EPHESIANS: Walking in Style
EPHESIANS Number 52
The Truth that is in Christ teaches us what godliness looks like. Removing the filthy rags of self-effort that we previously wore and replacing them with the gleaming white garments of righteousness changes our appearance. Far from looking like destitute and homeless vagrants, we are now clothed with bespoke, stylish, designer clothes. Our new look is described in the reminder of chapter four.
Let’s be sure to notice the outward facing nature of this wonderful picture of the way we present ourselves.
Ephesians 4:28-32 (KJV)
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
We do not work only to provide for our own needs. We work at profitable things so that we can help others. One thing I have noticed is that when disaster strikes people here in the U.S. there is an outpouring of assistance. It is almost a though people have been saving up just to help those in need. Though it often looks like everything in the world is headed for destruction, disaster and calamity still seem to “bring out the best in people.”
This is godliness, and it is no surprise to discover that it is those who call Jesus their Lord who are at the forefront of such giving. We were designed for this. These are the sort of good works Father planned far in advance should characterize our lives (see Ephesians 2:10)
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Vulgarity, criticism, harsh rhetoric, promotion of conspiracy theories, kneejerk skepticism, constant complaining, fault finding. None of these are useful for edifying or building people up. None of these minister grace. Exactly the opposite. They declare that someone, anyone, the speaker excepted, of course, is not making the grade. They are not measuring up. They have failed to conduct themselves rightly.
We were designed to build people up. We were designed to minister grace. Romans 10:15 (quoting Isaiah 52:7) asks, “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things!” I’m sure we can all agree that we need more of this in the world. Without making this a measuring stick of any sort, can I say that it is easy to put a smile on our face and say kind things to people? In fact, Holy Spirit in us makes this a natural inclination. If we listen carefully we can hear Him as He leads us to manifest the Love of God is simplicity like this.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Here is the best way I have found to express what it means to grieve the Holy Spirit. When our attention is on the things of the world, when our focus is on ourselves, when we are preoccupied with all that is wrong and terrible, we are in a very noisy environment.
The noise caused by this sort of mindset drowns out the still small voice of the Spirit. Our ability to hear Him is curtailed. Consequently, we are less effective at displaying His beautiful fruit. We feel distant from Him even though we are one with Him in spirit and He never leaves us. Just as we grieve over all the good things our children are missing out on when they ignore our counsel, so Holy Spirit is grieved when we do not hear Him. He knows our lives would be better and we would experience His Love, peace, and joy if only we would quiet ourselves, keep our attention on Him, and follow His gentle leading.
We are sealed in Him. He isn’t going anywhere. Our future is secure. What’s at stake is our satisfaction, our enjoyment, our inner peace. This is the reason for all the imperatives, all the commandments we find in the Scriptures.
Our chapter concludes with more good advice.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Notice again the reason given, the motivation for our godly conduct. It is not so that we gain acceptance or remain in God’s “good graces.” Instead, it is gratitude and thankfulness for what He has already done for us. We are forgiven people. Can you even imagine how great that is!? When we grasp this truth, we are filled with Love and gratitude. It is from this place that we find the motivation to give up unsightly and ungodly things in favor of kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness.
We are not doing any of this by our own strength of will. Philippians 2:13 tells us where our help comes from. It tells us that “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
