Ephesians 4 - Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible

Ephesians 4:1-2. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

It is a loving call. Walk lovingly. It is the condescension of God that called you. Be, therefore, lowly. It is God in tenderness who has loved you. Be, therefore, meek, «forbearing one another in love.»

Ephesians 4:3-6. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Therefore, strive for unity. Woe unto those who divide believers that rob them of love to one another that set up another gospel which is not another, or in any way detract from the unity of the body of Christ.

Ephesians 4:7. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ

It does not mean that God gives stingingly, but that he gives according to our capacity to receive. We are not all made with the same measure of capacity, because we are not all intended to do the same office; and God gives everyone of us as much grace as we are prepared to receive. The Lord enlarge our hearts that we may hold more of his grace, «according to the measure of the gift of Christ.»

Ephesians 4:8-10. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

Now what were the gifts he gave? He rode up to heaven in triumph. And in Roman triumphs they scattered gold and silver among the people to show the greatness of the trophies which the warriors had brought home. So Christ, when he ascended up on high, scattered gifts among the sons of men. And what were these? Why they were men, for men are God's possession the man Christ Jesus first, and then those whom he uses for himself afterwards.

Ephesians 4:11-13. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

We have not come to that yet; therefore, we need instruction. We seed edifying or building up, and so the Lord gives to his Church, according to his own mind and will, evangelists, pastors, and the like. Sometimes these are pastors whom God never sent; and a man may take upon himself the voice of an evangelist who was never called, and consequently is no gift of God to the churches, and is a waste of their strength. But if we have those whom God gives, we shall find a priceless gift in the bestowal of such men, upon the Church of God.

Ephesians 4:14-16. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

You see then, brethren, whole we are. We are each one put into his place to do something to the entire body. No limb of the body lives to itself. It is only healthy when it ministers to the health of the whole body. We are nothing, except as we are joined to the rest of God's people, and especially joined to him who is our glorious Head.

Ephesians 4:17-19. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

This, the member of the body of Christ will never do. The Head is holy, so will the members be by that Holy Spirit who sanctifies us.

Ephesians 4:20. But ye have not so learned Christ;

What a beautiful expression this is. It does not say, «Learned the doctrine of Christ,» or «the precept of Christ,» though that were a great truth, but we learn Christ himself. Our school book is Christ. The copy by which we write is Christ. The image to which we desire to be conformed is Christ. «Ye have not so learned Christ.»

Ephesians 4:21-22. If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

You have done with it. You put it off as a beggar puts off his rags when he has fresh garments given him.

Ephesians 4:23-25. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.

You know the eye will not deceive the head. There is no part of the body that will deceive the rest. If the foot perceives that there is a trap-fall, it tells the body, and it does not lead it astray. If the nostril perceives an evil smell, it tells the body, that it may escape from the noxious effluvium. The body is true to itself. So if we are members one of another lying must be abhorrent. Every thought of it in any shape, must be detestable to us.

Ephesians 4:26. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Be angry sometimes. A man that is never angry, surely has no strong convictions in him, for he that is not angry at evil can scarcely be thought to rejoice in that which is good. But anger is a dog that is very apt to bite the wrong persons; therefore, be ye angry, and sin not. Anger is like fire. Let it always be put out at night. «Let not the sun go down upon your wrath,» but if it lights during the day, keep it in the grate keep it in its proper place, for if fire takes hold where it should not, the house may be destroyed, and the man himself may perish in the fire. If you be angry, as you sometimes must be, «be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down on your wrath.» They say that the stings of some obnoxious creatures will not die until the sun goes down. Well, let the sting of anger die when the sun goes down. Rake out the fire when the sun is down. Do not keep it blazing all night long, ready for the morning. Let it go out, lest our anger become hatred and become malice.

Ephesians 4:27. Neither give place to the devil.

He is standing at the door. If you give him a seat, he will come in, and it is very easy to do so to make an opportunity for the devil to come in. «Neither give place to the devil.» Idle persons, tempt the devil to depart by being busy by being prayerful, and by being much with God. Give no place to the devil.

Ephesians 4:28. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour,

Honest industry is the cure for dishonesty.

Ephesians 4:28. Working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

What a splendid change from a thief up to one that gives to him that needeth! Now, between them, we should have put, «Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labour with his hands» a thing which is good «that he may be able to provide things honest for himself.» A very good idea, too, but the like Christian thought is that he may labour, working with his hands that he may have to give. I wonder how many, even of professing Christians, think of this that the object of labour should be that they may have to give. There are some who think the object is that we may have to keep that we may have to hoard but I say Christ, by his apostle, teaches us that we should labour that we may have to give to him that needeth.

Ephesians 4:29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,

Putrid is the word «no putrid communication» no word, therefore, which tends to do harm to the purest mind nothing which is unsavory; therefore, also, nothing that is untrue nothing that is slanderous nothing that would injure my neighbor. «Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth.» «You may as well say it as think it,» says one. By no manner of means. If you think it, it will do you harm; if you say it, it will do hurt to others. You may have a bottle of poison, and it is much better to keep the cork in, for if somebody should drink it, then they will die. No, «let no corrupt communication proceed cut of your mouth.»

Ephesians 4:29-31. But that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

Why does the apostle say clamor? Why. because when people are angry they generally talk very loud, and I believe that if persons would correct their tone of voice and resolve that they will not speak above their usual tone when they feel heated and provoked, it would greatly assist to check the abolition of passion. So the apostle puts in, «Let all bitterness and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and loud talking all clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice.»

Ephesians 4:32. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

This exposition consisted of readings from Ephesians 4:1. and Ephesians 6:1-15.

Ephesians 4:1. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you-

Paul puts force into the argument by his manner of speaking; you can hear in his words the rattle of his chains. Here is a man who, for Christ's sake, has lost his liberty, and who for that reason pleads with his fellow Christians: «I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you»

Ephesians 4:1. That ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

«Do not dishonour the good cause, let not your lives bring disgrace upon Christ; if you are called Christians, be Christians.»

Ephesians 4:2. With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

This is the very spirit of Christianity, to be able to bear and forbear, to be gentle, not to be selfish or self-seeking, or angry and passionate, but full of lowliness and meekness. Brethren, do not seek the highest place. If you do, you will at least have a contested election, for many want that position; but if you choose the lowest place, you, shall have it, and nobody will try to run in opposition to you. There is always plenty of room in the lowly places, and there is peace there, and, let me whisper to you, they are really the highest places in the Church of God. If we will go down, we shall ascend; but if we are striving to be great, and to be masterful, we shall not gain the ends we are seeking, and we shall not honour our Master.

Ephesians 4:3. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

That is a living ligature which binds the members of the body together. Try to keep in one spirit, united by «the bond of peace.»

Ephesians 4:4. There is one body,

Christ never had two.

Ephesians 4:4. And one Spirit,

There never were two Holy Spirits. The one Spirit that quickened the whole Church of Christ is by himself, alone.

Ephesians 4:4. Even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

You have only one ground of confidence, and you have only one heaven in which you hope to meet all your fellow believers.

Ephesians 4:5. One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

There is only one Lord in the Christian Church; and there is only one faith. There may be many forms of faith, but there is only one true faith. «One baptism.» There may be many baptisms so-called, but there can be only one that is the true baptism.

Ephesians 4:6. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

So that, if we are one in all these things, we ought to be one in a hearty affection towards one another.

Ephesians 4:7. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

That is, to every one of us who are members of his mystical body. The living members of the living body receive according to each one's function and place in the body a measure of grace for the benefit of the whole.

Ephesians 4:8-10. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

When he received gifts for men, and gave them to men, what did he give?

Ephesians 4:11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

Different gifts to different races.

Ephesians 4:12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

The early Church could not have been without apostles, and we cannot do without evangelists. May the Lord send many faithful men who will range over the whole country preaching the Word! Neither can we do without pastors and teachers; and it is idle to attempt to do so. Would God we had many more of the sort that Jesus gives! Those whom men make are worth nothing, but those whom Jesus gives are worth everything.

Ephesians 4:13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

When all Christian people shall be well developed, mature, then the whole body of Christ will come unto the stature of a perfect man. When will that be? There are some who are always looking for the perfect Church of Christ; but they have not seen it yet. When Eve was in the making, Adam did not see her; it was only when she was complete that she became visible; and today, the real Church of Christ is only in the making, and when she has been fashioned out of the side of Christ, then she will be presented to him without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. All the various agencies which God has appointed are working together for the fashioning of this perfect body of the Church. Meanwhile, it is equally true that all believers are intended to grow «unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.» Some of them are yet in spiritual things only like children of a span long, others are but as boys and girls in the streets of Jerusalem, while some are half-developed men and women. Oh, that we could all come «unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ»! You know how the servants stand the recruits against a wall, and then measure them to see whether they are up to the army standard. Now stand upright, and see whether you have come» unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.» Alas! how very short we are! Oh, that we could grow! Spirit of God, make us more like Christ!

Ephesians 4:14. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

There are plenty of so-called Christians of that sort, nowadays, who are too weak to know anything for themselves. They are not settled and grounded, the last person who comes near them, and pulls their ear a little hard, turns their head his way. The next person, who will pull their ear a little harder, will turn their head another way. Be no longer children, I beseech you, brethren, but be men; know what you do know, hold it with the tenacious grip of a divinely-implanted faith, and God help you to escape from those who lie in wait to deceive!

Ephesians 4:15-16. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Every part of the body supplies something that is essential to the whole. There are certain sacs and vessels the use of which we cannot tell; even the best anatomist does not know what are their uses, but he does know that, if they are not there, health cannot be maintained, and, in some instances, life itself would expire if some vessel, quite insignificant, should be taken away. Let us believe that all God's people are essential to the completion of the body of Christ, and that all the workers and all the sufferers, too, are needed to make up the Church of which Christ is the Head.

Ephesians 4:17-19. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: who being past feeling

That is a dreadful condition for anyone to reach; let us pray to God to save us from that terrible state of heart.

Ephesians 4:19. Have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Oh, dear friends, we must come apart from everything that is impure and unclean! May we never, by any conduct of ours, give countenance to unchastity and impurity! Christian people must be clear of these things.

Ephesians 4:20-25. But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on, the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.

They who lie in jest will find out that God puts it down as sinning in earnest. Let us never attempt to deceive. In the East, in olden times, and I might say as much of the present day, it was not usually reckoned a great sin to lie; the great evil was when the liars were found out. Oh! but the Christian man must be true in every word that he speaks, he must faithfully keep his promises, and be known to be a trustworthy, reliable man. If you are not true, Christ will not own you as belonging to him.

Ephesians 4:26. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

If ever angry, be only angry with evil, and never retain anger in your heart. It must not last more than a day. They say that a wasp's sting dies at night; so, let every resentful thought die away as the sun sets.

Ephesians 4:27. Neither give place to the devil.

He will knock at your door, and try to get in; but do not offer him a chair. If he forces his company upon you, let him know he is not welcome.

Ephesians 4:28. Let him that stole steal no more:

If he has only been a petty pilferer, «Let him that stole steal no more.» He that steals a pin will one day steal an ox if he can.

Ephesians 4:28. But rather let him labour,

If he must have something that he does not at present possess, this is the way to get it, not by stealing it, but by labouring for it.

Ephesians 4:28. Working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Observe that our trade must be a right one, not one that injures others: «Working with his hands the thing which is good.» But what a remarkable verse this is! A man has been a thief, and he is to go and get to work; what for? To supply his own necessities? Yes, but he is to rise to something higher than that. He is to work «that he may have to give to him that needeth.» What changes the grace of God makes in a man! He who once took from other people is taught to work that he may give to other people. This is indeed a turning of things the right side uppermost.

Ephesians 4:29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,

Do not utter a dirty or corrupt word, nay, though it has a merry jest appended to it, do not speak it. «He pares his apple who would cleanly feed,» is a good proverb. Take away all that is corrupt about the story.

Ephesians 4:29. But that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

What sweet talking there would be if we all spoke in this way, to «minister grace unto the hearers»! Ah! then, my dear friends, it would not matter how much we talked, if every word was salted with salt.

Ephesians 4:30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

The Holy Spirit's being in you is your seal that you are the child of God, and the power by which you will be preserved till the resurrection; therefore, do not grieve that blessed Spirit.

Ephesians 4:31-32. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another,

«Kind» is a good old Saxon word; it means kinned. Be ye kind, like men who are akin to one another; look on all men as your brothers.

Ephesians 4:32. Tenderhearted, forgiving one another,

You will have something that will need to be forgiven, and your brother will have something which you will need to forgive.

Ephesians 4:32. Even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

The Lord write all these words upon our hearts, for Christ's sake! Amen.

Ephesians 4:1. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,-

«You are called to be sons of God, you are called to be one with Christ, you are called to be kings and priests unto God; this is the highest possible vocation that anyone can have, so walk worthy of it.» O beloved, if we walk worthy of this vocation, what holy and noble lives we shall lead! The apostle so much desired godliness and holiness to be the characteristics of those to whom he wrote that he used a very strong term of entreaty: «I beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,-

Ephesians 4:2. With all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love;-«

You are not called to hector over men, to be lords over God's heritage; you are called to be Christ-like, to be gentle and tender, ready to bear and to forgive all manner of wrong that may be done to you;»

Ephesians 4:3. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Some people seem as if they endeavored to break the unity of the Spirit, and to snap every sacred bond of love and Christian affection; be ye not like unto them, but let Christ's mind be in you; and with lowliness, and meekness, and longsuffering, endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:4-6. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

If there were two lords, you might be divided into two parties; if there were two faiths, you might split up into two sections; if there were two baptisms, you might be right in having two denominations; if there were two fathers, there might be two families; if there were two indwelling spirits, there would be, and there must be, two sorts of people; but, in the true Church of Jesus Christ, there is «one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.»

Ephesians 4:7. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

We have not all the same form of grace, and we cannot all perform the same service for the Saviour; we differ very much from each other as to our abilities, and as to the positions which we can occupy; and our Lord intended it to be so.

Ephesians 4:8-10. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive. and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

Paul could not help giving us this lesson by the way, that he that ascended was also he that first descended; and you may depend upon it that the man who will attain the highest honour in the Church of Christ is the man who descends, who lays aside all ambition, and all desire to be honoured and respected, and who is willing to be nothing. He who thus descends, shall surely ascend.

Ephesians 4:11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

Not all alike, not all apostles or prophets; and not all equals, for pastors may not be equal in rank with apostles. They are not all to do the same work, for all teachers cannot prophesy, neither does a prophet always pasteurize, and watch over a flock. Jesus Christ gave divers gifts,-

Ephesians 4:12-13. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Then, whatever spiritual gifts we have, they are not our own to use as we please; they are only entrusted to us that we may employ them to help our fellow-Christians. Beloved brethren and sisters, we are one with Christ, and we are one with each other; and, therefore, we must not look every man upon his own things, but also upon the things of others; and it should be a question of the first importance to every Christian, «How can I best utilize myself for the benefit of the rest of the members of the Church?» Do not ask, «How can I benefit myself?» but let your enquiry be, «How can I be most profitable to my fellow-Christians?» I have heard some professors say of a sermon that they could not feed under it; the discourse was very likely to be useful to the unconverted, but they could not hear it because they could not feed under it. Their idea seems to be that preaching must always be a spoon used for feeding them; but it is not so. The Word of God contains much spiritual nutriment specially suitable for the lambs of the flock. These men, who are strong, want meat, so they say that they do not enjoy what they hear, it is of no use to them. But are the babes in Christ's family never to be fed? Does not humanity itself teach us that, first of all, the weakest and feeblest should be cared for? Oh, for grace to be unselfish! There is such a thing as Christian selfishness; and, of all evil things in the world, it is the most unchristian. When the first and last concern of a man is his own salvation, his own comfort, his own advancement, his own edification, and nothing besides, he needs to be saved from such a selfish spirit as that.

Ephesians 4:14-16. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, ‘may grow up into him in all things, which is the head even Christ: from whom the ‘whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Every part of the body has its own special function; there are some secret vessels of which as yet the physiologists know very little. What may be the particular use of them has not yet been ascertained; but depend upon it, God has created no part of our body in vain; and, in like manner, in the mystical body of Christ, every Christian man has his own office, his own work, something that he can do that nobody else can do; and our great object should be to find out what that work is, and to give our whole strength to it, for the nourishing of the entire body of Christ.

Ephesians 4:17-19. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: who being past feeling-

That is a terrible expression: «past feeling»-

Ephesians 4:19-25. Have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying,

As a rotten, worn-out garment that you could not bear to wear,-

Ephesians 4:26. Speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.

Then, why should we lie one to another? Should one hand try to deceive the other hand? Should the eye mislead the foot? Surely, the union of one member with all the other members should ensure its truthfulness.

Ephesians 4:26. Be ye angry, and sin not:

If you must be angry, (and you must, sometimes), take care that you do not sin when you are angry. It is rather a difficult thing to be angry, and not to sin; yet, if a man were to see sin, and not to be angry with it, he would sin through not being angry. If we are only angry, in a right spirit, with a wrong thing, we shall manage to obey the injunction of the apostle: «Be ye angry, and sin not:»

Ephesians 4:26. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Never let it outlive the day, but forgive ere the sun goes down.

Ephesians 4:27. Neither give place to the devil.

A man who harbours malice in his heart, invites the devil to come in, and keeps a place ready for him.

Ephesians 4:28. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour,-

For laziness is generally the cause of theft. If a man would work for what he wanted, he would not be tempted to steal it. Paul carries his argument very far, «let him labour,»-

Ephesians 4:28. Working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

What a rise there is here,-from a thief up to a giver to him that needeth! This is what the grace of God does. Here is a man, who used to take his neighbor's goods if he could; but, when grace transforms him, he actually gives a share of his own goods to his poor neighbor; that is a marvelous change.

Ephesians 4:29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,-

I have heard unthinking people say, «Well, if it is in your heart, you may as well speak it; it is better out than in.» I do not agree with them! If you had a barrel of whiskey in your house, that would certainly be a bad thing to be in your possession; but it would not do any hurt so long as you kept it unopened, so that nobody could get at it, for the mischief arises when people begin to drink it. Undoubtedly, it is an evil thing for you to have anything that is corrupt in your heart, but it will not be mischievous to other people until it begins to come out; so, «let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,»-

Ephesians 4:29. But-

Since some communication is sure to come out of your mouth, let it be a good one,-

Ephesians 4:29-31. That which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

Especially take heed of that «evil speaking» against which the apostle warns you, for there are many people who cannot live without speaking; they must talk a great deal, and they often say that which is false; they invent evil, they twist an honest action, and impute wrong motives to the doer of it. A few such persons in a community can cause much of heartache and distress; they little know what servants of Satan they may become. God help us to put away all evil speaking, and all malice!

Ephesians 4:32. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even is God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

That is, very freely, very often, very abundantly, very thoroughly, very heartily: «even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you,» so also do ye.