November 12, 2017
Ephesians 4:14-24
God's expectation for the Body of Christ is to grow up / mature as an adult in Christ, Eph. 4:14 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; In a survey, of both Democrats and Republicans, Sixty six percent ( 66% )of those surveyed did not believe the devil was real or a force to be dealt with today. The percentage was equally divided between both parties. Now this is people who are leading our country. You better be on your knees praying for elected officials, 1 Timothy 2:1-2.
We are warned about our enemy, I Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
"Be sober" alert, watch, lookout, be vigilant" keeping on looking, be very watchful
We are in a warfare led by our enemy, the world, the flesh and the devil. We are to resist steadfast in the faith.
The goal of satan is to present a counterfeit christ,
In the Word of God, we are warned about false teachers and preachers who gamble with your eternal destiny and your soul, your life. "....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;" Ephesians 4:14b
"Wind of doctrine" We need to be concerned about Bible Doctrine, what the Bible has to say. It not about every new thing or different thing that man has to say, that comes along like the wind.
"Sleight of men" means gambling, fraud, trickery.
If you are not founded, grounded, on the Word of God then your opinions are formed, as to say by the throw of the dice. You are just gambling on being right; trying to form an opinion by opening the Bible at random to determine a point of service or doctrine rather than studying the Word of God, 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. If you form an opinion at random then you will be tossed to and fro by every "wind of doctrine". I want my opinion formed by the Word of God
"Hence, it means game, gambling; and then anything that turns out by mere chance or hap-hazard - as a game at dice does. It "may" possibly also denote the trick or fraud that is sometimes used in such games; but it seems rather to denote a man's forming his religious opinions by "the throw of a die;" or, in other words, it describes a man whose opinions seem to be the result of mere chance. Anything like casting a die, or like opening the Bible at random to determine a point of duty or doctrine, may come under the description of the apostle here, and would all be opposed to the true mode, that by calm examination of the Bible, and by prayer A man who forms his religious principles by chance, can un" form" them in the same way; and he who has determined his faith by one cast of the die, will be likely to throw them into another form by another." From Barnes on e sword Ephesians 4:14
- I want to grow up into Christ that I might be in the right place, in the Body of Christ. Ephesians 4:16, 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 Christ is compared to the human body. The head influences the body. The human body is arranged for growth and activity - you know the advertisement: a body in motion tends to stay in motion. And every part adds to enhancement to the other part. In fact, if one part is out of place the entire body does not function properly.
The Church, the Body of Christ is arranged for growth and activity; there is a work to be done. You were created to be in your proper place, "From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth..."
"fitly joined together" Put together by the Holy Spirit to be in the best place to serve Christ. In this we are able to enhance to Body of Christ.
"Compacted" knit together - every part of the body is united
"by that which every joint supplieth" Every person contributes to the working of the whole. Every joint supplies and is depended upon the other. The body suffers when you don't provide that which God has enable you to do.
- . I want to grow up into Christ that I might live my life pleasing to Him, 4:17-0. I want to have a part with Christ in eternity, Psalm 103:11-17 Those promises are to who fears Him - respects Him. It is not to those who walk in the vanity of their mind.
Vanity of the mind = that which is opposed to God, emptiness, that which is morally wrong. You are to set your mind on Christ, Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Your affections is what you mind dwells on.
Here is a mind left to its self, Eph 4:18 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: Eph 4:19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
But that is not what you got from Christ, Eph 4:20 But ye have not so learned Christ; Ephesians 4:21, If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: Notice the verse does not end there - What is the truth that you have learned in Christ? That you can't live according to your sinful nature: and have His blessing.4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; The heart is deceitful and wicked. How do you put it off? 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; How are you renewed in the spirit of your mind? Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. That is how you put off and put on. Look at Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: The new man is renewed in knowledge.
- . I want to grow up into Christ that I might know Him, Php :10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
We are brought not only to salvation but to Christ Himself. Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, Eph 3:18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
The new life that Christ has given us: the new man is righteousness and true holiness.
2Ti 1:15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; Paul had come to the end of his life. He was to soon die, 2Ti 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
All those in Asia heard the message of Christ, Acts 19:10. Why did they turn away from Paul? It was his message. What did Paul say, Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, He wanted to gain the knowledge of Christ.
Asia today is Turkey a land blinded to the gospel - The desire of satan is to blind you to the gospel. If you turn away from the gospel you turn away from Christ.
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