EPHESIANS 4:17-312006 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Ephesians 4:17-31

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2006. This morning as we start Ephesians chapter 4, I'd like to ask you, how is your walk? And you'll have to please excuse my voice throughout the service this morning. My throat's been giving me some trouble. But how is your walk this morning? As you're here, what is your walk today?

Now, when I was young, early teens, you know, I was totally, completely insecure. I really didn't like people that much. They terrified me. And so I would walk and the way I would walk would be that my head would constantly be down. I would most often wear hooded sweatshirts and I would have the hood over my head constantly and

And, you know, if I was walking by you, I wouldn't look you in the face. I might know the color of your shoelaces, but not the color of your eyes. And, you know, I just never like to look at people or be around people. I just always kind of shuffled around or slumped around to wherever I needed to get to.

As I got older, things changed and God began to do a work. And then later I began to work at Walmart in my later teens. And as I was working at Walmart, if you know me, I usually have a lot of energy and I'm excited. And I was working in the toy department at Christmas time, so it's extremely busy and you have to dodge customers and things. And so I would constantly be

but you're not allowed to run, so I'd be walking really, really fast, taking as big steps as I could, and just getting from one place to another as quick as I could so that I could get the place in order and everything. My co-workers used to always give me a hard time. One of my co-workers would always make fun of me and say that I walk like a duck, and I'm not sure what that meant, but they would always call me after that, the duck, because I walk like a duck, I guess. I think it was a compliment, but I'm not sure, doubt it.

My uncle Bobby, he lives in Arkansas, and he, growing up, he was a funny character to watch. He just got saved a year ago, which is a blessing, but he's as thin as a stick. He's got no real substance to him. He's a construction worker, so he's pretty tough and pretty strong, but not real much weight to speak of. But when he walks, you would think he was a bodybuilder because his arms are out to here, and he's just kind of like the

the slow lumbering walk that you don't want to mess with that guy when you see him walking down the street. He's, you know, just real tough, real buff. If you remember Pastor Tom as well, he has a distinct walk. We were at the Harvest Crusades and it was back a while ago and

It was during the time where Pastor Greg would invite some of the local pastors onto the stage. And so Pastor Tom got invited and we're there at the Harvest Crusades in the nosebleeds, you know, the high part of the stadium looking down and we're waiting. We're watching all these guys walk out and we're wondering, well, which one's Pastor Tom? Because he's going to be out there. And we didn't recognize his hair or his clothes or his shoes. What we recognized as soon as he came out, that's Pastor Tom. That's his walk. Only he walks that way. That's got to be him.

Remember Tom Holman? We just sent him out to Virginia a few months ago, almost a year ago now. And he walks pretty normal, but we used to tease him a lot because of the way that he would run. And if you ever see Tom Holman run, you want to make sure you get in on that because he runs almost like, I picture like a gazelle. He kind of prances, you know, his toes are pointed and he's just real graceful the way that he runs.

Another time when I was young, my parents would take us to a park. And it was a big park in Riverside. And I would play this game because I was a weird kid that, you know, the idea, the concept would be, I want to get around the park without my parents knowing where I'm at or knowing, you know, that it's me that's coming. And so I would go and I'd, you know, pass behind a big tree and I'd take off my shirt real quick so I'd, you know, not have a shirt and, you know, maybe a disguise would, you know, fool them and, oh, it's

Who's that guy with the shirt? I don't know. Where's my son? Kind of thing, you know? And so I'd go behind big things and I'd run real fast to try to be in a place they didn't expect me so I could come back and sneak up on them. And, you know, it never worked. My mom, it didn't matter if I changed my shirt, you know, whatever. She knew the way that I walk. And that's what she always told me. I know how you walk. It doesn't matter what you do.

You know, you can change all those things, but your walk gives you a way. This morning, as we look at Ephesians chapter four and finish it off, the apostle Paul is talking to us about our walk and our walk. Paul says, gives us a way. It shows and demonstrates who we really are.

It's a lot like Ephesians chapter 2, as we saw the comparison or the contrast between what we were before God did a work in us and what we were after. That's what we see this morning in Ephesians chapter 4, the way that we lived before and the way that we are to live now that Christ has become a part of our lives.

Paul illustrates here that knowing what we know about God and the doctrines that we've learned about God and the God that we've received is not just to be information, knowledge that we accept, but it's to impact our life. In fact, what we believe needs to impact the way that we live or there is a problem. Paul will share with us this morning.

In verses 17 through 19, Paul begins by saying,

who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. In Ephesians chapter 4 verse 1, Paul started out this chapter in this section of the book, telling us that we are to walk worthy of the calling with which we were called. And we've spent the last couple weeks looking at the first aspect of that, and that was Paul encouraged us to be united, to be together as one body.

But the next way that he now tells us we're to walk worthy is by not walking like we used to. How do Christians walk? And as I shared with you, you know, all these different walks and different times in my life. And, you know, that's not what I'm talking about. How does a Christian walk with a Bible in his hand? Well, yeah, that may be true. But what Paul is talking about here is not the way that we walk, but the life that we live, our lifestyle walk.

The course that we live upon. Paul is saying here, do not live your life like the rest of the world or like you used to. He uses the word no longer. In verse 17 he says that you should no longer walk as the Gentiles walk. No longer. We used to or maybe even we do right now. But Paul says, stop. From here forward, don't walk that way. Don't live that way.

You know, in Ephesians chapter 2, we saw that Paul told us we were living or walking according to the course of this world. Our thoughts, our values, everything was dictated according to the course of this world, according to the dictates of our own heart. And Paul is saying, don't do that anymore. That's not the way that it's to be any longer. Don't walk like the rest anymore.

And he describes their walk to us, those Gentiles or those who are unbelievers. He says their walk is in the futility of their mind. That word futility, it means devoid of truth and appropriateness. Devoid of truth. That's how unbelievers walk. Without truth. Without knowing truth.

the truth and the reality that we have in Christ Jesus. Paul goes on to say that they have their understanding darkened. People who do not worship God lack understanding. They have no understanding is what the scripture teaches us. Because in Proverbs 9, verse 10, it tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

And so a person who does not worship God, who does not fear the Lord, hasn't even begun to obtain wisdom. A person who has no knowledge of the Holy One, no relationship with God, does not have understanding. Their mind is without truth. Their understanding is darkened because they do not fear the Lord. The fear of the Lord is the beginning. They haven't even begun yet to have wisdom or understanding.

Now you hear that, you listen to that, and you say, wait a minute, there's a lot of smart people and a lot of degrees that have been given out to people that do not believe that there is a God. But the degrees and all the learning, the most brilliant person on the face of the earth, if you consider them for a moment, if they do not fear the Lord, then the reality, according to what God says, is that they have no understanding. Their understanding is darkened

And then he'll go on to say in verse 18 and 19, they're ignorant and blind. Now, this is not some scripture that you share with someone when you want to make friends, right? Your understanding is darkened, you're ignorant and you're blind. Well, no, it's not pleasant words necessarily, but they are the truth. And we need to know the truth that without God, we don't have understanding. We don't really know what life is about. We don't know what the truth is because it's found there.

In a relationship with God. Now, Paul is not saying that they're stupid. But he's just saying foolish and ignorant because they've rejected God. And so they cannot have understanding. Like Psalm 14.1, the fool has said in his heart, there is no God. And so you can be the smartest person and have 15 degrees and initials after your name. But if you say that there is no God, the Bible says you're a fool.

You're a fool. You have no understanding. Because the reality is that God is, and He is Lord. If you want to be wise, if you want to have understanding, then the author of Proverbs tells us to fear the Lord. That's the beginning. That's where you start. Psalm chapter 119 verse 99, the psalmist tells us, I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.

The psalmist realizes where it's at. I spend time in your word, Lord. I meditate in your word. And so I have understanding that all my teachers, those who don't meditate and those who don't know your word, they don't have understanding. But I do because I know you, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the author of the universe, who really does have all the answers.

Going on in verse 20 and 21, Paul says, So Paul begins the contrast now. Don't walk that way anymore. This is how you're to walk now. That's not what you learned in Jesus Christ. That's not what Jesus is teaching you.

That way that you're walking, that's according to your former ways, that's according to the course of this world. No, you need to walk now according to the truth that you have been taught by Jesus Christ. Those who do not believe in God and have no relationship with God walk in ignorance. Their understanding is darkened. But those who believe God and worship God and have a relationship with God...

are to walk according to what God teaches them through Jesus Christ. You know, Christians are to be different than the rest of the world. We're not to blend in and be the same. We're to be different and set apart. Sometimes it's like we live as if the reality was that the person who blends in the best, the person who went through life and nobody knew that they had a relationship with God, gets the biggest reward ever.

Sometimes we live like that. Sometimes we live like we'll show up in heaven and, Lord, I was the best secret agent. I was never discovered. They didn't find me out. Where's my reward? But the Bible teaches that we're called to be different, set apart. We're not to be the same and to fit in and to blend in and to look just like everybody else. That doesn't mean, you know, we have to dress different or have a different type of physical walk. But our lives are not to be the same.

The course that we walk is not to be the same. Not according to the absence of truth, but the presence of truth that's found in Jesus Christ. If you're walking like the rest of the world, Paul says, you did not learn that from Jesus Christ. God's not teaching you to walk that way. That's according to your old nature and your old ways. What is it that we learn from Christ? What does he teach us to do? Going on now in verses 22 through 24.

He says that you put off concerning your former conduct, the old man, which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that you be and that you put on the new man, which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness. I pause now for dramatic effect. Paul says this is what you learn from Christ to put off the old and to put on the new, to put off.

Former conduct, the way you used to live, the lifestyle that you used to have, according to the old man, which refers to the old nature or the sinful nature. Paul says, you put that off when you used to walk according to the course of this world, because that old nature, it grows corrupt. Not only is it corrupt, but it continues to grow more and more corrupt.

And so Paul says, you need to put that off because it will decay and destroy your life. But then you put on the new man that's created according to God in righteousness and holiness. And so we have this idea of put off and put on, put off and put on. It's like if you had an old dingy pair of clothes and you're wearing this outfit, it's got holes in it and

It's got grease all over it from the time you were working on your car and blood from the times that you scraped yourself and got cut up and old rags that you're wearing. And God has come and he's given you this new set of apparel. Here's your new man. This will make you a new person. But Paul says, so there it is. He's given to you. He's created you according to God in righteousness and holiness. So put off those old things. They smell. They don't look good. They're not good for you.

Put on these nice new clothes. Put on this new man that God has given to you. 2 Corinthians 5, verse 17. Paul tells us there that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. So everybody who is in Christ...

Paul says, is a new creation. New creation, not an old creation, not a reformed creation, but a new creation. The old things, the old man, the old nature, it's all passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Notice the tenses there. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things or all things have become, it's already done. They've become new.

So how do we put on this new apparel, this new man that God has given to us? Well, the reality again is 2 Corinthians 5.17 says that we already are a new creation. But the problem is very often we do not live that way. We don't wear the new clothes, put on the new man that God has given to us.

Paul is saying, put off the old man, put on the new man by believing that you truly are a new creation and stop living the way that you used to. And he'll go on now in the rest of the portion of scripture to give us a series of contrasts, pictures that we can look and see in our lives, ways that we need to stop living like we used to and start living the way that Christ teaches us.

He'll tell us in each of these examples what we're to put off, what we're to put on, and he gives us the reason for each one. So verse 25, he starts out saying, Therefore, putting away lying, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Putting away lying. Now this word putting away, it's the same word that he used for put off a few moments ago.

Put off. Now, it doesn't mean put off as like we think of it maybe sometimes as in to procrastinate. Well, I'm going to put it off. You know, one day at some point, I'm going to stop lying so much. One day at some point, I'm going to really cut back a lot until I finally stop speaking falsehoods. No, not procrastinate.

Not put off some of it, but it means to completely take off, put off. In Spanish, if that helps you, it's quitarse. You want to take it off, put it off, get it away from you. That's old nature, old man, your former conduct. Paul says, take it off, put it off. The first thing he tells us, the first example he gives us is lying. Stop lying, Paul says, and tell the truth. Why? Well, because we're members of one another.

Now, we just spent a couple weeks looking at the body of Christ, understanding where the body of Christ in that picture. What would happen if members of your body began to lie to members of your body? So your foot tells your brain, I'm over here, but really it's in a different spot. You're going to have some problems. There's going to be some injuries that take place. Paul says, stop lying.

And speak the truth. Oh, you know, honey, I'm staying late at work today, but reality is you're somewhere else, staying somewhere else. I read my Bible this much, or I pray this much, or I spend time this or that, and it's not the truth. Stop lying. I had this amount of expenses in 2005. Stop lying, Paul says, and speak the truth. That's what you've learned from Christ. The next example we find in verses 26 and 27 says,

He says, be angry and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. So what are we to put off? Uncontrolled anger. Anger that causes us to sin. And what are we to put on? Controlled anger. He's not saying never be angry. You'll get angry. There'll be things that raise the temperature within you. Things that boil your blood, as some people say.

And we see that. Jesus did that. There's such a thing as righteous indignation. There's some things that we should get angry about. But Paul says, don't let it be uncontrolled anger. Anger that forces you or motivates you to do something that is sinful. Now, the world...

Our flesh will say, hey, I cannot control myself when I'm angry. Man, you know, it's like, hey, don't get on his bad side. If you get on his bad side, you'll never know the end of it. But don't get him angry. You never know what will happen when he gets angry or she gets angry. Paul says, be angry and do not sin. Put off that uncontrolled anger and put on some self-control. That uncontrolled anger, that's not what you've learned in Christ.

Don't believe that lie any longer. You do not have to be subject to that. He gives you everything that you need. Remember, we've studied it for the past few months. You were chosen before the foundation of the world, predestined to be conformed to His image and to stand before Him holy and without blame. And He's taken you who are dead in your trespasses and sins and raised you up and given you life and seated you in the heavenly places. He's given you everything that you need.

Now walk in it. Believe it. Put on the new man and live accordingly. Stop letting anger motivate you towards or excuse you from sinful activity. A lot of times we use it as an excuse, don't we? I'm sorry I did that, but you know I was really angry. Paul says, no, stop it and have some self-control. Start controlling yourself and learn to forgive. Now otherwise, here's the reason. Why should you

Have anger and not sin? Why should you stop having uncontrolled anger and start applying some self-control? Because if you do not, Paul says, the devil has a foothold. He says, nor give place to the devil. If you allow anger to dominate you, Paul is saying, then it will constantly and always be a problem. It will be an effective tool of the enemy. Because then, all he has to do is

To get you in the flesh, not seeking after the things of God, is allow something to happen or cause something to happen that will get you angry. All he has to do to keep you from being a good witness is get you angry. Or to keep you from going on that mission trip is to get you angry. Or to keep you from anything that God wants you to do is to get you angry. He'll use that to destroy your life.

So Paul says, don't let that stop. That's old nature. He's given you this new man. Put it on. And don't be bound to that anger any longer. Verse 28, the next example. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor working with his hands. What is good that he may have something to give him who has need. So this example, what are we to put off? Stealing. Thievery. What are we to put on? Labor. Labor.

Or as parents like to say, get a job. Do something with your life. Get to work. Provide for yourself. Why? Because then you can give to those who have need. Paul says, listen, you used to steal. You used to cheat in order to get by in life. But now, that's not what you learned in Christ. God didn't teach you to do that. But now in Christ Jesus, you're to work. You're to labor. You're to provide for yourself.

Whatever aspects or calling that is and that works out in your life. Now, it doesn't mean that every man, woman is always going to be employed every instance. There's seasons. There's times. Some God will call you to be a stay-at-home mom or dad or person. And that's okay. That's good. But Paul is saying, listen, you're not to steal and cheat to provide for yourself.

If you need to be provided for labor, work, that's the right way. That's what you would learn from God. Now, his reason that he gives is very interesting because we usually think of work or occupations and we say, hey, that's what I do so that I can provide for myself as well as my family.

If I didn't work, then, you know, often we say that I could do so much more. You know, if I didn't work, I could be involved in that or involved in this or do this for God or do that for God. But, you know, I have to work to provide for myself and my family. But Paul says, don't limit yourself to that. Here's the real motivation for why you should work and have a job. Yes, you need to provide for yourself and you need to provide for your family. But he says, work and labor so that you can give to those who

who have need. That's what Christ would teach you. To work and to labor, to earn money in order to bless others who have need, those who lack. To be others-centered, really, and not self-centered. It's very easy to be consumed with what I can do with all the money that I earn. I'm speaking hypothetically because I don't earn all that much money, but you know what I'm saying. I can be consumed or I can have the motivation to

How can I use what I earn to meet the needs of others who have need? That should be your motivation. That is what's learned in Christ. So stop stealing and cheating and start working, providing, and then giving to those who are in need. In verse 29, we have the next example. He says, let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

What are we to put off? Corrupt communication. And we're to put on good, edifying, wholesome communication or conversations. Why? He says, because then you give grace to those who are here. But we're to put off the corrupt communication. This word corrupt, it means rotten, putrefied, or worthless. We're to put off those things, those worthless conversations and things that we say.

Those rotten things, they're just rotted. They have no value. They're destructive. Now, we could spend, of course, a lot of time, several weeks, months, maybe years, looking at this verse and studying the different aspects of it. Because we know that our mouth is a big problem.

James chapter 3 makes that very clear to us. Our tongues, he compares them to rudders on a great ship. And he says, consider how this huge ship is controlled and steered by this little rudder. Not very big. In the same way as our tongues, they're powerful. The way that it steers our own lives, but the way also that it impacts those around us. We need to watch our mouths. So Paul says, stop watching.

Those corrupt words from proceeding from your mouth. The gossip, the slander, inappropriate jokes or comments, and so much more. Anything that's not wholesome, that's not uplifting and building up. Your words are powerful, so use them wisely to build up others and to help them walk with Jesus Christ. Put off the old communication and put on the new communication.

Hebrews tells us to consider one another, how we may spur one another on towards love and good works. That's what we're to do, to use our mouths for, to build up, to edify, to encourage those who are around us. The next one we find in verse 30, he says, And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. So we're to put off grieving the Spirit, and we're to put on obedience. Why? Why?

Because it's by the Spirit that we are sealed for the day of redemption. Now, why is the opposite of grieving the Holy Spirit obedience? Well, Isaiah chapter 63 verse 10 tells us this. He says,

And so it caused God to be against them because they were in rebellion to him. To grieve the Holy Spirit is to be disobedient or rebellious towards the promptings, towards the things that he puts upon our hearts, the leadings and the guidings that he sets before us. Paul says, put off that. Don't grieve the Spirit, but instead put on the new man and be obedient to what God says. Be obedient to those promptings that he puts upon your heart.

In John chapter 16, verse 8, Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit comes, he will convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and judgment. And there will be those times when the Holy Spirit will speak to you about sin in your life or righteousness that needs to take place or the judgment that's coming. And Paul says, don't be rebellious. Stop being rebellious and be obedient to respond and take care of that sin.

or to make sure that righteousness takes place, or to keep in perspective the judgment, the eternity that is to come. He also says, Jesus does, in John chapter 16 verse 13, that the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth. So some of the promptings and leadings of the Spirit will be to keep you from sin, to keep you away from situations, or call you to come out of situations or conversations.

But then some of the promptings of the Spirit will be to guide you into all truth, to lead you to a way that He wants you to go, to walk down a path, serve in some way, minister somewhere, read some portion of Scripture, whatever the case may be, He'll lead you in that way by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. And so Paul is saying here for us to allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, not to resist Him.

As he speaks to your heart, be obedient to do what he prompts you to do. Sometimes it will be to stay away from situations or sin, but other times it will be to minister, to share, to go this way or to go that way. And then finally, in verses 31 and 32, Paul says, Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you,

Now, the wonderful news about this portion of Scripture along with others is that we have been set free from those things in Christ Jesus. We're no longer bound to them and bondage to them, forced to

Walk according to our flesh, our wicked hearts, or the course of this world. Paul says, put them off. Get them out of your life. You don't have to be in bondage to them. You don't have to serve those masters any longer. Those things will destroy you, Paul is saying. So stop doing them. Stop living in them. Don't let that be your lifestyle. Put those and then put on the new man. Put on. Put on.

You don't have to walk that way any longer. He gives us a variety of examples here in verse 31 of what we're to put off. He starts out with bitterness, which is bitter hatred. And you know what that is. Holding on to grudges and anger towards people. You know it destroys you and does absolutely nothing to the person that you're bitter towards. Let it go. It's eating you up. It's destroying your life. Stop it. Put it off, Paul says.

and put on the new man. Wrath, which speaks of outbursts of anger or fits of rage. Let it go. Put it off. Get it out of your life. Stop it. It destroys you and it destroys those who are around you. Clamor is loud and noisy shouting, causing a ruckus, making a big scene of things. Often it's used in the idea of protesting. Paul says, stop it.

Put that out. That's of the old nature. That's the way that the world walks. That's not what you have learned in Christ. Evil speaking. Speech that is or that injures another person's name. Something that injures someone else's name. It's called slander today. Now, whether what you say is true or not is not the issue. Paul says if it injures someone's name, that's not what you learned from Christ.

That's not what you learned from God. He's not teaching you to do that. So don't do it. Let it go. Put it off. And then finally in verse 31, he says malice. Malice is ill will towards a person. The desire to injure or for injury to be applied to someone. You know, sometimes we'll tell people, man, I wish you were dead. I hope you don't say that, but maybe you do. I know we've said it before. Paul says that ill will...

You're not to have. Stop it. Put it off. You can see He's talking about the inner workings of our lives, of our hearts. These things that are going on within. The bitterness, the ill will, the anger, the clamor. All the things that are going on within you that are destroying your life. Jesus has set you free from those. Or if you have not received Him yet as your Savior and Lord, then He can set you free from those. They don't have to destroy your life anymore.

But now in Christ, you can put on the new man. Again, the wonderful news is we've been set free from these things. We don't have to be subject to them, nor their consequences any longer. Our lives do not have to be destroyed because of our actions and our words. Now, believe when God says that He has made you a new creation. Believe it. He has. It's already done.

And He's given it to you. It's on the hanger. You just got to put it on and live it. And do it. And trust and know. And situations will happen. And you're going to be tempted. And everything is going to say, no, you don't. See, you don't. You have to give in to that. You have to do that. You have to live this way. And God says, no, it's right here. Take it. Live it. I've given you everything that you need. So now you have the choice. Put off those things.

Put on the new man. What I teach, God says to us. No matter what the world says, no matter what your own self will tell or say, put it all aside. Repent. He's given you everything that you need to do so. He's made you a new creation in Christ. Do you believe that? Do you believe that? That's what the Bible teaches. So we're to put off those things and he gives us some last examples of what we're to put on.

Put on what? Being kind to one another. Be kind to one another. It means to be pleasant, to be nice or benevolent. Or to be nice to people. Pleasant to be around. Or to be generous. Someone who others enjoy to be close to. Maybe in previous times you were mean and stingy. Paul says put that off. No, be nice and generous. Give and love generously.

And be kind and affectionate. That's what you learn in Christ Jesus. Not only be nice, but he also says be tenderhearted, which means to have compassion. Maybe at one time you were hardhearted, but Paul says not anymore. Put that off. That's old news, old man, old nature. Put on the new man. Have compassion.

and understanding for people. Put yourself in their shoes. Feel what they feel. You used to not care about how your actions or the situations that people were going through affected them. But now consider them and think about them. Feel what they feel and have compassion. The last one he shares with us here in verse 32. It's probably the most difficult. He says, forgiving one another is

And that wouldn't be so bad unless he added this last part, even as God in Christ forgave you. It's probably the hardest one many times in our lives. To forgive, but not just to forgive, the same way that God has forgiven us. How many things has God forgiven you for? Everything, right? Now, when he forgave you, did you deserve it? No, absolutely not. Did you ask for it when he forgave you? No, absolutely not.

The Bible says in Romans chapter 5 verse 8 that while we were still enemies with God, He died for us. And that's what demonstrates His love towards us. He forgave us while we were still His enemies of everything, even though we did not deserve it. And that is the same way that we are to forgive others. We're to forgive others of everything. There's not exceptions that we're allowed, okay, well you can hold on to this. Don't forgive them for this. Forgive them.

You say, well, they don't deserve it. Well, that's okay. Forgive them as God and Christ forgave you. Well, they didn't ask for my forgiveness. Well, that's okay. Neither did you. But God forgives you. We're to forgive the same way that God forgives us. Forgive. Let it go. It's eating you up. It's destroying you. You're empty. You're void. Let it go. And put on the new man that you will be able to forgive. And of course, there's

Always the case where we think, I'm the exception. You don't understand. I can't. You don't know the situation. You don't know how long it's been or how long it's been going on or this or that. The details, they don't matter. It's the truth right here before us. Put on the new man. He's given to you what you need to forgive, even as God in Christ has forgiven you. To say that you can't, that's a lie. That's not correct. It's false.

You can by the power of the Holy Spirit. You know, God can bring healing to your hearts and he can teach you how to forgive. And this new man, as soon as we commit to be obedient to God's word, he gives us everything that we need to accomplish it and fulfill it. You're a new creation in Christ Jesus.

And so, throughout this morning, Paul's whole point here, as we studied in chapters 1 through 3, we learned all about God, and we learned all about what God has done for us. And Paul is saying this, you cannot believe those things and just remain as you are. But God has given you this information, this understanding, so that you can know that you have the resources, and that He is as wonderful, even more wonderful than we can imagine.

And it's to impact our lives so that we live our lives as this new creation that he has made us to be. Verse 24 of Ephesians 4, once again, says that you put off or put on the new man, which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness. You've been created in Christ according to God in true righteousness and holiness.

Now our flesh, our sinful nature and everything within us says, no, I'm not holy and that's why I have all these problems and that's why I live the way that I live. But God says, no, you're believing the lie. Stop it. Put those things off and put on the new man that I've given to you. Live it out. Here it is on the hanger, but you got to take it off. You got to live it out. Our old behavior, our former conduct, that's not what you've learned in Christ. He didn't teach you to be involved in those things and to do that.

He's not the one that's telling you that it's okay and keep on doing it. Or you're the exception and that's okay. He's the one saying, put off those things. Repent. Let them go. And walk in the strength and the victory that you have in Christ Jesus. Amen? We have victory. We're set free. This morning, if you're not, if you're still in bondage, come to Jesus. Let him set you free from those things. You don't have to be miserable anymore.

In bitterness, in anger, in clamor, in evil speaking, and all the things that Paul has been talking about. But you can be set free to live a new life in Christ, become a new creation, and receive all the grace and mercy and forgiveness that God offers to you. Heavenly Father, we thank you for who you are, the precious gifts that you've given to us. And God, we ask right now that you would help us.

to put off those old things, those former things, the things that are not of You. Lord, it's easy to believe the lies. It's easy, Lord, to fall prey to the traps and think that we have no choice but to lie or to cheat or to steal or to get angry or to be bitter. But Lord, Your Word tells us that that's not true. And so, God, we put our faith and trust in You and we choose to believe You at Your Word. Help us to let it go, God.

Help us to put those things out of our lives and to put on the things that you teach. Not grieving the spirit, Lord, but being obedient to all that you put upon our heart. Not lying, but speaking the truth, Lord, in every aspect of our lives. Lord, not in bitterness and anger, but Lord, living in forgiveness. Forgiving others, just as you've forgiven us. God, we ask that you would work out these things in our hearts. We do need help, God. We can't do it on our own strength. Lord, your word's not...

telling us if only we were more determined, more reliable, if only we did this more or that more. You're not looking for a worked relationship with us, God, but you're looking for us to receive you, to believe you at your word and to walk in it. So give us the strength by your spirit to do so. And God, I pray for those who are here that maybe have not received you as their Savior and Lord. They haven't been born again. They haven't been set free. I pray, Lord, that you would touch their hearts.

Show them how wonderful you are and how much you love them. What you've done for them that they might receive you. This morning if that is you, if you need to receive Jesus Christ and be born again, you might not even know what that means but you know you need to be set free. The yearning, the thirst that's within you, it's for God. It's for Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can satisfy you. So if you want to come to Him and be satisfied and set free,

You can just pray this prayer after me in your heart. Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Thank you that you offer me freedom from these destructive things in my life. God, right now I receive what you've done for me. I ask, Lord, that you would forgive me. Come into my life and make me a new person, created to be like you in righteousness and holiness. And help me, Lord, to not live the same as I've always lived,

but to put on the new man in Christ. Walk in your way. Thank you, Jesus. And we all said, Amen. We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of His Word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.