Ephesians___4

Scripture:  Ephesians 4:24-25   and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.  Observation-What does it say?:  Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus did not address any particular matter of sin.  Instead, it was written to deepen their understanding of God’s eternal purpose, grace, and the purpose of the church (universal body of Christ).  Through his repeated use of the phrase “heavenly places,” he is developing our understanding that our existence is not just here on earth. “Nevertheless, that life is lived out on earth, where the practical daily life of the believer continues to work out the purposes of God”(Baker, K., et al, 1999).  In chapter four, Paul specifically addresses our unity in Christ and he offers some advice on how to continue to maintain our unity.   Understanding-What does it mean?:  In 1999, the book Jesus Freaks was first published, which was a joint project with the band DC Talk and a ministry called The Voice of Martyrs.  I was in high school at the time and DC Talk was pretty popular, so it was easy to convince me to read the book, even though I am not much of a reader.  The book outlines the lives of several prominent martyrs of the Christian faith. I remember thinking how horrible it was that these people endured such hardships and atrocities, just for maintaining their faith in Jesus Christ.  I also remember thinking, “I am so glad I live in America, and that will never happen to me.” I never thought, in my lifetime, I would live to see a day where the world I live in is so ready to attack the Christian faith.  Our unity has never seemed so important, and telling the truth about our situation must be paramount in this time. Words of encouragement have never been so vital.  But we must not forget that our battle is not against the flesh (Ephesians 6:17), we are to expect a fiery ordeal (1 Peter 4:12-13), and we are not to fear those who can only kill us (Matthew 10:28). Life Application:  Jesus, I want to learn to find joy in sharing your sufferings.  Help me to be encouraging to others, as this time is uncertain, but you are certainly going to care for us.  Your love, oh Lord, is better than all the things we hold dear on earth and it is everlasting.   
-Tyler Galloway