CHAPTER 4

1-3 1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy
of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing
one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Paul calls himself a prisoner "of the Lord".
He felt that being a prisoner for the cause of Christ was God's WILL!
He was a physical prisoner of Nero; but he was a spiritual prisoner for the
Lord's purpose.
And, that purpose would be shown as he ministered to many in the
prison, and many received Jesus as Lord.

Do you sometimes feel confined in your position, and you can see
no way to change it?
Maybe you should consider it God's WILL, and minister to those
around you.

So then, "walk WORTHY of the vocation" in which you are called.

AND, do that exhibiting an humble mannerism, showing loving concern
for all around you.

THAT is how you ENDEAVOR to keep "the unity of the Spirit."
Jesus prayed, in John 17:21, "That they all may be one; as thou, Father,
art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world
may believe that thou hast sent me."

There is always the possibility of disagreement when many are together;
especially in a large family like the church.
However, "the bond of peace" in Christ allows that while we
may disagree, we can still be aggreable in serving the Lord TOGETHER.
BECAUSE ----

4-6
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope
of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

The Word of God (Jesus) is the body and revelation of God, and God's plan
for mankind.
The Christian church is that "body" on earth today, and Jesus
is "the Head over all things to the church." (Eph. 1:22-23)

As a member of the church, we are subject to the "Head,"
which is Christ.
Being so, we must act and live according to the Father's plan, because
that's what Jesus exemplified in His life.
And, we are moved by the "Spirit" put the Father's plan in action
as we are subject to Christ the "Head."

Remember Deut. 6:4, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD..."
Again, might I say, that word "one" does not denote singularity;
it denotes UNISON, HARMONY.

And may I repeat "ENDEAVORING to KEEP the UNITY of the
Spirit, in the bond of peace."

7 But unto every one uf us is given grace according to the measure
of the gift of Christ.

EACH truly saved Christian is endowed with GRACE.
It is a "GIFT" by being "IN Christ."

This gift is given by "the MEASURE of Christ."
That grace is UNLIMITED!!

As a Christian, we are still sinners, and do not DESERVE that grace.
Grace is the unmerited favor of God poured out upon His mankind.
It is there, to remind Christians that God loves us, AND
for us to SHOW others God's love for mankind.
Grace is when Christ died on the cross regardless of our sin.
And, when He died, He paid the PRICE to save us from the SLAVERY
of sin!

8-10
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive,
and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the
lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all
heavens, that he might fill all things.)

Christ "descended" by shedding His glory, and coming to be
a man among men and reveal the goodness of God.
He died on a cross for our sins.
He "descended" into the tomb ("the lower parts of the earth!")
Then, He rose from the grave, and "ascended" back to the
glory of eternal heaven.

WHEN Christ "ascended" He gave "gifts" to men.
He gave the gift of offering to save us from our sinful selves.
He gave the gift of faith to those who received Him as Lord.

AND, He gave certain gifts to the CHURCH.

11-12
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying
of the body of Christ:

We might add, He gave the gifts of singers, musicians, deacons, and even
janitors!

EVERY Christian has some "gift" to use in service to the Lord.
THAT'S why it is important to have UNITY in the church.
The "body" does not operate correctly when members are lax
in service, or when members are at odds with one another.

Note WHY these gifts are there:
"for the PERFECTING of the saints,
for the WORK of the ministry,
for the EDIFYING of the body of Christ!:"

WHERE and HOW is YOUR "gift" being USED?

HOW LONG are we to EXERCISE our "gift(s)?"

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son
of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness
of Christ:

ALL Christians are to exercise their gifts ALL the time!
This insures that each member receives what is needed to GROW.
It also ensures that OTHERS will come to KNOW the Lord Jesus!

((I remember a lady who applied this to her life in her latter years.
She was bedridden. But EVERY week she called EVERY member
of her Sunday School class to see if they were ok, and to remind them
to be in Sunday School. And if one was ill, she called their deacon,
and asked him to go and visit with them.))

(I also remember a man who was the church "do-it" man. EVERY time
the church was to be opened, he was there an hour early to make sure
the door was open, the lights were on, the heater or A/C unit was set to
the proper temperature. And, if the baptistry was to be used on Sunday,
this man was there to fill it and get it to the right temperature on Saturday.)

Be DILIGENT in the use of your "gift(s)" for the BENEFIT of others!

Here is ANOTHER reason.

14-15
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried
about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is
the head, even Christ:

Christians need to GROW in Christ.
Again, let me say, that Peter's LAST words to the church were:
"But grow im grace. and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." (2Pet 3:18)

EVERY Christian needs Bible study, and the help of other Christians
to learn from the bible.
BECAUSE there are many out there who will deceive and use their wiles
to move Christians into a falsehood.
AND, we ALL need to "grow up into" Christ in every thing we do!

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that
which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure
of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

The body of the church is like the body of a person.
There must be coordination between brain, nerves, tendons and muscles.

The body of the church DEPENDS on EACH part!
Coordination and cooperation will not occur unless the parts are
working TOGETHER!

The disease of disunity causes the body of the church to have DISABILITY!

17-19
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as
other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God
through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness,
to work all uncleanness with greediness.

The words "vanity of their mind" mean that they serve SELF
more than anything, and includes moral wrongness.

Paul continues to add meaning to that term by saying that they have
"understanding darkened," and are "alienated" from the
living God!
They have "blindness of their heart," and "work all
uncleanness with greediness."

Christ is the LIGHT, or the revelation of God to mankind.
To be WITHOUT Christ is to walk in "darkness" or immorality.
Jesus said, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall
not walk in darkness, but shall have the light (understanding) of life."
(John 8:12)

Christians should LIVE so as to give the UNDERSTANDING of Christ to
others.

20-24
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth
is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation 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.

A Christian learns about Christ, and how to live for Him, through the
BIBLE!
And, we learn to live FOR Christ, and SHUN sin.

That word in verse 19 above, "lasciviousness" is translated
from the Greek aselgeia and means WANTONNESS.
Wantonness is inentional bad behavior that has no regard for
consequences.

So, we are to LEARN from Christ THROUGH study of the Bible.
AND, we are to learn to "put off" the manner of living
BEFORE we met Christ, and
to "put ON" the NEW person we are through our surrender
to Christ as Lord.

We must remember 2Cor. 5:17, which says,
"If any man be IN Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE: old things
are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

That's why the Scriptures here put emphasis on "light" and
"darkness."
Once we come to Christ, we receive the UNDERSTANDING that we
are to live daily FOR Him, not for self.
And the understanding (light) of Christ causes us to realize that
He has made us "born again" spiritually and the way we
view life NOW is totally different from before!

This new person is indwelled by the Holy Spirit of God, Who gives
a totally new understanding of life.
The Christian has, if you will, been RECREATED in the
"righteousness and true holiness" of CHRIST!
God's presence in our person (by His Holy Spirit) causes us to
desire to please God by our living for Christ.
Philippians 2:13 says, "For it is God which worketh IN you both to
WILL and to DO of His good pleasure."

Now, the Scripture turns to things that a Christian is to WORK ON!

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour:
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 labour, working with
his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
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.
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 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.

* Be TRUTHFUL with each other.
* Do not let anger carry forward into the next day.
* Do not give in to the temptations of the devil.
* WORK, don't steal. And SHARE what you have with those less fortunate.
* LANGUAGE is important. How you USE it is MORE important.
Don't use offensive or obscene words, and don't use techniques such
as talking down to others. EDIFY!
* Don't make the Holy Spirit "grieve" that He lives in you!
* Put away from you: bitterness, wrath, anger (it leads to wrath)
clamour (harsh words), evil speaking (gossip), and malice (intentional dishonoring of another).

These are all things we, as Christians, are to WORK ON!
LABOR with them! DETERMINE not to utilize them!

Life is much SWEETER when we do it GOD'S WAY!

Please continue with us in Bible study tomorrow!