4:12 equipping. This refers to restoring something to its original condition, or its being made fit or complete. In this context, it refers to leading Christians from sin to obedience. Scripture is the key to this process (see notes on 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; cf. John 15:3). saints. All who believe in Jesus Christ. See note on 1:1. the work of ministry. The spiritual service required of every Christian, not just of church leaders (cf. 1 Cor. 15:58). the edifying of the body of Christ. The spiritual edification, nurturing, and development of the church (cf. Acts 20:32).
4:13 unity of the faith. Faith here refers to the body of revealed truth that constitutes Christian teaching, particularly featuring the complete content of the gospel. Oneness and harmony among believers is possible only when it is built on the foundation of sound doctrine. the knowledge of the Son of God. This does not refer to salvation knowledge but to the deep knowledge of Christ that a believer comes to have through prayer, faithful study of His Word, and obedience to His commands (cf. Phil. 3:8–10, 12; Col. 1:9, 10; 2:2; see note on 1 John 2:12–14). the fullness of Christ. God wants every believer to manifest the qualities of His Son, who is Himself the standard for their spiritual maturity and perfection. See notes on Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18; Col. 1:28, 29.
4:14 carried about with every wind of doctrine. Spiritually immature believers who are not grounded in the knowledge of Christ through God’s Word are inclined to uncritically accept every sort of beguiling doctrinal error and fallacious interpretation of Scripture promulgated by deceitful, false teachers in the church. They must learn discernment (1 Thess. 5:21, 22). See 3:1; 4:20. The NT is replete with warnings of such danger (Acts 20:30, 31; Rom. 16:17, 18; Gal. 1:6, 7; 1 Tim. 4:1–7; 2 Tim. 2:15–18; 2 Pet. 2:1–3).
4:15 speaking the truth in love. Evangelism is most effective when the truth is proclaimed in love. This can be accomplished only by the spiritually mature believer who is thoroughly equipped in sound doctrine. Without maturity, the truth can be cold and love little more than sentimentality. grow up…into Him. Christians are to be completely yielded and obedient to the Lord’s will, subject to His controlling power and Christlike in all areas of their lives (cf. Gal. 2:20; Phil. 1:21). the head. Given the picture of the church as a body whose head is Christ, “head” is used in the sense of authoritative leader, not “source,” which would have required a different anatomical picture. See 1:22; 5:23.
4:16 from whom. This refers to the Lord. Power for producing mature, equipped believers comes not from the effort of those believers alone but from their Head, the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Col. 2:19). every part does its share. Godly, biblical church growth results from every member of the body fully using his spiritual gift, in submission to the Holy Spirit and in cooperation with other believers (cf. Col. 2:19).
4:17–19 In these verses, Paul gives 4 characteristics of the ungodly lifestyles which believers are to forsake.
4:17 no longer walk. “Walk” expresses daily conduct and refers back to what Paul has said about the believer’s high calling in Christ Jesus (v. 1). Because Christians are part of the body of Christ, have been spiritually gifted by the Holy Spirit, and are edified through other believers, they should not continue to live like the rest of the ungodly (1 John 2:6). Gentiles. All ungodly, unregenerate pagans (cf. 1 Thess. 4:5 which defines them). the futility of their mind. First, unbelievers are intellectually unproductive. As far as spiritual and moral issues are concerned, their rational processes are distorted and inadequate, inevitably failing to produce godly understanding or moral living. Their life is empty, vain, and without meaning (cf. Rom. 1:21–28; 1 Cor. 2:14; Col. 2:18).
4:18 alienated from the life of God. Second, unbelievers are spiritually separated from God, thus ignorant of God’s truth (1 Cor. 2:14), and their willing spiritual darkness and moral blindness is the result (cf. Rom. 1:21–24; 2 Tim. 3:7). They are blind, or “hard” like a rock.
4:19 being past feeling. Third, unbelievers are morally insensitive. As they continue to sin and turn away from God, they become still more apathetic about moral and spiritual things (cf. Rom. 1:32). lewdness…uncleanness. Fourth, unbelievers are behaviorally depraved (cf. Rom. 1:28). As they willingly keep succumbing to sensuality and licentiousness, they increasingly lose moral restraint, especially in the area of sexual sins. Impurity is inseparable from greediness, which is a form of idolatry (5:5; Col. 3:5). That some souls may not reach the extremes of vv. 17–19 is due only to God’s common grace and the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit.
4:20, 21 learned…heard…taught. Three figurative descriptions of salvation, the new birth.
4:21 as the truth is in Jesus. The truth about salvation leads to the fullness of truth about God, man, creation, history, life, purpose, relationships, heaven, hell, judgment, and everything else that is truly important. John summed this up in 1 John 5:20.
4:22 put off. To strip away, as in taking off old, filthy clothes. This describes repentance from sin and submission to God at the point of salvation. See notes on Col. 3:3–9 (cf. Is. 55:6, 7; Matt. 19:16–22; Acts 2:38–40; 20:21; 1 Thess. 1:9). the old man. The worn out, useless, and unconverted sinful nature corrupted by deceit. Salvation is a spiritual union with Jesus Christ that is described as the death plus burial of the old self and the resurrection of the new self walking in newness of life. This transformation is Paul’s theme in Rom. 6:2–8 (see notes there).
4:23 be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Salvation involves the mind (see notes on Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 10:5), which is the center of thought, understanding, and belief, as well as of motive and action (cf. Col. 3:1, 2, 10). When a person becomes a Christian, God gives him a completely new spiritual and moral capability that a mind apart from Christ could never achieve (cf. 1 Cor. 2:9–16).
4:24 put on the new man. The renewal of the mind in salvation brings not simply a renovation of character, but transformation of the old to the new self (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17). which was created according to God. In Christ, the old self no longer exists as it had in the past; the new self is created in the very likeness of God (cf. Gal. 2:20). in true righteousness and holiness. Righteousness relates to the Christian’s moral responsibility to his fellow men reflecting the second table of the law (Ex. 20:12–17), while holiness refers to his responsibilities to God, reflecting the first table (Ex. 20:3–11). There is still sin in the believer’s unredeemed human flesh (see notes on Rom. 7:17, 18, 20, 23, 25; 8:23).
4:25 putting away lying. More than simply telling direct falsehoods, lying also includes exaggeration and adding fabrications to something that is true. Cheating, making foolish promises, betraying a confidence, and making false excuses are all forms of lying, with which Christians should have no part (cf. John 8:44; 1 Cor. 6:9; Rev. 21:8). speak truth with his neighbor. Quoted from Zech. 8:16. God’s work in the world is based on truth, and neither the church nor individual believers can be fit instruments for the Lord to use if they are not truthful.
4:26 Be angry, and do not sin. Quoted from Ps. 4:4. By NT standards, anger can be either good or bad, depending on motive and purpose. Paul may have been sanctioning righteous indignation, anger at evil. This type of anger hates injustice, immorality, ungodliness, and every other sin. When such anger is unselfish and based on love for God and others, it not only is permissible but commanded. Jesus expressed this righteous anger (see Matt. 21:12; Mark 3:5; John 2:15). sun go down. Even righteous anger can turn to bitterness, so should be set aside by the end of each day. If anger is prolonged, it may become hostile and violate the instruction of Rom. 12:17–21.
4:28 steal no longer. Stealing in any form is a sin and has no part in the life of a Christian. Rather, let him work, producing what is beneficial (cf. Ex. 20:15). The alternative to stealing is to provide for oneself, one’s family, and others what is God-honoring through honest, honorable means (cf. 2 Thess. 3:10, 11; 1 Tim. 5:8). give him who has need. A Christian not only should harm no one but should continually endeavor to help those who are in need. See Luke 14:13, 14; Acts 20:33–35.
&nbs
p; 4:29 corrupt word. The word for “corrupt” refers to that which is foul or rotten, such as spoiled fruit or putrid meat. Foul language of any sort should never pass a Christian’s lips, because it is totally out of character with his new life in Christ (see Col. 3:8; James 3:6–8; cf. Ps. 141:3). good for necessary edification. The Christian’s speech should be instructive, encouraging, uplifting, (even when it must be corrective), and suited for the moment (cf. Prov. 15:23; 25:11; 24:26). grace to the hearers. Cf. Col. 4:6. Because believers have been saved by grace and kept by grace, they should live and speak with grace. Our Lord set the standard (Luke 4:22).
4:30 do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. God is grieved when His children refuse to change the old ways of sin for those righteous ways of the new life. It should be noted that such responses by the Holy Spirit indicate He is a person. His personhood is also indicated by personal pronouns (John 14:17; 16:13), His personal care of believers (John 14:16, 26; 15:26), His intellect (1 Cor. 2:11), feelings (Rom. 8:27), will (1 Cor. 12:11), speaking (Acts 13:2), convicting (John 16:8–11), interceding (Rom. 8:26), guiding (John 16:13), glorifying Christ (John 16:14), and serving God (Acts 16:6, 7). sealed for the day of redemption. The Holy Spirit is the guarantor of eternal redemption in Christ for those who believe in Him (see note on 1:13, 14).
4:31, 32 These verses summarize the changes in the life of a believer mentioned in vv. 17–30. “Bitterness” reflects a smoldering resentment. “Wrath” has to do with rage, the passion of a moment. “Anger” is a more internal, deep hostility. “Clamor” is the outcry of strife out of control. “Evil speaking” is slander. “Malice” is the general Gr. term for evil, the root of all vices.
4:32 even as God in Christ forgave you. Those who have been forgiven so much by God should, of all people, forgive the relatively small offenses against them by others. The most graphic illustration of this truth is the parable of Matt. 18:21–35.
Ephesians 5
5:1 be imitators of God. The Christian has no greater calling or purpose than that of imitating his Lord (see notes on 3:16, 19). That is the very purpose of sanctification, growing in likeness to the Lord while serving Him on earth (cf. Matt. 5:48). The Christian life is designed to reproduce godliness as modeled by the Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, in whose image believers have been recreated through the new birth (cf. Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18; 1 Pet. 1:14–16). As God’s dear children, believers are to become more and more like their heavenly Father (Matt. 5:48; 1 Pet. 1:15, 16).
5:2 Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us. The Lord is the supreme example in His self-sacrificing love for lost sinners (4:32; Rom. 5:8–10). He took human sin upon Himself and gave up His very life that men might be redeemed from their sin, receive a new and holy nature, and inherit eternal life (see note on 2 Cor. 5:21). They are henceforth to be imitators of His great love in the newness and power of the Holy Spirit, who enables them to demonstrate divine love. a sweet-smelling aroma. Christ’s offering of Himself for fallen man pleased and glorified His heavenly Father, because it demonstrated in the most complete and perfect way God’s sovereign, perfect, unconditional, and divine kind of love. Leviticus describes 5 offerings commanded by God for Israel. The first 3 were: 1) the burnt offering (Lev. 1:1–17), depicting Christ’s perfection; 2) the grain offering (Lev. 2:1–16), depicting Christ’s total devotion to God in giving His life to please the Father; and 3) the peace offering (Lev. 3:1–17), depicting His peacemaking between God and man. All 3 of these were a “soothing aroma to the Lord” (Lev. 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2, 9, 12; 3:5, 16). The other two offerings, the sin offering (Lev. 4:1—5:13) and the trespass offering (Lev. 5:14–6:7), were repulsive to God because, though they depicted Christ, they depicted Him as bearing sin (cf. Matt. 27:46). In the end, when redemption was accomplished, the whole work pleased God completely.
5:3 fornication…covetousness. In absolute contrast to God’s holiness and love, such sins as these exist (also in v. 5), by which Satan seeks to destroy God’s divine work in His children and turn them as far away as possible from His image and will. As do many other Scriptures, this verse shows the close connection between sexual sin and other forms of impurity and greed. An immoral person is inevitably greedy. Such sins are so godless that the world should never have reason even to suspect their presence in Christians.
5:4 not fitting. These 3 inappropriate sins of the tongue include any speech that is obscene and degrading or foolish and dirty, as well as suggestive and immoral wit. All such are destructive of holy living and godly testimony and should be confessed, forsaken, and replaced by open expressions of thankfulness to God (cf. Col. 3:8).
5:5 For this you know. Paul had taught this truth many times when he pastored the church at Ephesus and it should have been clear in their minds. God never tolerates sin, which has no place at all in His kingdom, nor will any person whose life pattern is one of habitual immorality, impurity, and greed (see v. 3) be in His kingdom, because no such person is saved (see notes on 1 Cor. 6:9, 10; Gal. 5:17–21; 1 John 3:9, 10). the kingdom of Christ and God. A reference to the sphere of salvation where Christ rules the redeemed. See note on Acts 1:3.
5:6 deceive you. No Christian will be sinless in this present life, but it is dangerously deceptive for Christians to offer assurance of salvation to a professing believer whose life is characterized by persistent sin and who shows no shame for that sin or hunger for the holy and pure things of God. They are headed for wrath (2:2) and believers must not partner in any of their wickedness (v. 7).
5:8 darkness…light. “Darkness” describes the character of the life of the unconverted as void of truth and virtue in intellectual and moral matters (cf. 1 John 1:5–7). The realm of darkness is presided over by the “power of darkness,” (Luke 22:53; Col. 1:13) who rules those headed for “eternal darkness” (Matt. 8:12; 2 Pet. 2:17). Tragically, sinners love the darkness (John 3:19–21). It is that very darkness from which salvation in Christ delivers sinners (see notes on John 8:12; Col. 1:13; 1 Pet. 2:9; cf. Ps. 27:1).
5:9 fruit of the Spirit. Better, as in marginal reading, “fruit of the light.” This speaks of that which is produced by walking in the light (cf. 1 John 1:5–7), namely moral excellence of heart, righteous behavior, and truthfulness (honesty or integrity). See notes on Gal. 5:22, 23.
5:10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. “Finding out” carries the idea of testing or proving to learn by clear and convincing evidence what is truly honoring to God. The point is that, as believers walk in the light of the truth, the knowledge of the Lord’s will becomes clear. See Rom. 12:1, 2 where Paul says the same thing, stating that it is only after presenting ourselves as living sacrifices to God that we can know His acceptable will. This relates to assurance of salvation also (see 1 Pet. 1:5–11).
5:11 no fellowship with…darkness. Paul’s instruction is plain and direct: Christians are to faithfully live in righteousness and purity and have nothing at all to do with the evil ways and works of Satan and the world. The two ways of living are unalterably opposed to each other and mutually exclusive. Cf. 1 Cor. 5:9–11; 2 Cor. 6:14–18; 2 Thess. 3:6, 14. but rather expose them. The Christian’s responsibility does not stop with his own rejection of evil. He is also responsible for exposing and opposing darkness wherever it is found, especially when it is found in the church. See notes on Matt. 18:15–17; Gal. 6:1, 2.
5:12 shameful even to speak. Some sins are so despicable that they should be sealed off from direct contact and not even mentioned, much less discussed, except in order to contradict and oppose them. Merely talking about them can be morally and spiritually corruptive. Positive proclamation of the pure truth in the light of the Word exposes all evil (cf. Prov. 6:23; 2 Tim. 3:16).
5:13 for whatever makes manifest is light. This phrase should probably be part of v. 14, and is better translated, “for it is light that makes everything visible.” The pure and illuminating light of God’s Word exposes all the secrets of sin.
5:14 Using this quotation from Is. 60:1, Paul extended a
n invitation for salvation to the unsaved, in order that they may be transformed from children of darkness into children of God’s holy light (cf. Prov. 4:18). These words may have been part of an early church Easter hymn used as an invitation to unbelievers. They express a capsule view of the gospel. Cf. the invitations in Is. 55:1–3, 6, 7 and in James 4:6–10.
5:15 circumspectly, not as fools but as wise. This term means “accurately or precisely with great care” (cf. Ps. 1:1; Matt. 7:14). To live morally is to live wisely. Biblically, a “fool” is not so named because of intellectual limits, but because of unbelief and the consequent abominable deeds (Ps. 14:1; Rom. 1:22). He lives apart from God and against God’s law (Prov. 1:7, 22; 14:9), and can’t comprehend the truth (1 Cor. 2:14) or his true condition (Rom. 1:21, 22). Certainly believers are to avoid behaving like fools (see Luke 24:25; Gal. 3:1–3).
5:16 redeeming the time. The Gr. word for “time” denotes a fixed, measured, allocated season; with the definite article “the,” it likely refers to one’s lifetime as a believer. We are to make the most of our time on this evil earth in fulfilling God’s purposes, lining up every opportunity for useful worship and service. See note on 1 Pet. 1:17. Be aware of the brevity of life (Pss. 39:4, 5; 89:46, 47; James 4:14, 17).
5:17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Knowing and understanding God’s will through His Word is spiritual wisdom. For example, God’s will revealed to us is that people should be saved (1 Tim. 2:3, 4), Spirit-filled (v. 18), sanctified (1 Thess. 4:3), submissive (1 Pet. 2:13–15), suffering (1 Pet. 2:20) and thankful (1 Thess. 5:18). Jesus is the supreme example for all (see John 4:4; 5:19, 30; 1 Pet. 4:1, 2).
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV Page 606