Friends, I am stepping off our daily reading schedule to dip briefly into the New Testament. Along with the readings, I also like to memorize Scripture, and I have created a separate section on this site to help with that. Right now I am working through Ephesians. I memorized this book in the past but have forgotten it, so I am working through it again. The last few days of memory work have been particularly relevant and instructive, and I want to encourage you from them today.

Paul writes: having put away falsehood, let each one speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" (a paraphrase of Ephesians 4:25–32).

If you are like me, when you read passages like this your mind tends to go straight to the areas where you are strong, so you can feel good about yourself, and almost as quickly to the areas where others are weak, so you can think 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 person, longing for complete redemption in Christ. With that disclaimer, I would like to share some applications from this passage.

Paul places his instruction about speaking the truth right beside his instruction about controlling anger. Perhaps we are to understand that lies, or even perceived lies, can easily provoke anger. At the same time, anger — understandable at first — can fester and spread like a cancer if not dealt with early. Both are presented as the arena of Satan's activity. But when we speak truth and control our anger, we remove the ground from under him and make his schemes against us ineffective.

Next to this, Paul gives what seems an unrelated instruction about ceasing to steal and doing honest work to benefit the needy. It may simply be the next moral issue on Paul's mind, but perhaps there is a deeper connection. The first pair concerns speech; this one 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 say, "Stop lying. Control your anger. Stop stealing." But to encourage a brother to work with his own hands so that he has something to share with those in need — that is something constructive to do, something to occupy our scheming minds, anxious hearts, and idle hands. And doing it in order to share with someone in need fulfills our calling to "build others up."

How fitting that Paul immediately follows with the exhortation to speak only what builds others up. Then, as if to balance his warning against giving the devil a foothold, Paul urges believers not to grieve the Holy Spirit. Clearly, when believers tear each other down with bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice, the Spirit is grieved. But when believers are kind, compassionate, and forgiving, the Spirit is honored. The basis for choosing the latter is that God forgave us for a far greater wrong than any we could hold against a brother. When we set our minds on our redemption through the cross of Christ, we are no longer out for retribution 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 overburden 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 apart in self-righteousness, for our only claim to righteousness is the righteousness of God, credited to us on the basis of the precious blood of Jesus. Instead, let us encourage, admonish, pray for, and provide for one another's good. In this way the Spirit within us and among us will be honored. In this way Christ will be exalted, and we can present a united front against the enemy, who seeks to tear us apart and make us ineffective in our mission to win the world for Christ.

AI-Expanded Reflection

Ephesians 4:25–32 is a series of "put off" and "put on" instructions, each with a reason attached — and the reasons are what make them Christian rather than merely moral. Speak truth, "for we are members one of another." Deal with anger quickly, because unresolved anger gives the devil "opportunity" (the military term for a foothold, as noted at #1944). Work honestly, "so that he may have something to share." Speak graciously, "that it may give grace to those who hear." Forgive, "as God in Christ forgave you." Every command is rooted in the church's shared life or in the gospel itself.

The comment's reflection on its own tendency to read such passages selectively is honest and wise. Jesus warned against noticing the speck in another's eye while ignoring the log in one's own (Matthew 7:3–5), and Paul's instructions here are addressed to "each one" — the first person to apply them to is always oneself. The phrase "do not grieve the Holy Spirit" is also a reminder that the Spirit is a Person who can be grieved, and that the way believers treat one another matters deeply to God. The comment's closing vision — believers building one another up so that the church presents a united witness — is exactly the purpose Paul gives in Ephesians 4:15–16: the body "builds itself up in love."

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise," making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is (a paraphrase of Ephesians 5:15–17).

The expression "making the best use of the time" is an interpretive translation of a more literal phrase, "redeeming the time" — buying back your time, regaining possession of it. It pictures time as being under the ownership of an evil culture ("the days are evil"), so that if it is left unredeemed for God, it will simply be carried along in the folly of that culture.

The biblical perspective on culture is captured in the phrase "the days are evil." Popular pressure, media, and ordinary social processes tend toward evil rather than toward God, toward greater folly rather than the wisdom of God's will.

If this is so, we should understand that it takes effort to be holy and wise, while it takes no effort at all to be foolish and wicked. Living to do God's will in our world is an uphill exercise, not something that comes naturally.

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

• The first and last thing in my day is prayer for God's wisdom to govern my day.
• I give my best hours (early in the morning) to meditating on God's Word — reading, studying, memorizing, and writing about Scripture.
• I make sure my child's quiet time — praise, Bible reading and discussion, memorization, and prayer — is a daily priority.
• I have converted my primary work, managing our martial arts organization, into a ministry of the gospel and a means of building up fellow Christians.
• I have tried to simplify my life and gain valuable time by removing cable TV and replacing my smartphone with a basic phone.
• I have tried to be frugal in spending and have been preparing passive streams of income so I can redeem even more time and resources for ministry.
• I connect my conviction about biblically grounded homeschooling (Ephesians 6:4) with practice, by homeschooling my daughter with my wife and directing a local Christian homeschooling community.
• I try to keep the biblical order of family priority, so that my wife is given priority over my child in 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 not required of Christians, confuses believers about the nature of giving, and may become a basis for abuse, greed, and a damaged 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. So are our martial arts organization and our homeschooling community. My Sunday school class and the men's Bible study I attend — which I do not lead but simply take part in — I also consider realms of ministry.

This is just a sampling of how I try to live out my convictions — how I try to apply the truths of God's Word to my life. I have obviously left out many details, and there is much more I am pursuing, but perhaps this may help someone 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 is fully engaged in doing God's will.

AI-Expanded Reflection

The Greek verb in Ephesians 5:16 (exagorazō) comes from the marketplace: it means to buy out or buy up, as one might purchase the entire stock of a commodity. Paul uses the same verb of Christ redeeming us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13; 4:5). The word for "time" is kairos — opportunity, the right moment — rather than chronos, clock time. So the command is less about efficiency than about seizing opportunities for good while they last, at whatever cost. Colossians 4:5 pairs the same phrase with "walk in wisdom toward outsiders," linking redeemed time to witness.

The comment's list of practices is a personal application offered as an example rather than a rule, which is the right spirit for such matters. Christians will draw lines differently on technology, media, schooling, and giving, and Paul's own counsel leaves room for conscience in disputable matters (Romans 14:5). What is not optional is the underlying aim — understanding "what the will of the Lord is" and living for it deliberately. On tithing, see the notes at #1983 and #2094 for the range of Christian views.

The thief is to steal no longer but to labor, doing honest work with his own hands, "so that he may have something to share with anyone in need" (Ephesians 4:28).

What is your motivation for earning more money? To live in a nicer house? To drive a nicer car? To take more frequent and luxurious vacations? Paul writes that the goal of honest work for the believer should be to "have something to share with anyone in need."

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

At the time, I didn't know I would read this passage of Scripture, but I somehow sensed that his thought might be from God. Having read this passage today, I am more confident that God wants us to have this attitude toward earning more money.

As I see it, everyone must first have a good sense of their own needs and those 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 according to God's calling.

Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, to sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself, for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of His body (a paraphrase of Ephesians 5:25–30).

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

To what end did Christ love and sacrifice Himself for the church? That the church might be made holy — set apart to God in a worthy manner.

How would she be made holy? By being cleansed with the washing of the Word of God — by bringing her character and practice into line with God's holy Word. This is the church's glory: to be aligned with God's will.

To what extent was she cleansed? So that there would not be a single spiritual or moral blemish, but she would be blamelessly holy.

What, then, is the application for husbands loving their wives? We should share, encourage, guide, and model the Word of God for our wives, even at cost to ourselves. The command is not simply to sacrifice our lives for our wives, but to do so with the goal of drawing her nearer to God, so that her character and practice align with God's Word as fully as possible. A wife's glory is such a God-fearing character. That is why Solomon writes that charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, "but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised" (Proverbs 31:30).

This command to husbands concerning their wives is therefore very similar to the command to fathers concerning their children: fathers are not to provoke their children to anger, but bring them up "in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). In both cases, spiritual guidance and instruction from God's Word are in view. So in considering the husband's duty in marriage, I believe this responsibility is clearly the priority.

The following description of husbands loving their wives as their own bodies is another analogy that drives home the same main point. That is why the text begins, "In the same way husbands should..." The Greek word translated "in the same way" links the two, so we should not assume Paul is describing a different kind of love here. Both loving one's wife as Christ loved the church and loving her as one's own body have the same point of reference: Christ's love for the church (cf. Ephesians 5:29, "just as Christ does the church").

A physical and material component seems emphasized in this latter analogy. Paul speaks of husbands nourishing and cherishing their own bodies just as Christ nourishes and cherishes the church. In this way husbands are commanded to nourish and cherish their wives. I believe this means providing sustenance, protection, and overall well-being for their wives. This, too, is a husband's duty in marriage.

Friends, pop psychology is everywhere, teaching both men and women that they need more, and should demand more, than what the Bible says. What often happens is that God's requirements are displaced by what the culture and media say a good marriage requires. Husbands and wives become frustrated because their "needs" are not being met, yet these "needs" may simply be wants that a dysfunctional culture has conditioned them to see as needs.

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. So a happy marriage should not be either partner's ultimate goal; obedience to God should be. Even if one partner fails in their responsibilities, the other should continue in 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 in marriage, and it is true in parenting. It is also true of Christ and the church: He remains faithful even when the church is unfaithful.

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger" (Ephesians 6:4).

I have written elsewhere and somewhat extensively on this topic, but I would like to present another perspective, from a teacher I deeply respect for sound biblical teaching, John MacArthur. Adapted from his commentary on Ephesians, he describes eight ways parents can provoke their children to anger — usually without intending to:

1. Overprotection — smothering children, never trusting them to make decisions appropriate to their age, and continually questioning their judgment.
2. Favoritism — as with Isaac and Rebekah's rival favorites, Esau and Jacob — and comparing children with one another, which discourages the less favored child.
3. Pushing achievement beyond reasonable bounds — so that nothing a child does ever seems enough, or parents living out their own ambitions through their children.
4. Discouragement — constantly pointing out what is wrong and never affirming what is right.
5. Failing to sacrifice for children, so that they feel unwanted or like an intrusion.
6. Not letting children grow up at a normal pace — chiding them for acting like children when their behavior is normal.
7. Using love as a reward or punishment — giving affection when a child is good and withdrawing it when he is bad, unlike God, who disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:6).
8. Physical or verbal abuse — discipline given in anger or excess, or crushing a child with words and sarcasm.

He closes with the reflection of a father whose children had grown: if he could do it over, he would love his wife more in front of his children, laugh and listen more, be more honest about his own weaknesses, encourage and praise more, and use every ordinary day to point his children to God.

AI-Expanded Reflection

Ephesians 4:28 is a small verse with a remarkable progression. It does not stop at "stop stealing"; it moves to honest work, and then beyond work to generosity: the former thief becomes a giver. Paul is describing not just behavior modification but a transformed direction of life — from taking to sharing. The same pattern appears throughout Ephesians 4:25–32: falsehood is replaced by truth, corrupting talk by words that "give grace to those who hear," bitterness by kindness and forgiveness "as God in Christ forgave you."

Ephesians 5:21–33 is the subject of long-standing discussion among Christians. Paul introduces the section with "submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ" (5:21), and then addresses wives and husbands. Complementarian interpreters, like the comment, understand the passage to establish distinct roles, with the husband's headship expressed in sacrificial, spiritually nurturing love. Egalitarian interpreters emphasize verse 21's mutual submission and read the passage as transforming the patriarchal household codes of the day. Both agree on the passage's most radical element in its original setting: husbands are commanded to love their wives with the self-giving love of Christ, who "gave himself up for her" (5:25). See #1746 and #1826.

The comment's closing point about faithfulness regardless of the other spouse's response is a sober and important one. For anyone in a marriage involving abuse, however, it is worth saying clearly that Scripture's call to faithfulness does not require remaining in danger; pastors and counselors across traditions affirm that seeking safety and help is right.

Do not get drunk with wine, which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit — speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father (a paraphrase of 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; and whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father (a paraphrase of Colossians 3:16–17).

Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3 are parallel chapters. Both letters belong to Paul's prison correspondence and were likely sent together, so we should not be surprised to find the same ideas and language across them.

With that in mind, consider this parallel, which has one notable difference. Ephesians commands believers to be filled with the Spirit; Colossians commands them to let the word of Christ dwell in them richly. The evidence given for each is the same — speaking in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing, and giving thanks.

AI-Expanded Reflection

The observation is a sound one and has been made by commentators for a long time: two letters written at the same time to similar audiences give parallel commands with identical consequences, which suggests the two are closely related in Paul's thinking.

Worth stating the conclusion carefully, though, since the parallel can be pressed too far. It does not follow that the Spirit's filling is the word dwelling richly, as though the terms were interchangeable. What it does suggest is that the two are not separable in practice — that a person filled with the Spirit and a person in whom Christ's word dwells richly will be recognizable by the same things, and that Scripture is among the ordinary means by which the Spirit fills.

That is a useful corrective in both directions. It cuts against treating Spirit-filling as an experience detached from the word, and equally against treating Bible study as sufficient without dependence on the Spirit who inspired it. This project noted the same connection at Psalm 119 and Galatians 5 earlier, and the pairing holds.

Paul writes about being strong in the Lord. Therefore they should put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes they may stand their ground, and after doing everything, stand. Stand firm with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace; take up the shield of faith, with which to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one; take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests, staying alert and praying for all the Lord's people — and for Paul, that whenever he speaks, words may be given him to fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which he is an ambassador in chains (a paraphrase of Ephesians 6:13–20).

I love this passage. It is a call to stand for what you believe. Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God — truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, the word of God. To be prepared we need to live as Christians, praying, reading the Word, and serving God. Our faith grows when we pray, because God responds. Reading God's Word aligns our will with His.

AI-Expanded Reflection

The verb repeated through the passage is worth noticing: stand, stand firm, stand. Four times in three verses. For all the military imagery, the objective is not advance or conquest but holding position — which is a more modest and more sustainable assignment than the metaphor might suggest.

Two details reward attention. Only one item in the list is offensive, the sword, and it is identified as the word of God rather than as anything the believer supplies. And the final item is not armor at all: Paul moves directly from the sword to prayer, "on all occasions," which makes the whole equipment list dependent on something relational rather than a checklist to be completed.

The last request is the one that gives the passage its texture. Paul asks for prayer — not for release, which would be the obvious petition from a man in chains, but for words, and for courage to use them.

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 against the backdrop of idolatry, mysticism, cultic sexual immorality and worldly 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 idolaters 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 away 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 somersaults, 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 fraught 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!"

AI-Expanded Reflection

The Gentile audience of Ephesians is essential to its ethical teaching. Paul calls people to leave patterns associated with their former life and to learn Christ in a new way. But it would be historically excessive to conclude that Gentiles generally had no concept that theft was wrong. Greco-Roman communities had moral expectations and laws against theft. Paul is transforming the basis and extent of conduct, not introducing every moral distinction into a complete vacuum. Ephesians 4:28 moves beyond refraining from stealing to productive work that enables generosity toward someone in need.

The original carefully protects assurance from dependence on flawless moral performance. That concern is warranted: salvation rests upon grace, and believers still need instruction, confession, and growth. Yet texts such as 1 John 3 should not be reduced to a purely invisible sinlessness that has no relation to actual conduct. The same letter recognizes believers’ sins in 1:8–2:2 and insists that righteousness, love, and obedience matter as expressions of knowing God. Its strong language challenges a settled allegiance to sin while directing failing believers toward Christ’s advocacy. The tension should be explained without cancelling either side.

A textual issue in Romans 8:1 materially affects the difficulty raised in the original. The NKJV includes the additional description about not walking according to the flesh, following a longer textual tradition. Many modern translations end the verse after the reference to Christ Jesus, because the earliest and strongest witnesses support that shorter form. The walking language appears securely in verse 4. This means the interpretive puzzle should first acknowledge the textual variation rather than require an elaborate distinction to explain words whose placement in verse 1 is disputed. The NET textual note sets out that evidence.

Romans 7 is also interpreted differently among Christians: some see the experience of a regenerate believer, others the person under law, and others a representative account that cannot be reduced to autobiography alone. The original’s reading is a substantial tradition, but the alternative does not depend only on ignoring the closing verse. Romans 8 should in any case be allowed to describe real transformation by the Spirit, alongside the assurance of no condemnation. Position in Christ and lived obedience are distinct without being unrelated.

Finally, Scripture is indispensable to the Spirit’s work, but Ephesians does not limit his help to reading alone. The same armor passage calls believers to prayer in the Spirit, and the letter portrays the body as a setting of mutual ministry. The comparison with Colossians 3 supports a close relationship between the Spirit’s filling and the indwelling word, not an exhaustive equation that excludes prayer, fellowship, or providential help. The author’s invitation to immerse oneself in Scripture is therefore best received as a call to a whole life of dependence. Read carefully, pray honestly, seek wise support, confess specific failures, and practice the generosity and truthful speech the passage commands. Assurance should sustain that work rather than substitute for it.

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 is "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 knowledge of Christ's authority, spiritual maturity, and Christ-likeness.

Why is this important? Paul writes,

that we should no longer be children, tossed to and 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.

AI-Expanded Reflection

The distinction between unity to preserve and unity toward which to grow is a fruitful way to read Ephesians 4. Believers do not manufacture the one body or the one Spirit by reaching consensus. Their common life is given in Christ. Yet they are not already mature simply because they belong to that body. The passage holds an established identity and an unfinished calling together.

The transition in verse 7 therefore introduces diversity within unity rather than a second unrelated project. Christ gives differing forms of service so that the saints are equipped and the body grows. The grammatical relationship among the phrases in verse 12 has been discussed, but the movement toward the activity of the whole body becomes explicit in verse 16. Ministry is not confined to a small group doing everything while everyone else watches. The gifts serve a congregation whose members increasingly contribute to one another’s growth.

Two interpretive details deserve care. Psalm 68:18 speaks of receiving gifts, whereas Ephesians 4:8 presents the victorious giver. The difference should be acknowledged rather than silently harmonized; Paul’s use places the ascended Christ in the role of the victorious Lord who supplies his people. Also, alētheuontes in verse 15 can convey practicing or expressing truth, of which truthful speech is an essential part. The result is broader than winning doctrinal disputes. Truth becomes embodied in a community’s relationships and conduct.

The original’s distinction between foundational apostles and prophets and later ministries represents a cessationist understanding. Ephesians 2:20 provides important evidence for a foundational role, but Ephesians 4 does not itself supply an explicit timetable for every office’s cessation. That theological conclusion should remain distinguished from the passage’s universally applicable goal: maturity measured by Christ. A congregation cannot excuse immaturity by having settled its preferred account of church offices.

The pastoral challenge is to be teachable without becoming unstable. Stability does not mean refusing every revision, and openness does not mean accepting every confident claim. Test teaching through Scripture, consider its reasoning, and examine the character of the relationships it produces. Growth should make people less susceptible to manipulation and more capable of patient service. Maintaining the unity already given supplies the relational setting in which difficult learning can happen. Pursuing maturity supplies the reason that peace cannot be reduced to leaving every misunderstanding untouched.

I really liked this book. Most of it functions as a mirror — do you match up? A disciplined warrior of God isn't like this, is like that, wears this armor, because the enemy stands against you.

It's also worth remembering he says all this — be submissive, be sacrificial, be moral, be good servants, be self-controlled — while sitting in prison himself. He says it during a time when someone who hadn't submitted himself to be shaped by the Word likely wouldn't manage to be self-controlled, let alone, as was probably his own situation, a well-behaved prisoner. And as we've read in Acts, he was.

AI-Expanded Reflection

The armor imagery this comment references gets its most vivid treatment near the letter's end, where Paul lists truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the Spirit's word as the actual pieces of this armor (a paraphrase of Ephesians 6:14–17) — notably, every single piece is defensive or is itself a description of Christian character, except the sword, the only offensive weapon in the list. That detail matches this comment's own "mirror" observation well: the armor isn't primarily about winning arguments or attacking opposition, it's about a believer's own character and grounding in truth being sturdy enough to withstand what comes against it.