1. The Wrath of God is coming for those that are disobedient.
2. Walk in love following the example of the Messiah.
3. Confirm your idenitity in Christ by producing fruits of the Spirit.
Key Themes:
o Live a lifestyle consistent with the behavior of God's children(1)
o Jesus shows us how to act like God's children, follow Him(2)
o Children of God must abide in love(2)
o God children surrender their will to God(2)
o A lifestyle of sin reveals bad fruit and confirms we have no inheritance in God (3-5)
o Don't be ignorant of God's coming judgement on those who disobey Him(6)
Reflective Questions
1. How does Paul say we should imitate God?(v1)
o Paul insructs us to imitate God as dearly loved Children.
a. What makes it difficult for people in our generation to relate to the image of a child imitating their parent?
o The image of a child imitating their parent can be difficult for people to relate to in this generation because of the rise of children growing up in broken homes. Many children today don't have parents that would be good to imitate. Many children today grow up in homes where their parents are enslaved to addictions or so driven and selfishly only focus on themselves neglecting their parental duties. Children in many homes don't feel loved by their parents.
b. How do you think parents influence their children's behaviors?
o Whether or not a parent is a good or bad one, parents have a dramatic influence on their children. When parents are good parents they leave an example that their children want to emulate. When a Parent is absent or abusive, they leave an example children don't want to follow. Bad parent modeling can provide the impetus for children to want to change and not follow in their parents footsteps. However, the norm is that children take on some of the behaviors and traits displayed by their parents. This is clearly seen in families that experience divorce, teen pregnancy, substance and domestic abuse. These patterns take hold and are not easy to break, this is sometimes referre to as generational sin. Its something God talks about in Exodus 20 in the 10 commandments. It's by God's grace and mercy that children are able to break free from the pattern and set the course of their family on a different trajectory.
o Whether or not a parent is a good or bad one, parents have a dramatic influence on their children. When parents are good parents they leave an example that their children want to emulate. When a Parent is absent or abusive, they leave an example children don't want to follow. Bad parent modeling can provide the impetus for children to want to change and not follow in their parents footsteps. However, the norm is that children take on some of the behaviors and traits displayed by their parents. This is clearly seen in families that experience divorce, teen pregnancy, substance and domestic abuse. These patterns take hold and are not easy to break, this is sometimes referre to as generational sin. Its something God talks about in Exodus 20 in the 10 commandments. It's by God's grace and mercy that children are able to break free from the pattern and set the course of their family on a different trajectory.
2. Who does Paul give as a specific example to follow? (2)
o Paul specifically exhorts us to follow the example of the Messiah.
a. What are the assumptions we make about people that that display the behaviors in v3-4?
o People that do participate regularly in the activities listed in vs3-4 are not walking in love and the pursuit of their selfish desires leads them to not demonstrate a love or reverence for the Messiah. This is an important theme to pick up on in both Ephesians and in other parts of scripture that speak of producing fruit of the Spirit and fruit of the flesh. A person that produces fruit of the flesh is a person that has no true knowledge of God and demonstrates open rebellion towards God by refusing to obey/love Him.
b. How do church people use vs 3-5 to treat other people, especially other Christians? Does this list give Christians the task or authority to condemn people?
o Many Christians may take vs 3-5 as a license to tell people that their going to hell. While this may be true because the person confronted might not be producing fruit of the flesh it doesn't mean that we have the ability to "judge" someone and send them to hell. If we do think someone is producing fruit of the flesh this gives us the opportunity to love that person by providing the mirror/sounding board to recognize the sin that is in their life then to be supportive and encouraging family that leads them out of sin and into life with Christ. This passage can also serve as a personal reminder and exhortation to produce fruit of the Spirit by abiding in love.
4. Why does Paul warn the Ephesians to not be deceived by empty arguments?(6)
o Paul warns the Ephesians not to be deceived by empty arguments because he doesn't want them to be ignorant of the impending wrath of God held back by God's grace and patience. There is a consequence for sin and the punishment will come.
a. What are the ways people try to minimize the impending wrath of God?
o People try to minimize the impending wrath of God by choosing to only view God as a God of forgiveness and love and to diminish his other attributes. People over emphasize God's forgiveness and love to the point that it diminishes the reality of the consequences of sin and ignore the entire reason for which Christ came to earth in the first place. The only reason why Christ had to come to earth is because of the sin of man and the consequence of eternal separation from God, death. Without the covering of Christ's shed blood for our sins we are still subject to the consequence of eternal separation/death. There is no other way.
b. How do people justify sinful behavior?
o People justify sinful behavior by grading the level of sin into lesser and greater sins. The problem with this is that God is Holy and the standard God sets is a complete absence of sin. This is not possible without the atonement of Jesus Christ we receive by living a lifestyle of love/obedience for Christ. People also justify sinful behavior by renaming it and comparing the way they behave to the way lost people behave. The only problem is that followers of Christ are called to have a totally separate and different identity than the lost an their behaviors should look nothing like the behaviors of the lost.
Individual Challenge
Would you commit to asking God what areas of your life need to be changed so that you walk in the footsteps of Jesus? How would your life change if you were to eliminate one specific behavior you know doesn't honor God? Who would notice the change? How would it affect your witness?
Community Challenge
How would our community change if everyone committed to walking as Children of God? How would the way we relate to each other change? How would it affect the way people perceive the Church?
o Paul specifically exhorts us to follow the example of the Messiah.
a. What are some of the things Paul lists as behaviors and characteristics of the person we are supposed to imitate?(2)
o Paul tells us that we should follow the Messiah in walking in love. He qualifies this by giving us an example of how the Messiah demonstrated His love. The Messiah demonstrated His love by loving us and giving Himself up as a sacrifice on our behalf demonstrating his obedience/love for God.
o Paul tells us that we should follow the Messiah in walking in love. He qualifies this by giving us an example of how the Messiah demonstrated His love. The Messiah demonstrated His love by loving us and giving Himself up as a sacrifice on our behalf demonstrating his obedience/love for God.
b. How does the example of the Messiah affect the way we think about how to treat others?
o Hopefully the Messiah's example pushes us to demonstrate sacrificial love for both the lost and believers as a sign of obedience and gratitude toward Jesus.
o Hopefully the Messiah's example pushes us to demonstrate sacrificial love for both the lost and believers as a sign of obedience and gratitude toward Jesus.
3. Why does Paul tell us not to engage in the activities listed in v3-4? (5)
o Paul tells us not to engage in the activities listed in vs 3-4 because the people that do won't have an inheritance in the kingdom of God.
o Paul tells us not to engage in the activities listed in vs 3-4 because the people that do won't have an inheritance in the kingdom of God.
a. What are the assumptions we make about people that that display the behaviors in v3-4?
o People that do participate regularly in the activities listed in vs3-4 are not walking in love and the pursuit of their selfish desires leads them to not demonstrate a love or reverence for the Messiah. This is an important theme to pick up on in both Ephesians and in other parts of scripture that speak of producing fruit of the Spirit and fruit of the flesh. A person that produces fruit of the flesh is a person that has no true knowledge of God and demonstrates open rebellion towards God by refusing to obey/love Him.
b. How do church people use vs 3-5 to treat other people, especially other Christians? Does this list give Christians the task or authority to condemn people?
o Many Christians may take vs 3-5 as a license to tell people that their going to hell. While this may be true because the person confronted might not be producing fruit of the flesh it doesn't mean that we have the ability to "judge" someone and send them to hell. If we do think someone is producing fruit of the flesh this gives us the opportunity to love that person by providing the mirror/sounding board to recognize the sin that is in their life then to be supportive and encouraging family that leads them out of sin and into life with Christ. This passage can also serve as a personal reminder and exhortation to produce fruit of the Spirit by abiding in love.
c. What would be an appropriate way this list can be used to build up the family of God?
o Rather than being self righteous and pious we can choose to love brothers/sisters in Christ that have fallen or the lost. We can choose to demonstrate a sacrificial love Christ demonstrated for us and point them to the unconditional acceptance and forgiveness Christ provides for those that repent. However, True Repentance necessitates the genuine admonition of sin and a brokenness that leads us to accept the grace of God because of the debt He pays on our behalf.
o Rather than being self righteous and pious we can choose to love brothers/sisters in Christ that have fallen or the lost. We can choose to demonstrate a sacrificial love Christ demonstrated for us and point them to the unconditional acceptance and forgiveness Christ provides for those that repent. However, True Repentance necessitates the genuine admonition of sin and a brokenness that leads us to accept the grace of God because of the debt He pays on our behalf.
4. Why does Paul warn the Ephesians to not be deceived by empty arguments?(6)
o Paul warns the Ephesians not to be deceived by empty arguments because he doesn't want them to be ignorant of the impending wrath of God held back by God's grace and patience. There is a consequence for sin and the punishment will come.
a. What are the ways people try to minimize the impending wrath of God?
o People try to minimize the impending wrath of God by choosing to only view God as a God of forgiveness and love and to diminish his other attributes. People over emphasize God's forgiveness and love to the point that it diminishes the reality of the consequences of sin and ignore the entire reason for which Christ came to earth in the first place. The only reason why Christ had to come to earth is because of the sin of man and the consequence of eternal separation from God, death. Without the covering of Christ's shed blood for our sins we are still subject to the consequence of eternal separation/death. There is no other way.
b. How do people justify sinful behavior?
o People justify sinful behavior by grading the level of sin into lesser and greater sins. The problem with this is that God is Holy and the standard God sets is a complete absence of sin. This is not possible without the atonement of Jesus Christ we receive by living a lifestyle of love/obedience for Christ. People also justify sinful behavior by renaming it and comparing the way they behave to the way lost people behave. The only problem is that followers of Christ are called to have a totally separate and different identity than the lost an their behaviors should look nothing like the behaviors of the lost.
Individual Challenge
Would you commit to asking God what areas of your life need to be changed so that you walk in the footsteps of Jesus? How would your life change if you were to eliminate one specific behavior you know doesn't honor God? Who would notice the change? How would it affect your witness?
Community Challenge
How would our community change if everyone committed to walking as Children of God? How would the way we relate to each other change? How would it affect the way people perceive the Church?
No comments:
Post a Comment