The fundamental message of the Bible is how mortal man can be reconciled to Almighty God. There is also a subtext of real-world compassion. When believers recognize a need which should be met, rather than thinking, “‘They’need to do something about it”, Christians should think, “Ineed to do something about it.” Jesus has charged His church with being vehicles of compassion and care. (Deuteronomy 15:11) (Matthew 5:42) A compassionate response is evidence of a transformed heart…

The Ephesians came from a selfish, materialistic, greedy, sensualistic culture. So, Paul tells them what a new life from God looks like. Instead of absorbing Greco-Roman cultural values and acting out those lifestyles, Christians are to imitate (Gr.mimētēs, ‘to mimic’) God. While not able to imitate God in His power, believers are to follow His pattern of behavior. As God’s primary motive and action toward people is love, believers are to do the same. True love is not emotion but action (John 3:16). Being formerly spiritual orphans, believers have become children of God through faith in Jesus. As God is love and now a believer’s new Father, a child should watch, learn, and do what Dad does (1 John 4:8). Believers make the invisible God visible when they live lives worth imitating (1 Cor. 11:1). We love the greatest when we sacrifice the most!

The Ephesians came from a selfish, materialistic, greedy, sensualistic culture. So, Paul tells them what a new life from God looks like. Instead of absorbing Greco-Roman cultural values and acting out those lifestyles, Christians are to imitate (Gr.mimētēs, ‘to mimic’) God. While not able to imitate God in His power, believers are to follow His pattern of behavior. As God’s primary motive and action toward people is love, believers are to do the same. True love is not emotion but action (John 3:16). Being formerly spiritual orphans, believers have become children of God through faith in Jesus. As God is love and now a believer’s new Father, a child should watch, learn, and do what Dad does (1 John 4:8). Believers make the invisible God visible when they live lives worth imitating (1 Cor. 11:1). We love the greatest when we sacrifice the most!

The Ephesians came from a ‘me first’ and ‘success at any cost’ type of culture where morality changed with the situation. The church was made from social classes of sailors, military, politicians, merchants, slaves, very wealthy and very poor. Paul now relates how the new life of Jesus should look in a believer’s life (Eph. 4:24). The mouth is the main communicator of a person’s values and desires. It shouldn’t be used for corrupting talk (Gr. sapros, ‘unfit for use, putrid’) like lying, negativity, or gossip, but rather building people up with the truth of God. The easiest evaluation if God has entered the heart, is from what exits the mouth(Luke 6:45; James 3:1-12)!

The Ephesians came from a ‘me first’ and ‘success at any cost’ type of culture where morality changed with the situation. The church was made from social classes of sailors, military, politicians, merchants, slaves, very wealthy and very poor. Paul now relates how the new life of Jesus should look in a believer’s life (Eph. 4:24). The mouth is the main communicator of a person’s values and desires. It shouldn’t be used for corrupting talk (Gr. sapros, ‘unfit for use, putrid’) like lying, negativity, or gossip, but rather building people up with the truth of God. The easiest evaluation if God has entered the heart, is from what exits the mouth(Luke 6:45; James 3:1-12)!

When Paul came to Ephesus 10 years earlier, he found a large, rich, Greco-Roman city (Acts 18:19). As he shared the Gospel, many Ephesians became Christians. Years later, Paul now told them to no longer walk (Gr. mēketi peripatein, ‘stop moving forward’) in the ways of their culture. Which, despite Ephesian success and education, they had futile (Gr. mataiotēs, ‘empty of truth’) minds and therefore a darkened (Gr. skotizō, ‘to obscure/cover in darkness’) understanding of God. To the blind, darkness is light(Luke 11:34, 35)! This ignorance about God wasn’t due to God not being obvious or desiring to love and reach people. But it was from their hardened (Gr. pōrōsin, ‘to petrify/be dull’) hearts, leading their lives away from God (Rom. 2:5). The way you walk, is where you wind-up!

When Paul came to Ephesus 10 years earlier, he found a large, rich, Greco-Roman city (Acts 18:19). As he shared the Gospel, many Ephesians became Christians. Years later, Paul now told them to no longer walk (Gr. mēketi peripatein, ‘stop moving forward’) in the ways of their culture. Which, despite Ephesian success and education, they had futile (Gr. mataiotēs, ‘empty of truth’) minds and therefore a darkened (Gr. skotizō, ‘to obscure/cover in darkness’) understanding of God. To the blind, darkness is light(Luke 11:34, 35)! This ignorance about God wasn’t due to God not being obvious or desiring to love and reach people. But it was from their hardened (Gr. pōrōsin, ‘to petrify/be dull’) hearts, leading their lives away from God (Rom. 2:5). The way you walk, is where you wind-up!

After his incarnation, Jesus’ mission was to die for humanity’s sins on the cross (1 John 2:2). After resurrecting, but before returning to heaven (from where he came as God), Jesus promised he would send the Holy Spirit who would gift people to do the work of God (Acts 1:4, 5). The beginning of the first church is a pattern for all true churches to follow—sinners who believe in Jesus, transformed by his power, and gifted to serve others (Acts 2:41, 42).

After his incarnation, Jesus’ mission was to die for humanity’s sins on the cross (1 John 2:2). After resurrecting, but before returning to heaven (from where he came as God), Jesus promised he would send the Holy Spirit who would gift people to do the work of God (Acts 1:4, 5). The beginning of the first church is a pattern for all true churches to follow—sinners who believe in Jesus, transformed by his power, and gifted to serve others (Acts 2:41, 42).

The Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesian church from house arrest in Rome (Acts 28:16). He reminded them that God’s power in and through them was so amazing, nothing should stop them living for God. In view of this power, Paul urged (Gr.parakaleō, ‘to strongly encourage, beg’) the believers to view their lives as a walk (Gr. peripatesai, ‘to tread all around’) that has a direction. Everyone can walk, but not all people stay on the right path (Ps. 1:1-6)!A believer’s ‘walking’ should show choices that demonstrate worthiness (Gr. axiōs, ‘appropriateness, suitability’) to carry the name ‘Christian’. Paul exemplified the fact that even during difficulty, every Christian can honor God. People’s choices demonstrate who or what has the highest worth in their life.