1Ephesians - Christ and the

ChurchLesson 9

2

Ephesians - Christ and the Church

•Chapter Four...

•Verses 17-32 - The Church - God’s Transformed Man

•Paul commended the Colossians for having been “delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Col. 1:13).

•He urged the Romans, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1).

3

Ephesians - Christ and the Church

•Chapter Four...

•Verses 17-32 - The Church - God’s Transformed Man

•The remaining verses in this chapter expand on the concept of the “new man.”

•The transformation of men was to be accomplished by a transformation of their “walking.”

4

Ephesians - Christ and the Church

•Chapter Four...

•Verses 17-32 - The Church - God’s Transformed Man

•The futility of the typical “Gentile mind” prevented lost people from participating in God’s “mystery” and reaping “every spiritual blessing” contained in it.

a. It darkened their understanding.

b. It alienated them from the “life of God.”

c. It kept them in willful ignorance of truth that could save them.

5

Ephesians - Christ and the Church

•Chapter Four...

•Verses 17-32 - The Church - God’s Transformed Man

•The futility of the typical “Gentile mind” prevented lost people from participating in God’s “mystery” and reaping “every spiritual blessing” contained in it.

d. It hardened their hearts.

e. It blocked any remorse for their sins.

f. The “Gentile mind” had ultimately led its victims into a pit of spiritual self-destruction.

6

Ephesians - Christ and the Church

•Chapter Four...

•Verses 17-32 - The Church - God’s Transformed Man

•The “Gentile mind” was entirely contrary to the mind of Christ and to the mind of faithful disciples (Phil. 2:5).

•The “new man” could not be put on until these disciples had renewed their minds.

•The “new man” had been created in baptism (Rom. 6:4).

7

Ephesians - Christ and the Church

•Chapter Four...

•Verses 17-32 - The Church - God’s Transformed Man

•Their Gentile culture often made it difficult for Gentile converts to change long-standing practices.

•This situation perhaps explains why Paul considered it necessary on several occasions to list specific practices that must be discontinued and other particular things that must be initiated by Gentile disciples.

8

Ephesians - Christ and the Church

•Chapter Four...

•Verses 17-32 - The Church - God’s Transformed Man

•There were things that must be “put off”:

Lying Anger and Wrath

Giving In to the Devil Stealing

Corrupt Speech Grieving the Holy Spirit

Bitterness...

9

Ephesians - Christ and the Church

•Chapter Four...

•Verses 17-32 - The Church - God’s Transformed Man

•There were things that must be “put on”:

Truth Honest labor

Benevolence to the Needy Good speech

Kindness Tender-heartedness

Forgiveness