Truth, Judgment and Eternity Ephesians 4:25-32

1. Rejecting Every Form of Evil Truth, Judgment and Eternity Ephesians 4:25-32

2. Overview of Chapter 4:25-32 • Rejecting Every Form of Evil vv 25-32 • v25 Reject Falsehood • v26 Reject Anger • v27 Reject the Devil • v28 Reject Theft • v29 Reject unwholesome Talk • v30 Grieving the Spirit of God • v31 Reject all bad attitudes • v32 Be Kind and Forgiving like God

3. Reject Falsehood • Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore, rejecting all falsity and being done now with it, let everyone express the truth with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one body and members one of another.” (AMP) • Paul here encourages believers to put off falsehood and to speak truthfully to each other. • Too many times we allow lies and deceit to trickle into our church circles, this is dangerous to the Body of Christ and an abomination to God the Father.

4. Reject Anger • Ephesians 4:26-27 “When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down. Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].” (AMP) • This is a real check point for many of us in this day and age; we are all so wound up that we find it so easy to crack, and in the process we sin. • But it is important to note that we are told to let it not last long and to restore relations with whoever we got angry, or repent of it (in the case of people we cannot restore with) in doing this the devil does not get a foothold in our life.

5. Reject Theft • Ephesians 4:28 “Let the thief steal no more, but rather let him be industrious, making an honest living with his own hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need.” (AMP) • Theft is a real problem for many, there is a deep rooted belief in humans that if you don’t get caught its ok. • However as Christians living in the fear of God, we know we are caught, for He sees all. • We are encouraged to be industrious, to get to work, so that we will have plenty, and be able to give to those in need (The poor and destitute).

6. Reject Unwholesome Talk • Ephesians 4:29 “Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.” (AMP) • How many of us fall pray to worthless talk? • Paul is making it clear that our speech must be a blessing and give grace to those who hear it.

7. Grieving the Spirit of God • Ephesians 4:30 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God’s own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin).” (AMP) • The Word of God tells us that the Holy Spirit can be grieved. • Paul also points out that we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, branded and secured for the day of redemption from sin.

8. We are Delivered • We are delivered therefore do not sin: 1Corinthians 6:15-20 “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” [Gen. 2:24] But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.”

9. Reject All Bad Attitudes • Ephesians 4:31 “Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).” (AMP) • This list of negative attitudes which we are to deal with, is all encompassing. • Paul tells us here to banish (forbid, abolish, get rid of) all these attitudes from our life.

10. Be Kind and Forgiving like God • Ephesians 4:32 “And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.” (AMP) • Paul sums up this section with a trump card: To forgive one another readily and freely just as God forgave us. By doing this we are able to overcome every form of evil. • He also elaborates that we should become useful and helpful, being kind, tenderhearted, compassionate with understanding, with hearts full of love for one another. • Read Matthew 18:23-35

11. In Conclusion • Some Christians think that if I teach these guidelines to the Christian life, as laid down by Paul, that I am proclaiming legalism. They say that we are saved by grace and not works, and that I am advocating a works based salvation. • However, why does Jesus, Paul, Peter, John and James exhort believers to such levels of holiness if it does not weigh heavily upon our salvation? • Two answers: if we are truly saved we will walk in the Spirit and the fruit of that would be resisting all forms of evil. • Secondly, if the apostles never taught us what to avoid then we would not know what to avoid, and therefore we would find ourselves sinning all the more and grieving the Holy Spirit.