Ephesians 4:25-32 – The Halakah of G-d

Ephesians 4:25-32 – The Halakah of G-d

Ephesians 4:25-32 - The Halakah of God [32:53]

by Roy Schwarcz

http://www.royschwarcz.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Ephesians425-5-25-2013.mp3

The Halakah of God A key word in Ephesians is “Walk” Halak = Walk = Law, Walking Rightly is living rightly.

Relationship vs Religion

Ephesians 4:17-24

Two weeks ago we saw: Why walking worldly won’t work and What happens when we think and walk like the world.

Abiding in Word transforms us Ephesians 4:25-32

This week we will consider how right thinking works out in our lives: The character of the new person transformed by God’s Word.

Ephesians 4:25-32, Ephesians 4:29-32

God’s Provision I want to begin by reminding us of two essential things:

God has given the gift of complete forgiveness and God has given us power through His indwelling Spirit to live holy lives.

God’s Will for Us

God does not want us to go through life, from one failure to another. One source of pain to another. God’s desire for us is that we live holy, joyful and abundant lives. Free from sin and its consequences in a loving relationship with Him.

Today’s Passage Two sections led to today’s passage:

Ephesians 4:17-19, where Paul commands us to no longer live as the Gentiles live. Ephesians 4:20-24 – Putting off our old self

Old Clothes for New Changing clothes, replacing dirty garments with garments of righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

Isaiah spoke of this Isaiah 1:18

Walking Cooperatively

Paul lists sins that characterize our old self that needs to be put off. Putting off is a cooperative effort between us and God – a partnership. We want God to do it all – That’s why deliverance services are so popular. But God wants to partner with us for deliverance – together

We must be clothed w God

We can’t do it on our own – without God. It is only in God that we have power to change – to “put off” sin. We must surrender and cooperate with God in His appointed way.

Put off Falsehood

First sin to take off is lying. Ephesians 4:25 Lay aside falsehood, and put on truth. The reason – Because we are members of one Body. Are we different? Today many Believers are indistinguishable from those in the world. Does our life demonstrate that we are different? Do we have the mind of God or think as the world thinks?

Thinking that leads to death We are called to give up the “futility of such thinking.” Thinking like the world. Man makes up all kinds of stuff about himself and God – We have advanced studies in everything. There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12.

The Garments

Do you think of lying as a sin? Do you hate it the way God hates it? This is a sin we tolerate in ourselves and diminish its importance. We think it is ok to exaggerate to make ourselves look better. Lying is destructive and corrosive. It breeds falsehood instead of truth, deceit instead of integrity, dishonesty instead of honesty. Dishonesty keep us from knowing God better.

Consequences

Proverbs 12:22 “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal faithfully are His delight.” When lie, we break fellowship with God – one another and ourselves. Is it any wonder why we feel alone and few really know and understands us.

Faith overcomes

Do you struggle with lying? Along with Paul, I urge you to surrender that area of your life to God, “to put that off.” It takes faith – trusting that God will protect you. Faith comes from God’s Word. Reading it daily.

Anger

Ephesians 4:26-27 we are to “Put off anger’. Ang[...]