New Way to Walk

October 9, 1988 PM

Ephesians 4:17-5:2

INTRODUCTION

Look again with me at one of the Golden Chapters. There is no short cut to spiritual power, but also there is no limit to how high and deep and strong we can grow in God's love! (As Paul exulted in Ephesians 3:20- He is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think!)

I. We can LISTEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT (verse 17-19)

("... to comprehend with all saints [the dimensions of] God's love!)"

There is a contrast on every point in the two "walks:"

  1. The Gentiles are insensitive to God's leading because:
    1. A WRONG POINT OF VIEW (v 17)

      "the futility" [vanity] of their mind is a self-centered, UN-faith point of view. They are incapable of really trusting Romans 8:28!

    2. A LIMITATION OF UNDERSTANDING (v 18)

      "their understanding is darkened" (II Timothy 3:7 "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.") In spiritual ignorance about what LIFE is all about because "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom!"

    3. A DAMAGED CAPACITY TO GIVE/RECEIVE LOVE (v 18)

      "hardness (or blindness) of heart" ... An inability to really LOVE because the world usually mistakes "love" for a good feeling (instead of giving, and living for the one who is loved); until there must be an ever-increasing thrill (v19) "become callous, given over to every kind of impurity with greediness")

  2. But (in contrast Paul says) YOU have not so learned Christ!
    1. Instead of vanity (or a selfish POINT OF VIEW) we are (2:6) "SEATED WITH CHRIST IN THE HEAVENLIES!"

      Now of course this doesn't mean we are literally carried up to heaven, from whence we look down on all the troubles of the world.

    2. Instead of spiritual ignorance we have received (1:17-19) THE TEACHER HIMSELF! The Holy Spirit will guide us into truth!
    3. Instead of LUST and SELFISHNESS we receive (3:19) THE LOVE OF CHRIST! The capacity for real love!

II. We can LIVE DAILY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT (verse 22-29)

(...and let "faith" filter down into everyday life!)

The contrast carries forward:

  1. The walk of the "Gentiles" is represented by the "old self" (v 22) "which is being corrupted with the lusts of deceit"
  2. But Christians have a renewing available (v 23:)
    1. (25) Honest in our dealings with fellow-Christians: MORE than merely not lying; this means praying for one another; it means leaving sham and pretending. It means the risk of friendship.
    2. (26) Can this mean HEALING HURT FEELINGS?? We must let the Holy Spirit cleanse us daily from the hurts and cuts and bruises of the spirit before they fester into sores and cancer!
    3. (28) OPEN OUR EYES TO THE DOCTRINE OF VOCATION

      By "vocation" I mean bringing the Holy Spirit into my everyday living! IS MY LIFE-WORK SANCTIFIED?

      1. (v 28) This included doing an honest day's work for an honest day's pay. "Let him labor!"
      2. But this is deeper than just honesty in work; it means that we do whatever we do AS CHRISTIANS! We are to bring glory to God by the way we go about our work!

        I've spoken before about the hazard of a TGIF ("Thank God It's Friday) mentality ... when we live only for the time we have to use 'selfishly.' Certainly we enjoy rest and vacation time and renewal. But we need to say TGIM, too! And we need to be alive during working hours—listening for the Spirit's leading. It is less than LIFE when we put any segment of our time merely "on hold."

      3. A Christian who has this doctrine of vocation will be a benediction to her/his family! Regardless of what kind of work he does, there will be respect. [ The dignity of a man who knows what he is doing and takes great pride in his work. Multiplied when that person is a Spirit-filled Christian! ]

        Henri Amiel said: "The religion of a child depends on what mother and father are, and not on what they say. The inner and unconscious ideal which guides their life is precisely what touches the child; their words, their remonstrance, their punishments, their bursts of feeling even, are for him merely thunder and comedy; what they worship, this is it which his instinct divines and reflects." We need to live daily in the Spirit.

III. We can LOVE BY THE INDWELLING SPIRIT (verse 30 - 5:2)

  1. Love is NOT (primarily) something we FEEL. First of all, it is what we center our lives around— what we really LIVE for!
  2. (v 31) The SPRINGS of love must be KEPT clear. We dare not let any of these things ("bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander ... all malice— ill will) find a home in our thinking; we dare not let them stay awhile until they begin to fester.

    The feelings of frustration must never be denied. But neither can we tolerate them! How do we deal with them? We confess them! We bring them to the blood! Simply we need to bring them to Jesus, to the Holy Spirit, to the blood!

CONCLUSION:

Love like this is the most powerful thing in all the Universe!

At the beginning I said: "There is no short cut to spiritual power, but also there is no limit to how high and deep and strong we can grow in God's love!"

If we will deliberately walk in love— which is the same as walking in the Spirit— God is able to (Ephesians 3:20) DO EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY BEYOND ALL THAT WE ASK OR THINK!

When we walk like this, we walk in fellowship with Jesus by His Spirit. (We PLEASE, not GRIEVE the Holy Spirit!)

When we walk like this, we walk in fellowship with one another (We embody Christ's spirit, the spirit of kindness.)

When we walk like this, we overcome in the evil day (6:13)

When we walk like this, NOTHING CAN KEEP US FROM GOD'S VERY BEST!

#68 (EH) I will serve Thee because I love Thee