Friends, 

I'm getting off the beaten path of our daily reading schedule to briefly dip into the New Testament. Along with the readings, I also like to memorize Scripture. I have even created a separate section to assist in it on this site (Memorization). Presently, I am working through the Book of Ephesians. I have memorized this book in the past, but I have forgotten it, so I'm plowing through it again. The last few days of memory work have been particularly relevant and instructive. I want to encourage you from it today. Please carefully read the following Scripture:

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”:Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:25-32).

If you're like me, when I read passages like this, my mind tends to beeline to those things in which I am strong, so that I can feel good about myself, and almost as quickly to take note of those things in which others are weak, thinking how bad they are. It is a testament to the persistence of my sinful nature in this life. I write this to share that I struggle just as much as the next man, longing for that complete redemption in Christ. With that disclaimer I would like to share some relevant applications from the passage above.

Paul juxtaposes his instruction on speaking truth with his instruction on controlling anger. Perhaps we are to understand that lies, or even perceived lies, can really incite anger. At the same time, anger, at first understandable, can, nevertheless, fester and spread like a cancer if not early nipped in the bud. Both of these are presented as the arena of Satan's activity. But when we speak truth and control our anger, we somehow remove the ground from under him and make his schemes against us ineffective. 

Juxtaposed to this discussion Paul gives a seemingly unrelated instruction on ceasing to steal and on pursuing physical work to benefit the needy. While this may just be the next moral issue on Paul's mind, perhaps there is a deeper connection. The former couplet related to speech, this latter couplet promotes action. Could Paul be suggesting that at least one answer to false speech and uncontrolled anger is productive work? It is one thing to simply say, "Stop lying. Control your anger. Stop stealing." But to encourage a brother to work with his own hands so that he will have something to share with those in need - now that is something to do, something constructive, something to preoccupy our scheming minds, our anxious hearts, our idle hands. What is more, to do this in order to share with someone in need is to fulfill our calling, namely, to "build others up". 

How fitting that Paul immediately follows this with the exhortation to speak only what builds one another up. Then, as if to counterbalance his exhortation to not give Satan a foothold, Paul exhorts believers to not grieve the Holy Spirit. Clearly, when believers tear each other down in bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and malice, the Spirit is grieved. On the other hand, when believers are kind, extend compassion, and forgive, the Spirit rejoices. The basis for the latter over the former is that God forgave us for a much greater wrong than we could possibly hold over our brother. When we set our minds on our redemption through the cross of Christ, we are not out for justice but deeply humbled by His grace. 

So friends, and I call you friends because of our common confession of faith in the Lord Jesus, let us not over-burden each other with our worldly demands and expectations. Instead, let us concentrate our energies on the message and hope of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, before which everything and everyone must bow. Let us not tear each other up in our self-righteousness, for truly our only boast of righteousness is the righteousness of God, which was imputed to us on the basis of the precious blood of Jesus. Instead let us encourage, admonish, pray and provide for each for the other's good. This way the Spirit within us and among us will rejoice. This way Christ will be exalted, and we can bring a united front in battling the enemy, who seeks to tear us apart and make us ineffective in our mission to win the world for Christ. 

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is (Ephesians 5:15-17).

The expession "making the most of your time" is an interpretative translation of the more literal expression, "redeeming the time," which suggests a "buying back of your time," a regaining possession of your time. It pictures time as being under the ownership of an evil culture ("the days are evil"), so that if left unredeemed for God, it will carry on in the folly of the wickedness of the evil culture. 

The biblical perspective of culture is captured in the expression, "the days are evil." What this means is that popular pressure, national media, and natural social processes tend toward evil and not toward God, toward greater folly and not toward the wisdom of God's will. 

This being the case, we ought to understand that it takes effort to be holy and wise, even while it takes no effort to be wicked and unwise. Living to do God's will in our world is an uphill exercise and not something that will come naturally.

Here is how I've tried to redeem my time in these evil days:

• The first and last thing in my day is to pray for God's wisdom to govern my day.
• I give my best hour(s) (early in the morning) to meditate on God's Word (to read, study, memorize and write about Scripture). 
• I make sure that my child's Quiet Time, which consists of praise, Bible reading and discussion, memorization, and prayer, is a daily priority.
• I have converted my primary work effort, namely, managing our martial arts organization, into a ministry of the Gospel and a vehicle to build-up fellow Christians.
• I have tried to simplify my life and gain valuable time by removing Cable TV and replacing my smart phone with a basic phone. 
• I have tried to be very frugal in my spending and expenses and have been preparing passive streams of income so that I can redeem even more time and resources for ministry.
• I connect my conviction for biblical homeschooling (Ephesians 6:4) with my practice by homeschooling my daughter with my wife and by directing a local Christian Classical Conversations homeschooling community.
• I try to keep the biblical order for family priority, so that my wife is given priority to my child in terms of primary care, respect, affection, and attention. This is always a work in progress.
• I give to my local church according to conscience, but I do not "tithe," per my conviction that tithing is unbibilical for the Christian, confuses the laity about the nature of giving, and may be the basis for much abuse, greed, and destroyed witness.
• I am always looking for open doors of opportunity for witness. This website, dailyqt.org, going on four years now, I consider one of these open doors. The Youn Wha Ryu Martial Arts Organization I consider an open door. Classical Conversations I consider an open door. My Sunday School class and the Men's Bible Study I attend, which I do not lead but simply participate, I also consider realms of ministry. 

This is just a sampling of how I try to live out my convictions, that is, how I try to apply the truths of God's Word to my life. I've obviously left out a lot of details and there's much more that I'm pursuing, but perhaps it may benefit someone who is wondering what "redeeming the time" might look like. I praise God for the privilege of making it my daily ambition and concentrated effort to "redeem the time" so that my time will be fully engaged in doing God's will.

He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need (Ephesians 4:28).

What is your motivation to earn more money? Is it to live in a nicer house? Is it to drive a nicer car? Is it to go on more frequent and luxurious vacations? Paul writes that the goal of honest work for the believer should be that they might "have something to share with one who has need." 

This past weekend I spoke to a dear brother and leader in our martial organization. He shared with me that he discussed the matter of earning more money with his wife. While they talked about the typical things people might want to get and do with more money, he admitted that neither of them could get excited about any of it; that is, until they started talking about how they could give to a number of people they personally knew that were in need. As he shared this with me, my spirit was excited as well. 

At the time, I did not know that I would read this passage of Scripture, but I somehow felt that it might be of God. Now that I read this passage today, I am more confident that God desires that we have such an attitude toward earning more money. 

At this point, the way I see it, everyone must first have a good sense of their own needs and that of their family. Then they can freely consider and give to meet the needs of others. I would not presume to suggest what those limits might be, for each person must decide humbly and prayerfully in keeping with their calling by God. 

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Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body (Ephesians 5:25-30).

I focus my comments on the believing husbands here. We are called to love our wives as Christ sacrificially loved the church and to take care of our wives as we do our very own bodies. 

To what end did Christ love and sacrifice Himself for the church? It was so that the church might be made holy, that is, set apart to God in a worthy manner.

How would she be made holy? It was by cleansing her by washing her with the Word of God, that is, by bringing her character and practice in line with God's holy Word. This is the church's glory, that she be aligned with God's will. 

To what extent was she cleansed? She was cleansed so that there was not a single spiritual or moral blemish, so that she was blamelessly holy. 

What, then, is the application for husbands with respect to loving their wives? We should share, encourage, guide, and model the Word of God to our wives. We should do this even to our own hurt. The command is not to simply sacrifice our lives for our wives, but to do so with the goal of making her holy, that is, drawing her nearer to God, so that her character and practice are in line with God's holy Word to the fullest extent. A wife's glory is to have such a god-fearing character. That is why Solomon writes,

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (Proverbs 31:30).

This command to husbands with respect to their wives is, consequently, very similar to the command to fathers with respect to their children (see detailed discussion below):

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).

In both cases, providing spiritual guidance and instruction from God's Word are in view. Therefore, when considering the husband's duty in marriage, this responsibility is clearly the priority.

The latter discussion of husbands loving their wives as their own bodies is simply another analogy to drive home the same main point. That is why the text begins with the words "So husbands ought also..." The word "so" is a Greek word that is often translated "thus" or "in the same manner". Since this linkage is there, we ought not to assume that Paul is speaking of a different kind of love here. Both loving one's wife as Christ loved the church and loving one's wife as one loves oneself have the same point of reference in view. It is the love of Christ for the church (cf. Ephesians 5:29 "as Christ does the church").

A physical and material component seems to be emphasized in this latter analogy. Paul speaks of husbands nourishing and cherishing their own bodies just as Christ also nourishes and cherishes the church. In this manner, husbands are commanded to nourish and cherish their own wives. I believe this suggests providing sustenance, protection and overall wellbeing for their wives. This too is a duty of husbands in marriage toward their wives. 

Friends, pop psychology is prevalent, teaching both men and women that they need more and should demand more than what the Bible says. What often ends up happening is that God's requirements are displaced by the things the culture and the media dictate are required for a good marriage. Husbands and wives become frustrated because their "needs" are not being met, yet these "needs" may simply be wants that have been conditioned to be seen as needs by a dysfunctional culture. 

Friends, keep in mind that following God's commands does not guarantee a happy marriage. When both spouses do their part in obeying God's commands, a happy marriage may be likely, but it is not guaranteed. Consequently, a happy marriage should not be the goal of either partner, but rather obedience to God. Even if one partner fails do their responsibilities, the other should continue to do theirs, for each is ultimately accountable to God, and the commands given to one spouse are not conditioned on the obedience of the other. This is true wth respect to marriage, and it is true with respect to parenting. It is also true of Christ and the church. He will remain faithful even when the church is unfaithful. 

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Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).

I have written elsewhere and somewhat extensively on this topic; however, I would like to present another perspective - one from a man that I deeply respect for sound, biblical teaching, John MacArthur (link to full Grace to You site). Here is what he has to say about ways parents might provoke their children to anger:

Ways Parents Provoke

In Ephesians 6:4, Paul writes, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” In our series these last two weeks, we’ve looked at both discipline (specifically, spanking) and instruction (specifically, evangelism). Today, we will look at the command to not provoke.

To “provoke . . . to anger” suggests a repeated, ongoing pattern of treatment that gradually builds up a deep–seated anger and resentment that boils over in outward hostility.

Such treatment is usually not intended to provoke anger. Here are eight ways in which parents can provoke their children to anger:

1) Well–meaning overprotection is a common cause of resentment in children. Parents who smother their children, overly restrict where they can go and what they can do, never trust them to do things on their own, and continually question their judgment build a barrier between themselves and their children—usually under the delusion that they are building a closer relationship. Children need careful guidance and certain restrictions, but they are individual human beings in their own right and must learn to make decisions on their own, commensurate with their age and maturity. Their wills can be guided but they cannot be controlled.

2) Another common cause of provoking children to anger is favoritism. Isaac favored Esau over Jacob and Rebekah preferred Jacob over Esau. That dual and conflicting favoritism not only caused great trouble for the immediate family but has continued to have repercussions in the conflicts between the descendants of Jacob and Esau until our present day! For parents to compare their children with each other, especially in the children’s presence, can be devastating to the child who is less talented or favored. He will tend to become discouraged, resentful, withdrawn, and bitter.

Favoritism by parents generally leads to favoritism among the children themselves, who pick up the practice from their parents. They will favor one brother or sister over the others and will often favor one parent over the other.

3) A third way parents provoke their children is by pushing achievement beyond reasonable bounds. A child can be so pressured to achieve that he is virtually destroyed. He quickly learns that nothing he does is sufficient to please his parents. No sooner does he accomplish one goal than he is challenged to accomplish something better. Fathers who fantasize their own achievements through the athletic skills of their sons, or mothers who fantasize a glamorous career through the lives of their daughters prostitute their responsibility as parents.

I once visited a young woman who was confined to a padded cell and was in a state of catatonic shock. She was a Christian and had been raised in a Christian family, but her mother had ceaselessly pushed her to be the most popular, beautiful, and successful girl in school. She became head cheerleader, homecoming queen, and later a model. But the pressure to excel became too great and she had a complete mental collapse. After she was eventually released from the hospital, she went back into the same artificial and demanding environment. When again she found she could not cope, she committed suicide. She had summed up her frustration when she told me one day, “I don’t care what it is I do, it never satisfies my mother.”

4) A fourth way children are provoked is by discouragement. A child who is never complimented or encouraged by his parents is destined for trouble. If he is always told what is wrong with him and never what is right, he will soon lose hope and become convinced that he is incapable of doing anything right. At that point he has no reason even to try. Parents can always find something that a child genuinely does well, and they should show appreciation for it. A child needs approval and encouragement in things that are good every bit as much as he needs correction in things that are not.

5) A fifth way provocation occurs is by parents’ failing to sacrifice for their children and making them feel unwanted. Children who are made to feel that they are an intrusion, that they are always in the way and interfere with the plans and happiness of the parents, cannot help becoming resentful. To such children the parents themselves will eventually become unwanted and an intrusion on the children’s plans and happiness.

6) A sixth form of provocation comes from failing to let children grow up at a normal pace. Chiding them for always acting childish, even when what they do is perfectly normal and harmless, does not contribute to their maturity but rather helps confirm them in their childishness.

7) A seventh way of angering children is that of using love as a tool of reward or punishment—granting it when a child is good and withdrawing it when he is bad. Often the practice is unconscious, but a child can sense if a parent cares for him less when is he disobedient than when he behaves. That is not how God loves and is not the way he intends human parents to love. God disciplines His children just as much out of love as He blesses them. “Those whom the Lord loves He disciplines” (Heb. 12:6). Because it is so easy to punish out of anger and resentment, parents should take special care to let their children know they love them when discipline is given.

8) An eighth way to provoke children is by physical and verbal abuse. Battered children are a growing tragedy today. Even Christian parents—fathers especially—sometimes overreact and spank their children much harder than necessary. Proper physical discipline is not a matter of exerting superior authority and strength, but of correcting in love and reasonableness. Children are also abused verbally. A parent can as easily overpower a child with words as with physical force. Putting him down with superior arguments or sarcasm can inflict serious harm, and provokes him to anger and resentment. It is amazing that we sometimes say things to our children that we would not think of saying to anyone else—for fear of ruining our reputation!

In closing, consider the confession of one Christian father,

My family’s all grown and the kids are all gone. But if I had to do it all over again, this is what I would do. I would love my wife more in front of my children. I would laugh with my children more—at our mistakes and our joys. I would listen more, even to the littlest child. I would be more honest about my own weaknesses, never pretending perfection. I would pray differently for my family; instead of focusing on them, I’d focus on me. I would do more things together with my children. I would encourage them more and bestow more praise. I would pay more attention to little things, like deeds and words of thoughtfulness. And then, finally, if I had to do it all over again, I would share God more intimately with my family; every ordinary thing that happened in every ordinary day I would use to direct them to God.

(Adapted from John’s commentary on Ephesians.)

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; (Ephesians 5:18-20).

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:16-17).

Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3 are parallel chapters in the corpus of Paul's letters. In fact, these books are both part of Paul's Prison Epistles and constitute letters he bundled together, along with Colossians and Philemon, to be sent at one time to the churches. Therefore, we should not be surprised to find some of the same ideas and language written across these letters. And there is a particular similarity between the epistle to the Ephesians and the one to the Colossians. They are both likely written to a Gentile audience and touch on many of the same themes, as even a cursory scan of both epistles would demonstrate.

With this background in mind, I would like to consider the above parallel, which has but one notable difference. The passage in Ephesians commands the believers to "be filled with the Spirit" while the passage in Colossians commands them to be filled with "the word of Christ." The evidence for the former appears to be the same as the evidence for the latter, namely, speaking with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in their hearts to God. From this we can surmise that being filled with the Spirit is very much like being filled with the word of Christ. 

So many have taken the command to "be filled with the Spirit" in some mystical sense. But this is often without reason or merit. The closest parallel suggests that being filled with the Spirit is simply being filled with the word of Christ. While it is true that control may be in view in Ephesians 5:18, where being filled with the Spirit is contrasted with being drunk on wine, this still does not explain how one is to be "filled with the Spirit." In what sense can we live controlled by God's Spirit?

This is where I think Colossians 3:16 may enlighten our understanding. When we understand the control of the Spirit as equivalent to saturation with God's Word, then what at first seems "mystical" becomes very practical. How do you obey the command to "be filled with the Spirit"? You meditate deeply on God's Word! You saturate yourself with biblical truth. You deepen your appreciation of Christ and your understanding of the Gospel through what is written. After all, Paul also wrote a few chapters later in Ephesians that the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), for what we have in Scripture is given by the Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 3:16), and it is by the Word of God that believers are made holy (John 17:17).

Therefore, friends, don't sit around waiting for some experience of the Spirit. You don't have to go to some special place, where they play emotionally-moving music, to feel God's presence. The Spirit does not require retreats, revival meetings, or dynamic speakers to move. The Spirit of God fills, controls and empowers by means of the Word of God. And if the Word of God is absent, you can be sure that whatever spirit may be present is not the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will bring conviction, not convulsions. He brings order, not disorder. The testimony of Scripture is not simply given as an example of how the Spirit works but as a model to ferret out counterfeits. Most of what passes for the Spirit's manifestations in the charismatic and prophetic movements today are counterfeits. The Christian would do well to discern and stay away from these things. 

Paul writes about being strong in the Lord.

 (Eph 6:13-20)

13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

I love this passage, it’s a call to stand for what you believe in. I think one of the greatest travesties of the Christian church is luke warm Christians - not really living as believers. Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God - truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. To be prepared for battle as Christians we need to live as Christians, having hope and faith in God and carry a big sword (the Word of God). Living as Christians, means following Christ daily. Praying, reading the Word and serving God - it’s the basis for growing our faith. Our faith grows when we pray, because God will respond and we will be edified. Reading Gods word, aligns our will with his. It transforms our mind and causes us to act.

We as, as Paul writes, much preach the gospel fearlessly. Amen to that!

Friends, in your reading have you noticed the clues that reveal the audience to whom Paul is writing this letter? I don't mean the Ephesians. That's obvious. It is the letter to the church in Ephesus. Consider for instance Ephesians 2:11-13,

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Who is the "you" here that are set in contrast to "those"? Again, consider Ephesians 2:17-19,

He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,

Who is the "you" here? Again in Ephesians 3:1 we read,

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

Okay, now it's obvious, isn't it? He is writing to the Gentile Christians. It is to the Gentiles that he is explaining that they have been united with the Jews in Christ. And again, in today's text, we are reminded of the audience in Ephesians 4:17,

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,

Why is this significant? When you understand that Gentiles are in view, it gives you a clue as to the background against which he writes. Paul is not writing his warnings against the backdrop of Pharisaic legalism or hypocrisy but rather agaist the backdrop of idolatry, mysticism, cultic sexual immorality and worldy philosophy.

He is telling the converted Gentiles to stop being like the unconverted Gentiles, out of which they came. Remember, in 1 Corinthians 12:1-2, this was the basis for Paul's instruction on spiritual gifts. He was contrasting the true gifts of the Spirit against the backdrop of the counterfeit "gifts" as practiced by the idolators and mystics, out of which those Gentiles were converted.

Here too, as Paul launches a series of moral exhortations at the Gentile believers in Ephesus, he is dealing with behaviors that in their pre-Christian experience these believers considered normal and acceptable. That is why he often speaks of their "ignorance" (Ephesians 4:18) or refers to things "concerning your former conduct" (Ephesians 4:22). When he writes, "Let him who stole steal no longer," Paul is saying that it's no longer acceptable to steal. A Jew would already understand this, but not a Gentile. So, he also writes, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord" (Ephesians 5:8).

There's an even greater truth here. Don't miss it. Even though these Gentile believers were saved and had the Spirit, this did not mean that they would automatically know what was right from wrong. In other words, inclusion in the New Covenant does not mean righteous behavior.

Now, it does mean that in Christ we have the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). In Christ, it could even be argued that we do not sin (1 John 3:6), even that we cannot sin (1 John 3:9). This is why our up and down moral behavior does not take way from the eternal security of our salvation. This security is not based on how well we live but on how well Christ lived, not on our imperfect works but on Christ's perfect work. That is why Paul writes in Galatians 2:20,

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Okay, for salvation, God only counts Christ's righteousness. But what about this life? Paul writes, "The life I now live in the body, I live by faith..." In another passage Paul describes the believer's present experience this way:

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish (Galatians 5:16-17).

Paul says that the present life is one of constant warfare between our spiritual nature and our sinful nature. And oftentimes, even though we want to do the right thing, we will find ourselves doing the wrong thing. He reiterates this latter point through a personal testimony in Romans 7. Listen to Paul's assessment of his own wrestling with sin:

For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin (Romans 7:22-25).

I encourage you to take time to carefully read Romans 7. You may find your own experience resonating with that of Paul, who writes, "For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do" (Romans 7:15). Again, he writes,

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice" (Romans 7:18-19).

Has this been your experience? It has certainly been mine. If you don't understand this, when you come to the next chapter, Romans 8, which speaks of life in the Spirit, it will not sound liberating but condemning. Right from the first verse, we get this duality:

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:1).

Huh?! I get the first part, that there is "no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus," but the second part throws me off: "who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." Why? Because it does not reflect my experience, and I daresay, it does not reflect any Christian's experience. Even Paul did not walk "according to the Spirit" if Romans 7 is any indication.

Some have tried to argue that Romans 7 is Paul's experience before Christ and Romans 8 is Paul's experience after Christ. But this does not follow, because his assessment of personal failure follows his expression of hope in Christ in Romans 7:25,

I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Also, without grammatical summersaults, the absolute language of certain verses in Romans 8 (e.g. Just follow the logic of Romans 8:5-9), which are like those found in 1 John (e.g. 1 John 3:6,9), would condemn even the most righteous among Christians. And that does not sound anything like the Gospel of grace and faith, which Paul has spent so much time arguing throughout the Book of Romans. 

No, dear friends, a distinction needs to be made between what Christ has accomplished in us, for us, and through us by the Holy Spirit, and what we experience in this life in our mortal bodies. As Paul's focus in Romans 7 was the believer's imperfection and failure, his focus in Romans 8 is the believer's perfection in Christ by the Holy Spirit. So, in one sense, we do not and cannot walk according to the flesh because we are in Christ and have the Spirit. This is the reality that Christ has accomplished for us and that God uses as the measure for our acceptance into heaven. However, don't confuse this with our present earthly experience, which will likely be frought with inner turmoil and moral failure. And this is why we have the moral exhortations in Scripture, as in Romans 6:

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God (Romans 6:12-13).

And this is the reason for the moral exhortations in Ephesians 4-6. A lot of what a believer will experience in their Christian life is frustration and failure. A believer may even have a harder time because, not only is there the reality of a sinful nature, not only is there the weight of guilt that sometimes aggravates and even incites moral failure, there is also an active enemy, Satan, who has targeted believers for attack (1 Peter 5:8). This is why in Ephesians 6:11 we read, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

Friends, I write this not to justify a defeatist attitude and moral laxity. Not at all! As believers, we are compelled by the love of Christ, to struggle through frustration and failure, and continue to discipline ourselves in living the righteous life. The Spirit helps us through the Word of God. Now, I don't see anywhere that the Spirit helps us apart from the Word but only through the Word. The Word of God is the "sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17). So, being "filled with the Spirit" is equivalent to being "filled with the Word." As far as the believer is concerned, the Word of God is his only weapon against the wiles of the devil in their earthly Christian life. Therefore, let us read it, meditate upon it, study it, memorize it, apply it, and share it. 

The Lord has said that the greatest command in the Bible is this: "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:5). It is found in the most famous passage among Jews, Deuteronomy 6. What often gets neglected is the HOW TO DO IT, the how to love the LORD your God in such a way, which is also provided in that chapter:

And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).

Did you get the point? The way is to be immersed in the Word of God. It was true for the Jews with respect to the Law. And it is true for the Christian with respect to the whole Bible. 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Therefore, dear friends, immerse yourselves in the Word of God. Spend hours in it. Use this site for all its worth. Use the reading schedule. Use the online resources and book introductions. Interact with my comments and those of others. Use the memorization tool. And so sharpen the sword of the Spirit! And so learn how to truly, deeply and fully love God! And so be "thoroughly equipped for every good work!" 

Paul discusses two kinds of "unity" in Ephesians 4. One is a unity "to keep" (i.e. maintain) while the other is a unity to "come to" (i.e. pursue). The first is addressed in Ephesians 4:1-6. The second is addressed in Ephesians 4:7-16. Let's look at each one in turn.

First, Paul addresses the unity that Christians should maintain in Ephesians 4:1-6. This unity is characterized by living "worthy of the calling with which you were called" (verse 1). What does Paul mean? He explains that it has to do with their relationship with each other and their attitude toward each other, which should be one of "lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love" (verse 2). What is the goal? Paul writes, "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (verse 3). In other words, being at peace with each other through a humble attitude and a loving treatment of one another is the way to maintain this "unity of the Spirit." But what actually is meant by "the unity of the Spirit"? Paul explains:

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were 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 you all (Ephesians 4:4-6).

This unity of the Spirit has to do with the experience of salvation that is common to every believer. Every believer is part of One Body. It is the same Spirit that works in every believer. Every believer shares the same hope. There is one Lord Jesus Christ, who saves every believer. Every believer shares the same saving faith in Jesus and the same baptism by the Spirit. There is only one supreme and omnipresent Father God, who is worshipped by every believer. Paul has identified a kind of "core set of beliefs" here around which there is, and must be, full agreement by believers. This core set of beliefs is what is to be maintained in a spirit of humility and love. 

However, Paul writes that there is another "unity" that is to be pursued in Ephesians 4:7-16. He begins discussing it with the adversative "But..." So what is contrasted? Paul writes, "But to each of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift" (verse 7). So, from the core beliefs that all of us share, Paul moves on to the individualized expressions of those foundational beliefs.

In verse 8 Paul cites Psalm 68, where David extols God as a Conqueror par excellence (Though in Psalm 68:18 the more accepted reading is that God received gifts rather than gave them, but the sense might be both, that he received gifts from the rebellious and gave them to those loyal to Him). Paul applies this Scripture to Christ, as one who fills "all things," whether of "the lower parts of the earth" or "above the highest heavens" (verses 9-10). Jesus is the Conqueror with the authority to give differing measures of grace to believers in order to build up His church. 

What we need to understand, therefore, is that Ephesians 4:1-6 was concerned primarily with the foundation of the church, while Ephesians 4:7-16 concerns the building on that foundation. Without going into much discussion about the specific offices mentioned here (verse 11), let us just note the purpose of these offices are "for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (verse 12). So, as we said, Paul's concern here is for the building up of the church.

What is the ultimate end or final goal? Paul writes,

...till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).

Unlike "the unity of the Spirit," which was to be kept or maintained, "the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God" is something to be attained or pursued. In other words, believers do not have this unity yet, but it is something Paul commands them to strive to achieve. What is this unity? It involves doctrinal soundness ("the faith"), depth of knowledge of Christ's authority ("knowledge of the Son of God"), spiritual maturity ("to a perfect man"), and Christ-likeness ("to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ").

The "apostles and prophets" provided the foundational truths (Ephesians 2:20) for the build-up of the church. They have given us the New Testament. Without a long discussion here, I believe these foundational offices ceased with the early church. In other words, there are no more apostles or prophets today. Now, "evangelists, pastors and teachers (perhaps pastor-teachers)" proclaim and explain the truths laid down by the apostles and prophets to every believer. There is no indication that these latter offices ceased with the first century. They are not foundational. Consequently, all the offices serve to build up the body of Christ and were given to assist in the pursuit of "the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God," that is in the pursuit of doctrinal soundness, depth of knowlege of Christ's authority, spirtiual maturity, and Christ-likeness.

Why is this important? Paul writes,

that we should no longer be children, tossed to an fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting... (Ephesians 4:14)

Paul was concerned that the Ephesians, if they did not actively and diligently pursue doctrinal soundness, depth of knowledge of Christ's authority, etc., they would believe anything anyone told them. They would be like "children." They would be moved to accept everything they heard or read or saw. They would fall for every sort of emotional trick and crowd control. They would be susceptible to cunning and crafty charlatans, who want to take advantage of their ignorance and gullibility for their own profit. 

Friends, this is why everyone needs to be daily in the Word for themselves. This is why people should not believe everything they hear from a preacher or speaker or writer but to be like the "noble Bereans" (Acts 17:11), who searched the Scriptures to see if everything they heard was true. This is also why we should always remain teachable and keep an open mind, because as we learn more about Christ, as we have a clearer understanding of biblical truth, we must be willing to revise our convictions. It is the height of intellectual arrogance to be completely "decided already" or convinced beyond further examination, especially those truths that are not "core" or foundational.

Paul closes this section with the following exhortation:

... but, speaking the truth in love, (we) may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:15-16).

After warning against being swayed by "every wind of doctrine" or being taken advantage of "by the trickery of men," Paul exhorts believers to "speak the truth in love." He is here concerned with the pursuit of truth with an attitude of brotherly love that achieves the goal of spiritual maturity in Christ. He will talk about Christian service in later verses, but here take note that of first importance and responsibility is  the pursuit of right doctrine and knowledge. That is what leads to this unity that Paul commands all believers to pursue. 

Friends, do maintain the unity of the Spirit by holding fast to the one faith that we share among all believers with an attitude of love toward one another. And also pursue the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God by diligently studying God's Word, questioning assumptions, and speaking, teaching, and correcting everything that is contrary to biblical truth. 

I really liked this book.  The majority of this book is useful as a mirror.  Do you match up?  A disciplined warrior of God is not... a disciplined warrior of God is like... wear these... for the enemy is against you.

Also to keep in mind he is saying all these: "Be submissive, be sacrificial, be moral, be good slaves, be self controlled." He said all these while being in prison himself.  He said this during a time when someone, who has not submitted himself to be tempered by the Word, would not be self-controlled, or as likely in his case, a good prisoner.  As we have heard in Acts, he was.