Ephesians 4:17-24
3R’s
Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn.Ephesians 4:17-24
Living as Children of Light
17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
20You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Let’s look at this passage in "The Message."Ephesians 4:17-24 (The Message)
The Old Way Has to Go
17And so I insist--and God backs me up on this--that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. 18They've refused for so long to deal with God that they've lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. 19They can't think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion.
20But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! 21My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. 22Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything--and I do mean everything--connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life--a God-fashioned life, 23a life renewed from the inside 24and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.
People should be able to see the difference between Christians and non-Christians. Pauls insists-and God backs him up, that Christians live life above the mindless crowd. Many people understand how to live, but refuse to do so. We, however, know Christ. Because we love him and want to live as him, we have chosen to live a life of love. We have to get rid of everything that holds us back, and because we know what God and Jesus expect from us, we have no excuses.
The new life is a life with God. Is there anything on this earth that would compare with God? I didn’t think so. So why do we hang on to things that hold us back? Instead of aimlessly going with the crowd, we should be directing the crowd. Don’t be a follower-be a leader, a leader to life eternal
Prayer- Dear Lord, Help me live the life you have showed me to live. Help me resist temptation, and give the patience to see what is right. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do today: Read Ephesians 4:25-32. Review your covenant with God about Lent. Take an inventory of the baggage(good and bad,) in your life.
Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn.Ephesians 4:17-24
Living as Children of Light
17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
20You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Let’s look at this passage in "The Message."Ephesians 4:17-24 (The Message)
The Old Way Has to Go
17And so I insist--and God backs me up on this--that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. 18They've refused for so long to deal with God that they've lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. 19They can't think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion.
20But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! 21My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. 22Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything--and I do mean everything--connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life--a God-fashioned life, 23a life renewed from the inside 24and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.
People should be able to see the difference between Christians and non-Christians. Pauls insists-and God backs him up, that Christians live life above the mindless crowd. Many people understand how to live, but refuse to do so. We, however, know Christ. Because we love him and want to live as him, we have chosen to live a life of love. We have to get rid of everything that holds us back, and because we know what God and Jesus expect from us, we have no excuses.
The new life is a life with God. Is there anything on this earth that would compare with God? I didn’t think so. So why do we hang on to things that hold us back? Instead of aimlessly going with the crowd, we should be directing the crowd. Don’t be a follower-be a leader, a leader to life eternal
Prayer- Dear Lord, Help me live the life you have showed me to live. Help me resist temptation, and give the patience to see what is right. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do today: Read Ephesians 4:25-32. Review your covenant with God about Lent. Take an inventory of the baggage(good and bad,) in your life.
posted by Steve Killam TMTL | 6:08 AM
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