Ephesians 4:25-32

Order of Service

• Scripture Reading — Ephesians 4:25-32
• Sermon
• Closing Prayer

---

Sermon Title: Putting Off the Old and Putting On the New

Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-32

I. Introduction: Review and Context

A. Last week's lesson contrasted Pagan darkness and ignorance with the truth of Christ, drawing on Ephesians 4:17-24 and Romans 1 B. The truth of Christ liberates, dignifies, and refines; it enables believers to put off the old self and put on the new C. Today's passage gets into the practical application: five examples of Christian behavior covering Ephesians 4:25 through Ephesians 5:2

Three recurring features in each example:

1. Each involves relationships with one another — we do not live in a vacuum
2. Each negative command is balanced by a positive command
3. Each command is supported by a theological reason

II. Example One — Truthful Speech (Ephesians 4:25)

A. Negative: Put away falsehood (to pseudos — the lie) B. Positive: Speak the truth to your neighbor C. Theological reason: We are members one of another D. Paul may be alluding to the rejection of the great lie of idolatry; see Romans 1:25 and 1 John 2:20-23 E. Falsehood destroys fellowship; truth strengthens it — see Ephesians 4:12-16 on speaking the truth in love

III. Example Two — Righteous Anger (Ephesians 4:26-27)

A. Positive: Be angry — there is such a thing as Christian anger; drawn from Psalm 4:4

1. The church too rarely expresses righteous anger; failing to do so encourages the spread of evil
2. Christ himself expressed anger — see Mark 3:5, where he was angered at the hardness of heart of those watching him on the Sabbath
3. The psalmist models righteous indignation in Psalm 119:53

B. Negative 1: Do not sin in your anger — anger must be free from injured pride, spite, malice, and revenge

C. Negative 2: Do not let the sun go down on your anger

1. Do not nurse or marinate anger; address resentment quickly
2. Go to the person, apologize, and reconcile

D. Negative 3: Give no opportunity to the devil

1. The line between righteous and unrighteous anger is thin
2. Satan looks for any crack in the door to provoke resentment, discord, hatred, and violence
3. James 1:20 — the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God

IV. Example Three — Honest Labor and Generosity (Ephesians 4:28)

A. Negative: Let the thief no longer steal — the eighth commandment, with wide application (robbery, tax evasion, dishonest work, withholding effort from an employer) B. Positive: Do honest work with your own hands C. Theological reason: So that you may have something to share with anyone in need D. Only Christ can transform a thief into a benefactor

V. Example Four — Edifying Speech and the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:29-30)

A. Negative: Let no corrupting (sapros — rotten) talk come out of your mouths

1. Corrupting speech is vulgar, unkind, hurtful — like rotten fruit
2. Christ warns in Matthew 12:33-37 that people will give account for every careless word
3. James addresses the danger of the tongue in James 3:1-12
4. Proverbs 12:18 — rash words are like sword thrusts; the tongue of the wise brings healing

B. Positive: Speak only what is good for building up, as fits the occasion, giving grace to those who hear

1. Speech should edify, encourage, and bless
2. Fitting the occasion warns against speaking too much or carelessly

C. Theological reason: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption

1. The sealing of the Spirit is referenced back in Ephesians 1:13-14
2. The Holy Spirit is chiefly the spirit of revelation and blesses human words for edification; he grieves when words tear down the body
3. Tongue control requires heart and mind control — full surrender to the Lord, not merely intellectual knowledge

VI. Example Five — Putting Away Malice and Putting On Christlike Love (Ephesians 4:31-32)

A. Negative: Put away six destructive attitudes and actions

1. Bitterness — a sour, cynical, resentful spirit
2. Wrath — acting on anger with passion
3. Anger — unrighteous, as distinguished from the righteous anger above
4. Clamor — shouting, screaming outbursts
5. Slander — defaming others behind their back
6. Malice — plotting or wishing ill toward others

B. Positive: Three marks of Christlike community

1. Kindness (chrestos) — sharing the character of Christ (Christos)
2. Tenderheartedness — compassion and sensitivity to others' needs
3. Forgiveness — acting in grace toward others as God in Christ forgave us

VII. The Highest Standard — Imitating God (Ephesians 5:1-2)

A. Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children — the highest standard in all of Scripture

1. Children naturally imitate their parents; we are God's children and should imitate our heavenly Father
2. God's incommunicable attributes (omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, self-existence, immutability, self-sufficiency, eternality, infinite majesty) cannot be replicated
3. God's communicable attributes (love, mercy, kindness, holiness, wisdom, faithfulness, compassion, tenderness, anger in righteousness) are to be pursued and grown

B. Walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us — a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God

1. The same verb used of Pagans giving themselves up to sensuality (Ephesians 4:19) is used here of Christ's self-giving — a striking contrast
2. Three dimensions of this love:
   • Forgiving love — as God forgave us; see Psalm 103:11-12
   • Giving love — Christ emptied himself, Philippians 2:5-8; not merely giving things but giving oneself
   • Living love — walking daily in love, putting into practice all that has been studied

C. The call to walk worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1) is achievable only through Christ — Philippians 4:13