Ephesians 4 ~ the way you learned Christ

Ephesians 4

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 

4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”

9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? [the lower parts of the earth?] 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds [pastors] and teachers, [the shepherd-teachers] 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, [to a full-grown man] to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.


17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 


29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 

32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.


Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He didn't slap hands away and tell them to leave Him alone for a moment to think. He did not put a noose of truth around someone and tell them it was for their own good. Jesus never did learn how to lasso.

Om. I know that I do these things.

He calls us to be part of His One Body.

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

What am I called to do?

2 Peter 3:18
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.


Jesus attributes in this passage for us to prepare for Lent:
~ humility 
~ gentleness, 
~ with patience, 
~ bearing with one another in love, 
~ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit
Bringing to the World a  ~ bond of peace.  Jesus calls people to live in peace to the best of their ability.

Romans 12:18
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Why?
~ for building up the body of Christ

Tell people when they do the right things. Thank them. Be glad for when good news occurs. Apologize with Heart. When Given Scripture to Read - Stay there and find all the Glory in that Scripture. Be diligent.

~ attain to the unity of the faith
Church is not all about me. One Scripture suits one's needs - another is read for someone else. Scripture IS for all. Emotion is to be thought about and held in self-control. Not repressed, not unexpressed, not to overwhelm.

~ Speak the truth - in Love. Brutal truth isn't necessarily the way for peace. We have to go easier on each other.

What happens to the spoken truthfully encouraged Body of Christ? The honest truth given with Love....

His ~  body grows so that it builds itself up in love. That is Good News. Jesus spoke truthfully to Nicodemus. Gamaliel stood up to boldly say work on God's path. Jesus was known to speak Honestly and Forthrightly.


~ The truth is in Jesus. We should want to honor Love so much, we work there with Joy. We hold up God's Goodness and want to build our framework there. His standards, His family He gives us, His truthful healing and His Honest conversation. His prayer daily in John 17.

Allow Jesus to renew us each day. In Prayer. In the Scripture. In Hope. In Faith. In Love.

God never made little clones. The Disciples are all different from each other. Andrew was quick to see Jesus as the Messiah. However, Peter was the one God picked for living with his mother-in-law. God saw endurance and tenacity. God encourages marriage in Genesis' beginning. In Matthew's beginning. We need to encourage our families to Peace. Because the Path God brings us - is the only one we want to be on. This is where God blesses us to know completely - God Loves Me. And you are not surprised to find God's Love- in seeking God's will for your life. In Scripture. In Truth. In Mercy. This is where we connect to how much God is Love.

Jesus was good to His Brothers. God is vastly Good. Jesus gave us the example - when His Brothers egged Him on to be a "Show." Jesus just let them play monkeys in a barrel. And did the Will of His Father. When His Brothers did indeed love and get very worried for Jesus - Jesus told them - He was going to do the Will of His Father.

When His Brothers went out to Proclaim a Risen, Victorious Jesus. They took their wives. Jesus saw that as His Father's Will. God is for building up the Body of Christ.

The Scriptures are very real. If you were to sit down and write the Scriptures out by hand to send to a friend, you might want to edit parts. Instead God let us see all of the emotions. All of the flaws. So that we can deeply grasp how much WORK -  HE has called us to do to Love one another.

In the last chapter of John - Jesus knew the apostles would still be arm wrestling each other - Jesus still made them breakfast on the beach. Jesus wasn't surprised and still - breakfast welcomed the men who had failed Jesus.

God was honest about how flawed all of us are - All have Sinned - All Have Fallen. So we understand that Innocent, Good, Loving, Healing Perfection came to us. Jesus said, "I will Heal them all." That is Love. Worth knowing, worth honoring. Worth respecting.

The Scriptures - were written for you. That every Chapter warms you to the Love that John did see in God. God the Creator, God the Father, God the Pappa, God the Warrior, God the All Knowing. God is Good. God is One. This is the God to give us Life and to Worship with all we have. Give us the day.


Father God, we Abide in You when we want to please You. Thank You for Your mercy and Your atonement for me. Only because of Your righteousness - do we Abide in Jesus. We bring to You in prayerful Love and expectation the Ones we Love knowing You Love far greater. Thank You God. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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