I hear this all the time now. When I look back on my
39 years of being saved, I have heard many messages on what a Christian should
do and should not do. I have also heard as many, if not more, complaints from
people about preachers being legalistic about Christianity. There are also
complaints about one group criticizing other groups for not doing things alike.
Complaints over dress standards, music standards, standards of where one can go
and where one can’t go are strong. Many of those who complain have decided that
the most important thing is love. If we all love Jesus and tell people about
the love of Jesus we don’t have to major on all these little things.
I would like to do something a little different to
help understand the context of a passage scripture that I believe will address
this issue. To understand the context, I am going to take a passage of
Scripture and look at the verses in reverse order. Sometimes when we see the
result, then work backwards, it helps us better understand. Let us begin with
loving one another.
How do we get to Ephesians
4:32, And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even
as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you?
The result is to be kind and loving. But how do we
get to this. It seems that many feel that the problem with the IFB is that
there is no love and far too many standards or do’s and don’ts.
Ephesians 4:31 Let all
bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away
from you, with all malice:
Obviously, we will need to not be bitter, not be
angry, not say evil things.
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve
not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
If we allow wrong things in our life we can not
follow the Spirit of God.
Ephesians 4:29 Let no
corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the
use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
We need to learn to say things that build people up
and not attack or tear down.
Ephesians 4:28 Let him that
stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands
the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
We need work hard and not hurt others by taking what
is theirs and not ours. We need to be giving to those who are in need.
Ephesians 4:27 Neither give
place to the devil.
Good Christians do not follow after evil things which
means we are to be godly in our actions.
Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry,
and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
We are not to be angry, but loving. Make peace with
everyone every day.
Ephesians 4:25 Wherefore
putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are
members one of another.
Our conversation with people should be with all
honesty and neighborly.
Ephesians 4:24 And that ye
put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true
holiness.
We are to be a new person of righteousness and
holiness.
Ephesians 4:23 And be
renewed in the spirit of your mind;
We should have a renewing of our thinking.
Ephesians 4:22 That ye put
off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according
to the deceitful lusts;
The old fleshly carnal ways of doing things should be
dealt with on a daily basis. As Paul would say, we need to die daily.
Ephesians 4:21 If so be that
ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
We need to focus on the truth learned from Christ.
Ephesians 4:20 But ye have
not so learned Christ;
We think we know. Using our human worldly way of
thinking is wrong because it is not from Christ.
Ephesians 4:19 Who being
past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all
uncleanness with greediness.
Before we
were saved we did things because it was satisfying to our fleshly desires.
Ephesians 4:18 Having the
understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance
that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.
Anyone who is not saved and relies on their own
intellect is always darkened and blinded with ignorance. All the worldly
learning we obtain does us no good and leaves us still ignorant.
Ephesians 4:17 This I say
therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other
Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
We are instructed to not follow the wisdom of
mankind.
Ephesians 4:16 From whom the
whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint
supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part,
maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Christ set up the Church, the body, as a means by
which we are to function so that we can edify others and demonstrate the love
of God.
Ephesians 4:15 But speaking
the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even
Christ:
Christ instructs us to speak the truths found in the
Word of God without reservation, without leaving anything out. We are to
give this truth in the realm of the love of God, which we know is a giving
love, never focused on ourselves.
Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth
be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of
doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they
lie in wait to deceive;
Because we are following God’s plan, we are standing
on a solid rock of truth. We are able to withstand the storms of life and the
lies of world.
Ephesians 4:13 Till we all
come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a
perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Christ's plan is that we do this together in unity
and with all maturity, seeking God’s standard to measure by.
Ephesians 4:12 For the
perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
body of Christ:
Christ’s plan is that we are made mature so that we
can continue on training the next generation.
Ephesians 4:11 And he gave
some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors
and teachers;
Christ put people with gifts and authority to help
with this plan.
Ephesians 4:9 (Now that he
ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of
the earth?
Ephesians 4:10 He that
descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he
might fill all things.)
Christ reminds us of the price He paid to bring this
all about.
Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he
saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts
unto men.
God has all the power and authority to give to us
what we need to carry out the task that God set before us.
Ephesians 4:7 But unto every
one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Christ knows exactly what we need so that we can do
what He wants us to do.
Ephesians 4:6 One God and
Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
We should not forget who God is. He is!
Ephesians 4:5 One Lord, one
faith, one baptism,
We are serving the one and only Lord, the one and
only faith that is true, and the only demonstration to the world that shows our
dedication to the One Lord.
Ephesians 4:4 There is
one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
There is only one body, led by the only One Spirit.
There are not many ways to God although there are many groups with different
ideas that claim their ideas are just as good.
Ephesians 4:3 Endeavouring
to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
By following Christ’s plan we are going to see the
unity and peace and love.
Ephesians 4:2 With all
lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Remember, God is Lord of all and we are to humble
ourselves before the mighty hand of God. God gives grace to the humble.
Ephesians 4:1 I therefore,
the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation
wherewith ye are called,
Therefore, as a prisoner of the Lord, we are totally
submitted to God’s plan. The key to the whole plan is that we are first
and foremost the servants of God. In order for there to be true love and unity,
which many are searching for, we need to be totally dependent on the Lord.
Since the Lord is absolute and truth, there can be only a narrow way of life.
Truth is narrow. If God says it, that concludes any discussion. Those who teach
that God gives us liberty because of grace, misses what that means. Liberty is not freedom to
have many ways to serve God. Liberty
never gives license to decide that God has given gray areas in life. God is
absolute; everything is, and can only be, black and white.
Now that we understand that we can only have love and
unity when we are slaves of God, we are to follow exactly His teachings. Now
let us look at Ephesians chapters 5 and 6 when Christ gives us instructions.
Christ speaks to us dear children who are committed to doing what Christ
commands us to do. Those who think we do not need to preach hard against sin or
preach hard on living high standards in life neglect chapters 5 and 6.
Those who think that in order to have love and unity we have to not
stand strong on truth miss the plan of God. In order to have love and
unity we need to take a stand. We are in a war; we need to know who and what
the enemy is and how to fight the war with the right equipment. Love, peace,
and unity comes from fighting the war God’s way. Our enemy is not hard
preaching and standards; our enemy is the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Ephesians 5:1 - 6:20 Be
ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And
walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an
offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or
covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor
jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean
person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because
of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of
light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things
which are done of them in secret. But all
things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth
make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith,
Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee
light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not
as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time,
because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not
unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but
be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to
yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody
in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always
for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of
God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own
husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is
the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the
saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is
subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved
the church, and gave himself for it; That he
might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious
church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be
holy and without blemish. So ought men to love
their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but
nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of
his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his
father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one
flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak
concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless
let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the
wife see that she reverence her husband. Children,
obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour
thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live
long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not
your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord. Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear
and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the
servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and
not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing
any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And,
ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that
your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in
the power of his might. Put on the whole armour
of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt
about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the
gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield
of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the
wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and
the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying
always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto
with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my
mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly,
as I ought to speak.
