EPHESIANS ...

  How to be a real Christian!

     

Should you take a trip to Turkey, you could walk through the ruins of the old restored city of Ephesus.  On our trip to the Greek Islands years ago, we were delighted to be able to take a tour of the streets of ancient Ephesus.  We actually stood in the spot where Paul addressed a crowd at the arena and was run out of town by the idol makers.  We were able to walk through the short tunnel where Paul fled to the harbor to escape the angry mob.  But this city had a greater message than what happened to Paul, it is a book about new gentile Christians who needed instructions on how God expected them to behave.

Ephesians...A BOOK WRITTEN TO THE CONVERTED OF EPHESUS 

It was here in Ephesus that Paul addressed newly converted gentiles and taught them the precepts of real Christianity.  If you are newly converted or just want to make some positive changes in your life by following the real precepts of Christianity, this is a good place to start.  This is the behavior God expects.  Passover is not far away, and this is a good place to examine ourselves and make changes in our life for the better.

PAUL'S INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO BE A REAL CHRISTIAN
Our notes on word meanings are there to clarify.

²² That ye put off concerning the former conversation (conduct) the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

²³ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

²⁴ And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

²⁵ Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.

²⁶ Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

²⁷ Neither give place to the devil.

²⁸ Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs.

²⁹ Let no corrupt communication (foul or abusive language) proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying (building up), that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

³⁰ And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

³¹ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor (shout angrily, outbursts), and evil speaking (blasphemies) be put away from you, with all malice (doing evil to others).

³² And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

 

MORE ON HOW TRUE CHRISTIANS SHOULD BEHAVE.

 

Paul continues in his instructions for real Christians.

 

5 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

² And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.

³ But fornication (sexual sin), and all uncleanness (impurity), or covetousness (greed), let it not be once named among you, as becomes saints;

⁴ Neither filthiness (obscene, obscenity, indecent or smutty), nor foolish talking (flippant), nor jesting (nasty or vulgar talk), which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

⁵ For this ye know, that no whoremonger (immoral person), nor unclean (impure) person , nor covetous (greedy) man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

⁶ Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

⁷ Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

⁸ For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

⁹ (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

¹⁰ Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

¹¹ And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

 

This is not a review of the whole book, it is short, only 6 chapters, but we will do a whole article on chapter 6 along sometimes.  When you read the Bible, slow down, look at what it says, compare it with other scriptures to get a fuller understanding. And use context to get a broader view of the subject.  Don't go by what you have been told that it says, tradition negates truth.