Ephesians 4

Ephesians Chapter Four

In the last three chapters Paul has presented us with the extravagance of the love and favor of God in the message of a shared life with Jesus. He now appeals to the church that they live out their lives appropriately in the light of this life changing message. He appeals to them to passionately seek to maintain the oneness with one another that they have each individually been given with Jesus himself. He tells them that they have each been empowered supernaturally to contribute to the corporate expression of Jesus in the earth. He speaks of the appointment by God of Apostles and Prophets and Evangelists and Pastors and Teachers who would guide and prepare the community of faith to serve dynamically so that the corporate expression of Jesus would become robust as a unified and dynamic display on earth of who Jesus is in heaven. Paul then points out the difference between the life of the church and the lifestyle of the world and explains that the world is alienated from the life of God because of being blinded in their minds and hearts and they remain totally unaware of this truth, locked into an unfeeling spiritual indifference. He tells the church to adopt the new mindset of truth and to leave behind the old way of life that is energized by an old order of humanity that was once not joined to the life of Jesus. Paul now encourages the church to live a transformed life by naming a string of old behaviors that need to be changed in order to reflect the life of Jesus within them. He names such things as transparency in communication, an honesty and generosity in dealing with material things, and ceasing to talk negatively or complaining. He sums it up by mentioning the work of the Holy Spirit in verse 30; “The Holy Spirit is working on the inside of you to bring the final and ultimate expression of God’s glory to the world through you. He feels what you’re feeling so don’t grieve him by treating this as a lost cause.” EPHESIANS CHAPTER 4 - CONTEMPORARY ALIGNED VERSION (SPIRITCODE)

1. So having been imprisoned for the sake of Jesus, I earnestly appeal to you that you now live lives that are appropriate to the wonderful invitation of living the shared life with Jesus that has been presented to you. 2. Live out this new life with humility and gentleness, seeing other people through his heart of love for them. 3. Let the oneness that each of you shares with God be something that you share in with one another and passionately protect that oneness. 4. Because God has one Spirit that now inhabits the one corporate body in the earth. You were all given the same invitation to put your hope and trust in him for the life he has expressly called you to live with him daily. 5. We all share the one and the same Lord and the one and the same faith and the one and the same baptism. 6. We have the one and the same Father who is over and above all things and the source of all things and he lives within all of us. 7. But each one of us is singled out and given the ability to contribute to the expression of the living Jesus. 8. This is why it was said in Scripture (Psalm 68:18) ‘He ascended up on high and he led captivity captive and he gave gifts to mankind’ 9. (The fact that he ascended signifies that he first of all descended into the lower regions of Hades and Paradise 10. Then he ascended up into his home in heaven so that every atom of the universe now resonates with his glorified being) 11. And he appointed some to be apostles and some to be prophets and some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and some to be teachers of his word 12. Who would guide and prepare the community of faith to serve in their giftings so that the corporate expression of Jesus would become robust 13. Until we all share that one faith reality, understanding and experiencing the partnership with Jesus that matures us into the full corporate expression on earth of what Jesus plans from heaven 14. When this starts to happen we won’t be like children thrown every which way by every new tasty teaching, because of human agendas. These teachers load the doctrinal dice so that the teaching works out prospering their own ends and ambitions. 15. But when truth is proclaimed and it is empowered by God’s love it causes us as a body to grow and develop in alignment with Christ who is the head of that body. 16. From this alignment of the body with its head, which is Christ, comes the perfect synergy of a completely balanced and effective body which coordinates fluently, as each part contributes the best it has in the best possible way so that the whole body resonates with the expression of God’s love. 17. That is why I am saying to you, as if it was The Lord saying it, that you can no longer live like the rest of the world lives, with its pointless and futile mindset. 18. Being totally in the dark as to what truth and reality is, their minds having been blinded to the hope of sharing in the life of God. They remain totally unaware of this truth, caught up in their spiritual indifference. 19. In their spiritual apathy they have given in to wholesale unrestraint and self indulgence, doing whatever tops their list of endless cravings. 20. But that is not what you have learned through sharing life with Jesus, 21. That is, if you are listening to him and letting him teach you the absolute truth that flows forth from his heart to yours. 22. This teaches you to leave behind the old way of life that is energized by an old order of humanity that was once not joined to the life of Jesus 23. Constantly being renewed in this new mindset of spiritual truth 24. So that you can live in the new order of humanity that is joined with the life of Jesus. This is a new order of God’s creation that expresses true alignment with God in his holy presence. 25. Be open and honest with each other because that maintains the integrity of our belonging together as one. 26. If you get angry don’t let your anger cause harm to anyone. Get over it and get on with life one day at a time. 27. Don’t let the devil dominate your day. 28. If you’ve been in the habit of taking for yourself what rightly belongs to others you need to change that kind of attitude and behavior. Work productively with whatever skills you have so that you will have enough left over to give to those who are in need. 29. Don’t talk negatively by always complaining and criticizing. Have something good to say about life and about others so that you encourage and empower people to enjoy life. 30. The Holy Spirit is working on the inside of you to bring the final and ultimate expression of God’s glory to the world through you. He feels what you’re feeling so don’t grieve him by treating this as a lost cause. 31. Take all the pent up passion and the toxic tantrums and the snide remarks and dump them once and for all. 32. Start being kind to one another. Feel for others and treat them compassionately, just as God feels for you and treats you with the same tender care that he does his son, Jesus.