Ephesians, 4:1-6

Well, we're kind of ready to begin the second half of Ephesians. And the whole first part of the book of Ephesians is really to set the foundation for what follows. Now what we're going to do is put the truths of position into shoe leather. So we're going to walk now. And today's lesson is entitled Walk Worthy. And we're going to kind of make sure we don't lose track of the principles that are preceded the rest of the book of Ephesians. So at the beginning of your handout it says, having now completed Ephesians 1 through 3, we're ready to conform our condition to our heavenly position. And that effectively means his walk to be established in us.

This isn't a work of the flesh now that we're beginning. We've been set in the truth and the position of who we are in Christ. And so at this point, we just don't jump off the end of a cliff and begin kind of working at living the Christian life. But in fact, we're going to use the principles of position to ultimately establish our condition by the power of the Spirit to really walk in the new life. Christianity is not a series of works, it's a life. It's not what we can do to pay God back or please Him. It's, in fact, living in the new creation of the Lord Jesus Christ. I think, again, in all of Paul's epistles, ultimately the walk follows the truth of position and who we are. This is just probably one of the best examples of all his epistles.

Let's begin and set the stage. Randy, last week, taught Ephesians 3, 16 through 21. kind of walking worthy, we've got to really set the stage for the walk that's before us by looking at what preceded it. Now, we could read all three chapters. I don't intend to do that, but if we begin with verse 16 of chapter 3, we see that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory. Notice who's being granted here.

It's us. By the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man. that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, and that ye, being rooted and grabbed in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that ye might be filled with all of the fullness of God. Now unto him who is able to do exceedingly, that means infinitely. abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

And so as we transition now into Ephesians 4 and we look at the rest of the epistle before us over the next, what is it now, probably we finish up I think at the end of September, don't we? So we've got about four months plus to kind of get into this.

We're establishing the truth of his glory being worked out through us by his power that works exceedingly abundantly to bring across what we call the Christian walk, the Christian life. Now it's interesting, so often it seems like when I'm teaching, the daily devotional that Miles has given us is appropriate for that day's lesson. I don't know whether it's just circumstantial, we'll trust that it's more than that. Hereís this morningís ìNone But a Hungry Heartî series. Todayís devotional is called ìApprehended to Apprehendî and the verse that Miles shares here is Philippians 3. that says, I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Let me read part of this for you because, again, I think it so appropriately sets the stage for what we're going to cover today. Positionally, our Father subjected our old nature to the cross and its resultant death. Experientially, our walk, right?

He applies the work of the cross to our old life Thereby progressively holding it in the grip of that death. There is nothing lost about the truth of us being crucified with Christ and buried with him in baptism unto death. He is unforming the old nature in death and conforming the new nature in life. Life more abundant requires that what he did for us shall be made good in us. In his cross he dealt with our sins and he also dealt with ourselves, but that is something which has to be made good progressively. It is as we ourselves are dealt with in the power of the cross that the way is made for his life to express itself in ever deepening fullness.

So this is a process. We wish it were automatic, but unfortunately for our sakes it's a process. The fact is that it is the old life which is in the way of the new life and its full expression. It is the natural life which obstructs the course of the divine life. Thus, what has been done for us has to be done in us, and as it is done in us, that life becomes more than a deposit, more than a simple, though glorious, possession. It becomes a deepening, growing power of fullness of expression. Nice, don't you think, for what we're dealing with here today. All right, as always, interrupt whenever the spirit moves you. Notice I didn't say the flesh moves you.

All right, so we've read Ephesians 3, 16 through 21, the first verse in Ephesians 4. Actually, let's read the first six verses. And as I looked at the text for today, I really was amazed that I I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation to which you are called. with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. There is one body, one spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4 verse 1, I therefore the proof of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the calling unto which you were called.

Therefore, as J. Bernard McGee so often says, whenever you see a therefore, then you ask, what's it there for? And I think looking at Ephesians 3, 16 through 21, we know what it's there for. Therefore, based on what just preceded this, in terms of how God's power is so exceedingly and abundantly available to us to walk the walk.

So Paul calls himself a prisoner here. Let's kind of have a bit of conversation. I think Brad and I, I'm not saying we disagree, but we look at this from a little bit different perspective. So what are we talking about here? Is Paul a prisoner because this is a prison epistle and he's identifying himself as a prisoner?

Or does this reflect the fact that he himself is seen as bonded to the Lord Jesus Christ? And I give you a couple of verses to look at that. What are your thoughts about this? It's definitely sold out to the Lord Jesus Christ. I think so, Winnie. You know, back in Ephesians 3 where this came up, 3.1 it says, For this cause I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles. I mean Brad I think leaned to the idea that he's writing this from the prison and therefore he's a prisoner and therefore his being in prison is ultimately an exemplification of what Christ has for him in terms of his current condition ultimately being able to share with the body of believers at Ephesus.

That could be correct. I kind of even like this interpretation in 3.1. Brad and I discussed it. He may have changed. I didn't remember being here when he taught 3-1. I think it was gone that weekend. I admit I have not gone back and listened to his lesson from that day. But I think there's no question here that we're talking about Paul being bonded, a prisoner to the Lord Jesus Christ, not in a negative sense, but he is bonded positionally, spiritually, emotionally, and in every other way into the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's, Jack, could you turn to Philemon 1.9 and take a look at that and maybe Lavin take a look at 2 Timothy 1.8. So go ahead whenever anybody has. Yes, the last piece. Yes, the last piece. All the pieces together, that's the first thing to know.

Okay, so Lavin's got 2 Timothy 1.8. And it's nice if you can learn, you know, Jack, we're ready for you. I mean, is there any thought there in the epistle to Philemon that he's in fact a bound prisoner? I don't think so, but he is. That's another prison epistle, so I guess you could interpret that way.

I think 2 Timothy 1.8 is even better. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of your Lord, or of me, his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God. Okay, so part of that being a prisoner bonded to Christ is in fact the suffering he's going through. Welcome to the world system, right?

Don't you think he's probably using that word prisoner as an analogy? Because people would understand what being a prisoner is, and if he in fact is so bonded And in Christ, he's not going anywhere. I mean, that's where he is. But if you were looking at this as a skeptic, wouldn't you think a prisoner would have negative connotations? I don't see any negativity here at all in context. He's so upright. And bonded, I think the concept here is a bond slave is ultimately a relationship that ultimately could be a favorable one under certain circumstances. And I think really that's what's being exemplified. This is not Paul being a prisoner and writing the epistle as a prisoner. This is his being bonded to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Wouldn't we all wish that and pray that that were true in our own lives?

I think there was such a change in Paul's life anyway. And then to spend that time with the Lord in the wilderness And having all of this revealed to him, the mystery of the church and everything, he talked about the bonding. Haven't you ever asked why the Lord didn't give us more detail about that time that Paul spent with the Lord Jesus Christ, the early part of Galatians? I've always wondered what was that time like? But I think in a sense we see that expressed in his writings, don't we? Yeah, coming from Paul, he just didn't make this up. All right, good discussion.

Let's go ahead. What is a calling or a vocation? Well, Paul claims he's called, and that's eris passive indicative, so that means kind of one point in time. We always interpret eris as past. It doesn't have to be past. It can be present. It can even occasionally be future, but it's one point in time. Passive means somebody else called him. This wasn't his decision. Right? And ultimately indicative is factual. This is really a truth that Paul saw that happened at a point in time.

And by the way, there's the idea that it continues to happen, although in context, this is a one point in time he was called ultimately into a particular life. And we're going to see what that life is all about in a second. And the idea of being called, I think just because of time today, we've got such a large amount of text to cover. We can go back and look at these other examples, two in Ephesians. In fact, one is today's verse in verse 4 of chapter 4. It says, there is one body, one spirit, even as you are called in the hope of your calling. So here's another kind of calling.

And Romans 8.28, what are we being called to there? Does anybody remember without even looking at the text?

Romans 8, 28, 30. I always use this as what is the will of God for our lives? What's God's will for our life? very straightforward, to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ as God's will for our life. I hate to be overly simplistic, but boy, I can't find a better text than Romans 8, 28 to 30 really to say what God's will is for our life.

So in a sense, that's a calling, isn't it? It's a vocation that we would be conformed to the image of his life. And that's why I like the idea of this prisoner as a bonding to the person of Lord Jesus Christ, because it's consistent with the rest of Paul's writings. Everybody okay with that? Alright, so just to exemplify that further, the Christ nature is our vocation.

In Galatians 2.20 I think this group here knows Galatians 2.20 quite well.

Colossians 3.12-14 exemplifies this further and I think really identifies the believer as reflecting and being empowered by the fruit of the Spirit. So in a sense that fruit of the Spirit in many ways is what Paul is describing here in the first part of Ephesians 4. Yes?

I was thinking as you were talking about our being conformed to the image of Christ that we want to look like him. Paul uses the example of marriage that our relationship with Christ is as a marriage. And if we think about marriages that are long-term, we find couples finishing each other's sentences.

I know with Vern's grandparents, Gramps would start to say something and Gram would start to chuckle. She knew within the first three words what he was going to say. They were so in tune with one another. They knew the other one so intimately. that they were able to do that.

And that's, I think, where we want to be with the Lord. Sometimes I think Margaret knows me a little too well. We were, Mike and Don, just the other day, kind of reflecting on this, about how, what a great blessing it is to have a marriage where the oneness is what God wants really is created. And that's a joyous experience, isn't it? Those of you in this room, I think, have experienced that.

So very special, and I think that that is an exemplification of this oneness we have with the Lord Jesus Christ. But yet, even marriage as we see it is pale compared to the relationship He has called us to. And even though many of us are very, very happily married, we still bring the sin nature to our marriage at times, don't we? Of course, that maybe doesn't happen in your home. Nothing like that ever happened. Or Wayne and Sue, there's nothing like that going on in that place. I'm not going to reflect on everybody else around here. All right, so the title of today's lesson is Walk Worthy, Walking the Walk or Walking Worthy. So what does it mean to walk worthy?

Well, walk is Aris' active infinitive. Here we're playing a role in this walk. We are the ones walking. This is not passive. He's called us, but yet he's not ultimately forcing us to walk. We have to respond in a way that we're the ones that are carrying out the walking experience. So this just doesn't come automatic.

This comes from a couple of Greek terms which mean to kind of tread all around, kind of walking at large. I like this kind of paraphrase, especially as kind of a proof of ability. I mean, we're called to walk. It's our decision to walk based on faith. Ultimately, we're sensing the environment around us and carrying ourselves in a way that we're responding by this calling that he has called us to walk worthy and walk the walk.

Figuratively, it means to live, deport oneself, follow as if being a companion. be occupied with. This is kind of life itself. The walk is a broad, broad term that simply reflects our day-to-day existence. Nothing any more profound than that. Worthy. There's a lot of things that we might do to put a metric to what a worthy walk looks like, but I think in very simple terms, becoming of a godly sort.

I might ask the class, how you doing at this? Everybody doing okay at this? It's really, again, as we've said a few minutes ago, it's really not a work, it's really a life. The walk is not us working at it, the walk is responding by faith that ultimately the foundation that Paul's given us in Ephesians 1-3 is now having shoe leather put forth to the way we carry ourselves on a day in day out basis. Any thoughts about this before we kind of look at the details of this worthy walk that's before us and what this looks like? Fred, in your absence, we kind of dealt with Paul being a prisoner here. It's kind of the concept, you and I have discussed this before, being bonded to the Lord Jesus Christ. We can discuss that later, Jim. Okay.

Verse 2, so here's what the walk looks like. So the next kind of five verses are going to kind of deal with this walk and describing it. And keep in mind, again, that this is a life, not a work. It's the life walks. and the world looks at it as works, and many times I think we look at one another as the walk as a series of works. That's wrong. The walk is a life. Lowliness, which is a humility of mind.

1 Peter 3.15. Alan, you want to pull that for us?

1 Peter 3.15?

Put in your hearts, and this is 1 Peter 3.15? Correct.

Put in your hearts, honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for this and don't get to it with gentleness and respect. Okay, so gentleness would be the term we're looking at here as lowliness. What's that mean? What's this verse mean? Sanctify the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart. Be ready always to share that truth that's within you with meekness and fear, I think the King James says. What kind of a projection of truth is that? I mean, that kind of is our evangelistic motto, isn't it? To be ready to share at any time with anybody the hope that's in us with meekness and fear?

So let's think about lowliness here in Ephesians 4.2 and then think about that verse that we just read in 1 Peter 3.15 about being willing and capable at any time to share the hope that's in us with meekness and fear or gentleness or loneliness and fear. What kind of a verbal or nonverbal transmission is that? It's with the interest of the other person in mind. It's not being appreciated. In a loving way, it's worth it. I always think of Al because he was so good at it. Yeah, he was. Yeah, Al was good, so good at it. He had a lot to show us there, didn't he?

So what else comes to mind when you think about sharing the Lord Jesus Christ with meekness and fear? Does that mean we're afraid? Meekness, does that mean we're like kind of a doormat just being walked all over? What does this mean? Because this, by the way, this is the walk that's worthy, one that's full of meekness or gentleness or lowliness.

I think the two most important things about this are that one, you know what you're talking about. That sounds like arrogance. You are relative to God, which is not at all the same. And you're not going to cram it down anyone's throat. You have to do this because otherwise, you know, whatever. But don't you think that's the Lord's character?

That's his character coming through us to share this. But what about different personalities? I mean, if we look around the room, there are people that are fairly quiet and carry themselves very kind of gently in the background. Other people are pretty loquacious and animated. What does it mean when we're willing to share the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ in meekness and fear?

I think it's an acknowledgement that it's not about us, it's about Him. Okay, that's good. What else? I just start stepping on that. I think that it's the reality that I've heard the illusion as we go out and share Christ with people, we're not, you know, the holy, strong, powerful warriors going out to save souls, but we're beggars going out telling other beggars where we found bread. Okay.

Not better, not stronger. We didn't make the bread. We didn't supply the bread. We're not better for having it. By telling other people in all humility, hey, I didn't do this. I didn't make it. What else is just a substantial truth in this meekness or lowliness kind of concept? We're sinners too, I guess. Now? Okay. So, yes, Nancy.

Doesn't meekness have something in it that is an accurate accounting of who you are, an understanding of who you are, which is would be in part recognizing, as Margaret said, that we were born with this sin nature, in fact we still have it, but that now we are partakers of the life of Christ.

So I'm trying to separate, as Paul has done here, lowliness from meekness. And these are paraphrases that I kind of work through all the commentaries on and try to put into adequate perception here is that lowliness is a humility of mind and I think the lowliness in sharing the Lord as it says in 1 Peter 3.15, it says meekness but it really means lowly sphere, different Greek term by the way. is really the concept that the cross really is the great equalizer of all of us before God for all time. The lowliness is the fact that God in his great power and wisdom would reach down and touch each and every man. We are lowly when we think of our earthly existence compared to the throne.

It's an atmosphere that I think has to be one of ultimate thankfulness and ultimate just humility when we think of what God has done for each one of us. It's the lack of arrogance. It's the lack of cockiness. It's just an absence of anything that takes any value on our own selves.

So that's when we share with meekness and fear, we share that gospel with, look what God did to me, the lowliness of all creatures. Paul called himself the greatest among all sinners. Will you look at Paul's life and put him as the greatest among sinners? I think we need to, oh that boy, if that's not lowliness, when we look at each and every one of ourselves before God as the lowliest of creatures.

It's not an act of defeatedness and it's an atmosphere of really ultimately despondency that we would share in meekness or lowliness. It's in fact what great grace. The principle here is really grace that reflects how we walk. and walking worthy. Now meekness, this is a paraphrase and I'm not sure I didn't lift this and not give credit, but it's accepting of all that God allows to come our way. How's that for a weird definition? But I kind of liked it.

A little different than lowliness because lowliness reflects about God reaching down to grab us as sinners and bring us by grace unto himself. Whereas meekness is this principle or life that reflects the fact that God's going to allow lots of bad things to hit our path.

And the concept of seeing ourselves in crisis, we're always saying, gee, Lord, you're about your business. And what's His business? What's God's will for our life? Conforming us to the image of His Son, right? Moving on, long-suffering, forbearance, or patience as he is about us, right? How are you doing at this one? Boy, I'll tell you. This one in the flesh is a bad one for me. I have no patience. Talk to Margaret. She'll tell you all about it.

Douglas Goldstein, CFPÆ, is the director of Profile Investment Services and the host of the Goldstein on Gelt radio show. He is a licensed financial professional both in the U.S. and Israel. Securities offered through Portfolio Resources Group, Inc., Member FINRA, SIPC, MSRB, NFA, SIFMA. Accounts carried by National Financial Services LLC. Member NYSENDT, a Fidelity Investments company. But he is long-suffering. And boy, think about the nation of Israel. He's still long-suffering, isn't he? In terms of the nation, in terms of what his promises are for their future. Unless you're a prayerist. Unless you're what? A prayerist. In which case, God wasn't very long-suffering with Israel. We'll not continue that thought here.

All right, so part of the walk is long-suffering. I think this is kind of our response to what's going on in our immediate community, our family, our friends, other believers, but also to the unbelieving world. I mean, God has been long-suffering with nations, much less people. And ultimately, we, as we walk, need to have that same worthiness, if you will. Bearing or enduring others in love.

Turn to 1 Corinthians 13, 4, 5, and 13. Let's turn to that. I think we do have time to look at a few of these other texts that I've given here today. The great love chapter, right? You could read the whole chapter, but we won't do that today. But in 1 Corinthians 13, 4, 5, and 13, it says, love suffers long. in his kind, love envieth not, it bondeth not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil, etc., and then of course the greatest among these is love. But love is long-suffering, so God's love through us really has a lot of patience and forbearance for one another, for ourselves even, but for one another and for the unsafe world. According to Gill, I really kind of like this. Much of Gill I don't necessarily agree with, but this I kind of like. Overlooking the infirmities of one another, forgiving injuries done, sympathizing with and assisting each other in distressed circumstances, the spring of all which should be love, but that saints should be moved, influenced, and engaged to such a conduct in which should be so far attended to as is consistent with love.

And I would remind you again, how are you doing at this? This isn't the flesh. This isn't kind of something we put a yardstick to and say, gee, I've got 20 inches of this 36 accomplished. No way. This is just a reminder of what the walk looks like. As we increasingly become conformed to the image of the sun, this becomes not something we purpose or do. This becomes who we are. And boy, when you start putting any legality at all to Ephesians 4 and what the walk looks like, you've dismissed the three chapters that have come before it. And we're going to see in verse 7, which will be, I think, Jeremy's responsibility next week. By the way, Jeremy is now a new father. Is that correct? Not yet? Oh, I see. Okay. Jeremy, where are you today? All right.

You know, as I pointed out here right beneath this text of Gil's, you know, if you read some commentators, you kind of read this and you kind of think, how am I doing here? And you ultimately see yourself as failing. But what I put in front, it sounds to me like the Christ life in us, doesn't it? I mean, this is not something that the flesh is capable of. And as we mentioned at the beginning of this, as I read in the None But Hungry Heart series from today, this is a progressive growth in grace. This is not something that's automatic once we get saved. But yet, remember, God is expecting nothing of our flesh. The things that please God are the things that are enacted by our faith. And His truth is revealed to us as New Testament believers. And that is where we always return.

So going on here in terms of what the walk looks like, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. Endeavoring is in detail to use speed, to make effort, to be prompt or earnest, to do diligence, labor study. It means kind of being at your business, getting it done. And here's the unity of the spirit. So, ILG, the uniting bond of peace. It's interesting. Unity of the spirit and the bond of peace in the ILG is the uniting bond of peace. It's not the unity of the spirit. It's the uniting bond of peace.

So 4.13 I think relates this to the knowledge of the Lord. So if you just turn your page, if you have the version I have, go to 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 fullness of Christ. So this unity is really reflected in the person. And that makes sense. Particularly when we see what follows about one body, one spirit, one Lord.

All right, the bond of peace. I like this. It may be a little bit of a narrow interpretation, but we turn to the word peace and we kind of cross-reference and these things have I spoken to that in me you may have peace. In the world you'll have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I've overcome the world. Isn't that really very appropriate for what we're studying here?

The bond of peace, really? What peace do we have outside the Lord Jesus Christ anyway? There is none. And remember, we're citizens of another kingdom. We're just here for time. This is our business address. We're a heavenly people, and we're positioned above. So this piece is a person. It's nothing that we work at on our own. In context, I think verse 4 reflects the body.

In Colossians 3.15 it says, Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called into one body, and be thankful.

It's only possible in the Spirit, and what is His role? Here's the role of the Spirit. We need to continue to remind ourselves that the Holy Spirit, as Christ said, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak of His own, But whatever he hears, he will speak and he will tell you things to come. He will glorify me. for he will take of what is mine and declare that unto you. So the Spirit's business is entirely working to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and the believer.

This isn't some special responsibility the Spirit has for each one of us to bring us into this unity or bond of peace. This is in fact working through the power of the new life to have that peace that is Christ be reflected in the way we walk. This is an act of faith. Do we believe what God has revealed here?

We say, gee, I can believe a lot of the truth of the scripture, but boy, this idea of walking the walk by faith is something I'm having a little trouble with. I've got to work harder at this. Wrong. I think if that's true, then we're really misrepresenting the Word of Truth.

There's one body, one spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling. This begins what's called the seven unities of this first part of Ephesians 4 that begins with one body. So let's take a look at that. Margaret, Romans 12, 5. Sue, 1 Corinthians 12, 12 and 13. Nancy, Ephesians 1, 23. And Carol, Ephesians 2, 16. One body. I think Vern is actually, you talked about the body and we're talking about the body in there, right? One body. So let's kind of set the stage for one body. Go ahead, Margaret. Twelve five.

So we being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another. Okay. For even as the body is one and yet has many members and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we are all made to drink of one spirit. Can I read 22 with that? You may. And he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who builds all in all. Carol?

Ephesians 2.16. and that he might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. All right, good.

So the first of these unities is one body, and this is such an essential truth. And we're going to move ahead here in a second to really, I think, see something that I think is profoundly shared and relates to one spirit in the one body. And there's a number of verses I've given here which we'll not look at today, but you can turn to those on your own time. But here's something that I thought was really, really spirit-led and shared to the ultimate of truth, and it's by Jason Fawcett and Brown, which is sometimes good and sometimes not, but this one I think is really good. The Holy Spirit gives to the church or the body its true unity.

Outward uniformity is as yet unattainable. Important truth, right? But beginning by having one mind, we shall hereafter end by having one body. The true body of Christ, all believers of every age, is already one. Notice that. Before God, the body is the body. As joined to the one head. Here's what I really liked. In essentials, unity. In doubtful questions, liberty. and in all things charity."

Isn't that profound? What are the essentials? This one body that spirits led, what are the essentials of the body of Christ? This commentary didn't describe what those essentials were, but what might we, just thinking out loud, say are the essentials? Okay, another important essential.

Okay, what else? Son of God. There he goes. He died for sins. How about another essential? How about being co-crucified? Is that an essential that's missed by a lot of people? Remember, one spirit leads one body. Remember, before God, we're one body.

The fact that there are differences between this church and the church up the street really must mean, hopefully, that if they're really born-again people, that the essentials are still there. I guess if the essentials are there, I mean we're saved by grace, we've died for our sins, we're co-crucified, risen with him, in the newness of life we have eternity, right? I mean the promise, the hope, the glory, the follow is something we all call an essential truth, isn't it? So I think aren't those kind of the essentials, the essential basis of the gospel and what it's all about? But look at this, in doubtful questions, liberty. Now what might be some doubtful things? Dancing in the spirit? Dancing and bowling? How about smoking? How about alcohol?

The point is that all these things, we're going to put our own metric on them in terms of what you do and what you don't do. Tithing, all these things are not one body led by one spirit. The essentials are what we're talking about here. We can ultimately discuss all these doubtful things all we want. We can bring some of our own self-righteousness to these and decide whether they're right or wrong. Speaking in tongues, as much as I feel that that's not for this age, I guess some people still do it. I guess that's not going to be one of the essentials, is it? Is that an essential? Randy, you've come from that background. What about that? Godhead appropriately, but it's certainly not part of salvation, unless you come from an Assemblies of God background where they can actually teach that if you don't speak in tongues, you're not actually born again.

Well, you know, after I got saved, within weeks, I had Pat Robertson on the television. I didn't know if I was really saved or not. Oh, man. I mean, no, seriously. I mean, I got impacted by that within weeks of my salvation. I'm sorry you had a television. I got rid of mine once I got saved. Is that one of your essentials?

We could talk about this till the sun sets here today. I think the closer is really the critical part that whatever we do, it's charity. Absolutely. The bottom line is the love. And again, as I've said five times already today, I'll say it six times.

How are you doing at this? Well, I think, you know, like last week when we looked at 3.18 through 3.21, there's that aspect of knowing the love together that really, all of this is continuing on with that idea that if you're not walking in love, you can't share that. And we read that before you came in, actually. Set the stage for what you covered last week. So important, right?

And if you've got love dealing with any of these issues, whether it is humility, gentleness, or patience, showing long-suffering, or tolerance with one another in love, that love thing is really, really critical in how you apply these things. Okay, let's keep going then.

Really how we're doing but recognizing who we are I think in all this. This one body spirit led is ultimately the truth of who we are and not what we're doing. I again have said before that it's not what you do, it's who you are. Once you know who you are, then what you do is evidence of who you are. Again, it's not what we do, it's who we are. Once we understand that, what we do is an evidence of who we are.

I think this principle plays out in every aspect of the body of Christ and how it operates. One hope of our calling. The ILG says, you were called with the hope of the calling of you. It's kind of interesting. But that's what the ILG says. Hope is really that anticipation, usually with pleasure, expectation, confidence in what's going to occur.

What's our hope relate to? It's our immortality, right? I mean, you know, we could hope that today our life is more reflective of that of the Lord Jesus Christ, but that's in context usually not what hope really relates to. It's the glory that ultimately is our eternal position and presence with him, right?

Something we expect, something we're confident about. And certainly something it's difficult to really share with others. Because of time, we'll not look at those verses, but those are there for you. Ephesians 4 or 5, one Lord, one faith, one baptism. One Lord. We are going to look at this.

So Christ the head of the church, Ephesians 1.10. Lindy, could you turn back just a couple of chapters and look at that? And Ralph, you've got Carol's Bible.

How about 1 Corinthians 8.6? One Lord. to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, Jesus Christ. Okay. Ralph? That was one verse six? Or just six? Just six. Yet for us there is only one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, of all things and through whom we live. Okay. Just a couple of verses to exemplify something we know well.

We'll not look at these because of time, but one faith relates to Christ Himself. Remember, Christ is the author and finisher of faith, and that's biblical faith in who He is, right? I mean, He's not the author and finisher of our faith. He's the author and finisher of the concept of faith. But what is the concept of faith based on? It's based on who the Lord Jesus Christ is in his relationship to the Heavenly Father and to the Spirit.

Ephesians 4.13 just next page very quickly says, Till 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 fullness of Christ.

That's our faith. And one baptism, and I just arbitrarily took a verse that I think is so relevant, Romans 6, 4, buried with him, 3 and 4, buried with him with baptism unto death, risen with him in a new life. That baptism is not water baptism here. I think it's being baptized as we were at salvation into the personal Lord Jesus Christ. And that is the beginning of the walk. That baptism into the Son himself is the beginning, and by the way, the end of the walk by faith. Nothing further to add on that particular topic.

Ephesians 4.6, one God and the Father of all who is above all. Notice the end of this verse is above all through all and in all. Preposition so important.

One God and Father of all, what more can you really say there? I think in verses four to six, we clearly see the Trinity is represented and also in this verse alone. If we think about the Trinity, who is above all, is really God the Father. through all is ultimately reflecting the Lord Jesus Christ, and in all is the power of the Spirit. In a sense, that's kind of a paraphrase of the Trinity, but in effect, this verse itself really looks at the Trinity, above all, through all, and in all.

I love Daniel 4.34. We're going to look at each one of these just in passing in terms of above all.

Daniel 4.34 and 35, ìAnd at the end of the time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me.î Boy, just think about your own salvation, how once you got saved this whole concept opened up and as we grow in grace it opens up even further. And I blessed the Most High and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion and his kingdom is from generation to generation. All of the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. He does according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain his hand or say to him, ìWhat have you done?î Most High really reflecting above all, just an example of a verse that ultimately paraphrases what weíre looking at in Ephesians.

Romans 11.35, ìFor him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever, the Lord Jesus Christ.î Amen.

And in 1 John 4.15, whosoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

So to kind of summarize what we've done here today, we set the stage for the walk of the believer, a walk that's worthy. And it's not worthy because of our own accomplishments. It's worthy because that walk is in faith. That walk is not a series of works. The walk is a life. and that walk is necessarily based on positionally who we are in Christ, buried with him with baptism unto death, risen with him in newness of life. The problem with this is we all get frustrated I think with ourselves, at least I do myself in terms of this walk seeming sometimes so distant to what it should be. But as Miles reminded us today, this is a progress.

This is something when we leave these earthly bodies, we'll never feel like we've done sufficiently. But that's because our view is weak in faith. And that walk is often one in which we should ultimately not even be paying attention to. Let the Lord judge our walk. When we pay attention to our own walk, we're convicted by the Spirit of our sinful nature all the time.

Praise God for that. The Spirit lifts us up, convicts us, encourages us, restores our fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. This is all what the Spirit's all about. But the ultimate discouragement in self is really part of the process by which that walk is increasingly established in the power of the spirit in our lives. It's the new man that walks through the power of the spirit by our faith, not the old man living up to some standard.

So get your eyes off yourself, get your eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ, and live by faith that he will work the walk through you. It's not let go, let God. Don't misinterpret this. Our active role is to live by faith. And that faith is the fact that that walk is established for us. And now we just need to respond by faith to say, Lord, you've promised it. Let's go ahead and see how you're enacting it.

And let our fellow believers be, if you will, the earthly judge of our walk, but the Father in heaven ultimately is the ultimate judge of our walk. But I think when we focus in on our own walk, we become self-centered. We either get discouraged or we try in the flesh to work harder to please God, and that's all stopping short of what the walk's all about. Any final thoughts?

Any comments here? And believe me, I'm humbled to teach this today. But this is kind of the beginning of the rest of Ephesians, which I think next week Jeremy's supposed to talk. I think next week, I presume that may change based on his situation. Leading captivity captive. This is always a fun little text here, and we'll give that to Jeremy. I was thinking, gee, Randy and I have spared the responsibility of teaching, I think, a tough text.

But be ready, right? Our walk is so precious in terms of sharing a truth and a gospel to an unsaved world. But as we focus on the walk, we get distracted by ourself and how we're performing. Let us learn of him and his great truth for us positionally and ultimately by faith conditionally to bring about a truth of an eternal sanctification of the believer first and to the world to bring them unto salvation as that walk is exemplified. We thank you for this day, for your great glory, working through your word to bring your truth unto each one of us. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.