How To Walk as a Christian

1. How To Walk as a Christian • Ephesians, written by Paul, a “prison epistle,” written by “an ambassador in bonds,” Ephesians 6:20. • The book naturally Divides into two main divisions. • Chapters 1-3 reveal what God has done for us through Christ. • Chapters 4-6 reveal what we are to do for God (how we are to walk as Christians).

2. What God has Done For Us: • “Blessed us with all spiritual blessings, Ephesians ”1:3. • Adopted us as “children,” Ephesians 1:5. • Made us “accepted in the beloved,” 1:6. • He has Redeemed us, Ephesians 1:7. • He has forgiven us, Ephesians 1:7. • He has “made known to us the mystery of His will,” Ephesians 1:9

3. What God has done for Us: • He has provided for us an “inheritance,” Ephesians 1:11. • He has “sealed us with the Holy Spirit of promise,” Ephesians 1:13. • He has given us life, Ephesians 2:1,5. • Reconciled us unto Him “in one body,” Ephesians 2:16. • Made us “partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel,” Ephesians 3:6.

4. Observations: • In chapters 1-3 He tells us what God has done for us. • In chapters 4-6 He tells us what we are to do for God. • Chapters 1-3 are largely doctrinal in nature. • Chapters 4-6 are largely applicational. • Chapters 4-6 tell us how we are to walk as Christians; chapters 1-3 provide the motivation for the conduct prescribed.

5. Positively – Walk Worthy of Vocation…Eph. 4:1. • “Walk” (peripateo), “the whole round of the activities of the individual life.” • “Worthy” – a manner consistent with what God has done for him. • Beforehand they had “walked according to the course of this world,” Ephesians 2:2. • “Vocation” – in a manner consistent with our “heavenly calling,” cf. Heb. 3:1

6. Walking “Worthy of the Vocation” – Involves: • Lowliness, or humility, 4:2; James 5:6. • Meekness. • Longsuffering, or “patience with respect of persons,” Weust. • Forbearing another in love,” 4:2. • Paul was writing to people who formerly hated one another! • Effort! – “Endeavoring to keep…” 4:3.

7. Walking Worthy of theVocation – Negatively: • “Walk not as other Gentiles walk,” Eph. 4:17-18; cf. 2:2-3. • “In the vanity of their mind,” 4:17. • “Putting Away,” Ephesians 4:25. • Lying, Ephesians 4:25. • Prolonged Anger, Ephesians 4:26. • Stealing, Ephesians 4:28. • Corrupt Communication, Ephesians 4:29.

8. Walking Worthy – Reverting back to the Positive • “Walk in love,” Ephesians 5:2. • “As Christ has loved us.” “As” an adverb of action; the kind of love which motivated Jesus. John 13:34-25; 15:13; Romans 5:8. • “Walk as children of light,” Eph. 5:8. • “Teknon,” denoting “a born one,” one born again! John 3:3,5. • God is light, I John 1:5. • Hence, no fellowship with darkness! 5:11.

9. Walk Circumspectly, 5:16 • “Circumspectly” (akribos) “exactly, accurately, carefully,” Weust. • “Not as fools, but as wise,” Eph. 5:16. • Why should we so walk? • We have an adversary who is trying to devour us! I Peter 5:8

10. Walking Circumspectly Involves: • “Redeeming the time,” Eph. 5:16. • Metaphorically, it means “to make a wise and sacred use of every opportunity for doing good.” cf. Galatians 6:10. • Utilizing opportunities for increasing our “understanding” of the will of the Lord, Eph. 5:17. • Utilizing opportunities to worship God, Eph. 5:18-19; cf. Colossians 3:16.

11. Observation: • Our “Walk” includes heeding all these passages. • It also includes heeding the positive instructions set forth in these chapters: • “Forgiving one another,” 4:32. • Being thankful, 5:20. • Honoring obligations in marriage, 5:22-33. • Honoring parent-child obligations, 6:1-4. • The employer-employee relationship, 6:5-9. • Putting on the whole armor of God, 6:10-18

12. Conclusion: • Clearly, there are many obligations and responsibilities involved in our “walk” as Christians. • But think of the blessings set forth! • A cause-effect relationship between blessings and responsibilities. • Honoring these obligations brings joy both in the here and the hereafter!