The Bible study looked at Ephesians 4 this week: as Stephen summarised it, ‘how to exercise so we walk the walk and live the life’.
Some of the thoughts from this study:
verse 1 “Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
The word translated ‘live’ in the NIV is ‘peripateo’ in the Greek (from which the English word ‘peripatetic’ is derived), and means to walk at large, to tread around, figuratively, to live, deport oneself or to follow. The word ‘worthy’ is ‘axios’ which carries the idea of equal weight or balance. Thus, our conduct and calling should be in balance.
verse 2
Believers’ attitudes are important. In this verse, we are exhorted to be humble, gentle and patient. Humility is the opposite of pride; gentleness is the opposite of self-assertion and patience means an ability to endure to the end.
verses 3-6
The unity of the Spirit is characterised in these verses by seven different things:
1) one body
2) one Spirit
3) one hope
4) one Lord
5) one faith
6) one baptism
7) one God and Father of all
verses 7-16
The unity in the body of Christ is seen through a diversity of spiritual gifts, released to us through Jesus who left glory to walk on earth and has since ascended to glory. The gifts of apostles and prophets lay the foundation of the body; evangelists help with the building of the body and pastors and teachers continue the work of shepherding. These ministries prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.
verses 17-32
Here, we look at two sides of the same coin, namely human nature without Christ and what our nature in Christ should look like. The list of how we used to act, and can still act if we allow our old natures to triumph, is long and depressing. If we allow God to work in us, however, we can have a ‘new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness’, a nature that shows kindness, compassion, forgiveness and truth to all people. In this way, we have a new ‘attitude makeover’… one that will last a lifetime!