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May 6, 2007 |
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Ephesians 4:17-32
Christianity Is A Big Put On
verse 17 - Paul is insisting on something - that we
be a testimony of being a Jesus person
gentiles - describes an unbeliever and the
unbelieving culture we live in
How can we be a testimony?
By realizing 2 things:
(1) at the moment of salvation, the power of sin is
broken in our lives
(2) God's doing it - Phil 2:13 &
1:6
vs18-19 - a description of our lives without Christ
- before we were saved
vs20-21 - 2 Statements:
(1) learned Christ - we are saved and born
again
-we are brand new people
(2) we also know the Biblical standards for living
for the Lord
v22 - Get saved
-crucify the flesh daily, deliberately and
definitely (throw it off)
*the flesh is against God
*you can interrupt a response and repent and give a
right response
*put off - unclothe
v23 - Renew your mind
-it means to renovate
***salvation is an event
***walking and living for the Lord is a process and
not an event (a journey and not a straight line)
v24 - Walk in the Spirit - put on all your
clothes
-daily, definitely and deliberately
***feed your spirit man
***it is the believers responsibility to do
so
***this is what keeps you close to the
Lord
***it must become the priority in our
lives
Paul now gives a list of behaviors that are now
possible for us as Christians. This is our new wardrobe:
v25 - we do not have to habitually lie
v26 - no more road rage
be angry - means a righteous
indignation
(1) be angry without
sinning
(2) direct the emotion and
energy of anger in a positive way
v27 - conquering anger eliminates the enemy from
having an inroad in your life
v28 - do not continue to steal, but work and give
it away
v29 - no verbal abuse please
-Honor the Nudge - this is the Holy Spirit letting
us know that we are acting in the old-you way. Allow the Holy Spirit to give
you the right new-you response
v30 - grieve - means to make sad
-we make God sad when we walk in the old-you
way
vs31-32 - by walking in the Spirit, this is the
person you really are. It is your true identity.......
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