Ephesians 4:1-3To: Ephesians Main MenuTo: Grace Notes Home Page There is no charge for Grace Notes Materials. You can help further this work by your prayer and by sending a contribution for Grace Notes to Village Missions (address below). Ephesians 4:1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation to which you are called.---------- The books of Ephesians is said to divide here between the "theological" or "doctrinal" portion, chapters 1 to 3, and the "practical" or "application" section of chapters 4 to 6. But you have probably noticed that, when the Bible is taught expositionally verse by verse, most theoretical theology proves to be immensely practical, and the application sections are seen to contain much profound doctrine. But it is true that there is a literary break here and a definite intention to develop practical advice which is derived from the earlier teaching. Chapters 4, 5, and 6 of Ephesians are among the most valuable portions of scripture for teaching us about the will of God for us as individuals. You will go a long way toward mastering the principles of the Christian life by mastering the ideas contained in these chapters, indeed in all of Ephesians. Chapter 4 deals a great deal with mental attitude, and it begins with Paul's great mental attitude under maximum pressure. In this chapter we study: 1. The principle of mental attitude---------- "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord" Paul accepts his imprisonment as part of the plan of God for his life. He is not blaming anyone for his problems, least of all God. He considers this merely an event in his life. He knows that "all things work together for good for those who love God and are called..." During this imprisonment he wrote the mighty works of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, indicating strongly that he was anything but defeated in very tough circumstances. The word "therefore" refers to the previous chapters' teaching. In those chapters, the reader's attention is drawn to the importance of taking in the Word and becoming "rooted and grounded" in truth. The impossible is accomplished through Grace. Through knowing God and His mind, the believer begins to see God and realize that God is able to do "exceedingly abundantly" above all that he can ask or think. We are not really aware of the tremendous assets we have in Christ until we begin to see some of the principles of the Word applied to our lives. Then we develop the strong positive mental attitude that gives control and production the life. ---------- "beseech you", PARAKALEW, "to call to; to cheer on; to exhort; to excite" This Greek word carries the idea of someone being alongside to cheer you on. Paul is not begging; he is not on his knees to us pleading. He is heartily encouraging us. He wants us to be successful in the Christian life, in the operation of the life of the spirit, in the intake and application of truth, in the function of the filling of the Holy Spirit and production of gold, silver, and precious stones. Paul know that we must have the desire and volition to establish our manner of life on Bible principles, on grace principles. Therefore, he begins his discussion of the Christian life with some principles of mental attitude. ---------- "that you walk worthy of the calling" The word "walk" is PERIPATEW in Greek, referring to "conduct of life". The word "worthy" is AKSIOS, meaning "worthy" or "deserving", in classical Greek conveying the meaning of "high price". The word "calling" is KLEISIS, "a calling; a legal summons; an invitation" A calling is not some sort of mystical sense of one's career or destiny. It is an actual summons from someone of importance. God calls the Christian! But how do you know when you've been called? What's the difference between being "called" to the ministry and just following your own desires? And where is the objective evidence that one has been called to preach, teach, be a missionary, etc.? The word "call" today is so abused as to be totally useless. Young people are led to expect anything from skywriting to visions at the foot of their beds. A lot of people just "fake it", describing there call, knowing that there is almost no way to contradict it. Many people answer "calls" which are just the rumblings of their emotions, or their responses to desires for approbation, for power, for recognition. And because keen young people are encouraged to "step out for the Lord", they step much too soon and much to far. In the Bible, a "calling" is objective published information from a specific person. God does not provide information to people outside of His written Word. In the Bible God gives complete information to every Christian about His plan, His will for the Christian life, His program of personal ministry. There is no need to mistake God's will or miss it. It is all written down, and there's nothing about it that is mystical. ---------- "wherewith you are called", the aorist passive indicative of KALEW, "to call" The passive voice of the verb indicates that the believer is called by the Lord directly. The Lord does His talking through the Word. Therefore, a believer will receive his calling through the Word of God. Any other source of information is bogus! The whole time that a believer is on earth, he will be "walking". He does his own walking. The word "worthy" indicates that God wants the believer's walking to be accompanied by a proper mental attitude. The walking is done in a manner that is compatible with one's position in Christ, with God's overall plan, and with divine principles of production. A "vocation", a "calling", means that there is an alternative to unproductiveness, an alternative to living a life of misery and unhappiness, an alternative to having a mental attitude that is in terrible condition. The Christian life is designed for happiness (joy) and production. Philippians is about happiness; whatever you are doing, whatever is happening to you, you can have happiness all the time. Ephesians and Colossians answer the question, "What is the believer-priest doing on the earth, anyway?" You don't enter into the production phase of your calling until your mental attitude is correct. How can you tell when your mental attitude is squared away? The answer is in these chapters. Ephesians 4:2With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love.---------- "with" - META, "associated with". Associated with the worthy walk are "lowliness and meekness" ---------- "lowliness" - TAPEINOPHROSUNEI, "sound objective thinking according to an absolute standard" Because the word "lowliness" was used to translate this verb in the KJV, there have been many strange ideas floated by Christians over the generations. Often, acts of humility or submitting oneself to hardships or degradation, certain things which place the believer in a lowly position, are thought to be the means of spiritual attainment. Many believers are impressed by the things they, or others, have given up or suffered. But TAPEINOPHROSUNEI is NOT self-effacement. It is one of the key words in the Bible for Grace thinking. It one of the key ingredients to the true Grace life in which SELF is out of the picture, and in which God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the WHOLE picture. This in a compound noun in the Greek. The emphasis is on PHROSUNEI, from the verb PHRONEW, meaning "to do good, objective thinking; to understand; to be in one's sound senses". TAPEINO refers to orientation to an absolute standard, All good objective thinking must have a standard. Subjective thinking has no standards, calls on emotions and outside opinions, has no absolutes. But this noun demands that a believer has standards, namely, the Word of God locked in the soul. And there must be a massive, continuous intake of truth to get these absolute standards. TAPEINOPHROSUNEI is the first in this list because the rest of the list of characteristics would be worthless without it. READ Acts 20:17-21. Paul, in his speech to the elders of Ephesus uses this word. He shows that he has had this mental attitude and that it has enabled him to have the ministry among the Gentiles that he has had. READ Phil. 2:1-8. Compare also Col. 3:12; 1 Pet. 5:5 (being "clothed with humility") ---------- "meekness" - PRAUTEIS, "gentleness in the sense of true sensitivity". This word refers to a mental attitude based on the principle of correct orientation to life, a correct mental focus directed toward God and toward other people. The idea of "thoughtfulness" is certainly present. This is NOT meekness in the sense of being wimpy. It IS one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, Gal. 5:22. You must know Bible truth before you can apply it. A proper mental attitude is the result of learning the Word of God, applying it by faith, and producing the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The results will be perfect peace, instinctive love for all people, kindness, true friendship. As a result there will be the ABSENCE of insubordination, malice, hatred, envy, bitterness, jealousy, etc. You are, right now, whatever is in your mind. "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." You are not what you appear to be; you are what you think. For the growing Christian, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee." ---------- "long-suffering" - MAKROTHUMIA, "patience toward others". The mental attitude of long-suffering recognizes the spiritual progress, or lack of progress, of other people. Every person in a congregation is either growing in Christ or is in a state of backsliding, reversion. Long-suffering is patience towards other people. Every community has people who are hateful, implacable, antagonistic, bitter, vengeful. These people malign, gossip, judge, criticize, complain, ostracize. But "long-suffering" means that the believer's attitude toward such people is patience. A long-suffering Christian does not hate, does not seek revenge, does not malign or gossip, is not jealous or envious, does not counterattack. Long-suffering does not mean that you pat your foot and wait for your chance. Topic: MENTAL ATTITUDE ---------- "forbearing one another in love" "Forbearing" is ANECHOMAI, "to put up with; to endure; to take up the slack; to restrain oneself" A believer can stand his ground because of a good defensive position. You do not have to give way to the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune". You can be stable and take a stand because of Bible truth in your soul. You can refrain from an improper response because you know the correct response. "in love" refers to a lack of mental attitude sins. It is the result of a totally relaxed mental attitude toward others. This is the characteristic which allows a gracious interest in others without pride or prejudice getting in the way. The evidence that one has true "love for the brethren" is in the observation of these mental attitude. The opposites of "gracious interest" are: o Bigotry as seen in ethnic humor, snide remarks, hateful actions. o Self-promotion, one-upmanship in conversation, continually talking about oneself, one's experiences, showing off. o Indignation accompanied by sarcasm or bitter talk. o Insisting on one's own way, ideas, plans, programs. All this shows lack of interest in others, hence, lack of love, hence, need for growth in these areas of mental attitude. Ephesians 4:3Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.---------- "Endeavoring" - present active participle of SPUDADZW, "to hasten; to be zealous; to be diligent". Here is a case of the Greek participle being used as the imperative, a usage that is peculiar to the koine Greek and to the papyrii. So the translation is "Be diligent!", "Be zealous!" The infinitive "to keep" shows the area of diligence. ---------- "to keep" - TEREW, "to keep; to guard" The "unity of the Spirit" is a condition which exists continually as long as a grace status is maintained. ---------- "the unity of the Spirit" The concept of unity is brought up again in 4:13 and the following verses. Unity among people comes about when there is unity of thinking. It is edification and Christian growth that causes believers to be unified in their thinking, because the content of every person's thinking is the same, the Word of God. Without the unity of thinking that comes about through learning Bible truth, everyone is free to think independently. This results in a lack of unity. The word "unity" here refers to a common essence, to the characteristics we share as members of the family of God, the Body of Christ, the things listed in verses 4 to 6. An illustration of unity of thinking and purpose is found in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, where the Jews under Zerubbabel rebuilt the temple and the wall with tools and weapons in hand. 1 Peter 3:8, Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous." In this verse there are four chief characteristics of Christian unity. "having compassion" - SUMPATHEIS, "suffering with". The English word "sympathy" is a transliteration of this Greek word. This is the ability to share with another person because of understanding in the spiritual frame of reference. Bible truth can be communicated because of knowledge of what the other is going through and how to help. One believer can think when another is not able to think; this is a great help when someone is going through a time of great stress. "love as brethren" - PHILADELPHOS. This is rapport love, and it grows as the Christian grows, through edification. It is rapport and compatibility between two or more believers based on applied truth in the soul. "pitiful" - EUSPLAGTHNOS. Literally, "happy innards", therefore "good emotions". The word "pitiful" in the KJV times (early 17th century) carried this meaning of sympathy and "having pity", but the English word carries an unhappy, unpleasant connotation today. The ability to have good feelings is the result of "mind over emotions", Bible doctrine leading the thinking so as to produce good feelings, in this case, towards others. "courteous" - a mental attitude of graciousness. Grace thinking leads to grace action. In all four of these cases from 1 Peter 3:8, the believer who has "one mind" thinks doctrine, and this is the stabilizing factor. ---------- "in the bond of peace" - in the bond of security. End of Lesson 21Grace Notes - a ministry of Village Missions InternationalVillage Missions International 4258 S. 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