comment:

Paul now starts to move from the doctrinal to the practical. Because of all that goes before he now says “So” live differently from pagan unbelievers, and goes on to describe their state and lives.

First he talks about their MINDS: their thinking is hopeless and void of light because they are separated off from God’s light and wisdom because they are ignorant of Him and His ways.

Then he next speaks about their HEARTS: the centre of personality which involves the will. They have hardened their hearts, set their will against God, and against His word, refused His love and grace.

Third, he speaks of their LIFE STYLES: as a result of this they are left living according to their self desires, seeking out pleasure through whatever means they can, frequently in ways that are far from the purity of the ways of God.

Then Paul turns back to the Ephesians. You came to know Christ in a very different way, being taught to renounce the old self-centred life style which can only be deceitful, trying to lead you away. No, you were taught the truth and were taught to live by the truth and in the light of truth.

Here is the distinction between believer and unbeliever: light and darkness, truth and deception, purity and impurity.

D. Application?

1. Unbelievers are blind, deceived and impure.
2. Believers live in the truth and in purity.

Passage: Ephesians 4:22-27

A. Find Out:

1. What were we do with our old self? v.22
   •  You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
2. So that what could happen? v.23
   • to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
3. What are we to put on? v.24
   • and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
4. So what are we to put off and for why? v.25
   • Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all members of one body.
5. What are we also not to do? v.26
   • ‘In your anger do not sin’: do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
6. What might that do? v.27
   • and do not give the devil a foothold.

B. Think:

1. Summarise in your own words what we are to “put off”.
2. Similarly what are we to put on?
3. Why is that to happen?

C. Comment:

The problem with the Christian life is that we can have left overs from the life we had before we knew Christ, and it is that which Paul addresses now. Yes, he says, you were taught when you became Christians that you had died to the old life and are to put on a new life, the life of Christ within you, by a transforming of your minds and attitudes, in God’s likeness in righteousness and holiness.

“Therefore”, he says, because of that, put aside any falsehood, anything lacking truth in your speaking and behaving to one another, remembering that you are all one in Christ’s body. Lies hinder unity! Indeed if you become angry about anything, don’t let it take hold in you but make sure it is dealt with before the day is out. If you don’t do this, he continues, you’ll find that you will be leaving something in your life that the devil can take hold of, to get on top of you.

There is a simple logic to the Christian faith: you are given a new life by the Holy Spirit within you, so live it out, and don’t let any of these unChrist-like things stay in your life, but let him put his nature in you instead, the new replacing the old.

D. Application?

1. Being a Christian means first putting off the old self-centred, godless, unrighteous life.  
2. It then means receiving the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to transform you to be like Christ.

Passage: Ephesians 4:28-32

A. Find Out:

1. What must the past thief do? v.28
   • Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
2. What mustn’t and must come from our mouths? v.29
   • Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
3. What is it possible to do to the Holy Spirit? v.30
   • And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
4. What other things are to be put out? v.31
   • Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
5. Instead how are we to respond to one another? v.32
   • Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

B. Think:

1. How does Paul show that the Christian life isn’t just a set of “You must not”s?
2. How are these things seen to be mutually exclusive?
3. How will how we view the Lord affect all this?

C. Comment:

Paul had been saying we were to “put off” the old life, but he doesn’t leave it at that. As he gives examples of things that are not to be in our lives he also gives the complimentary things that ARE to be in our lives. Christianity is NOT a bunch of negatives, it is a bunch of positive “DO”s!

The thief, for example, is not merely NOT to steal, but he is to positively work and work to bless others. In that way he will give no room for temptation to lead him back to the old ways. Similarly with our speech. Not only are we NOT to speak anything which is detrimental to our lives or the lives of others, but we ARE to positively speak out encouraging and building words to bless others. Likewise, in respect of our attitudes and emotions, we are NOT to allow in negatives that harm us and others, but we ARE to be positively kind, compassionate and forgiving towards others in their weaknesses and failures, just as Christ has been to us.

In the midst of all this comes a plea not to grieve or upset the Holy Spirit who lives within us. He is the Spirit of love, grace and truth and if we allow any of the negatives to flow in us, that will sadden, hurt and upset him. May we not do that!

D. Application?

1. We are not to major on the above negatives but work at the above positives in our lives.  
2. Christ has been our example and now he dwells within to help us become more like him.