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.