Being Different - Ephesians 4:17-32

It will be reasonably difficult for any teacher to teach this lesson without hurting the feelings of a friend, or making someone mad because of what they will feel are false accusations. Let me just say up front that what ever I say that offends you also confronts me with the same problems. I believe that sinful church members are the biggest stumbling blocks in the church today. There is no doubt that Christians are called-out people. After they are called, they must continue to live in the world, but they must no longer be of the world—like the world. If you are no different from what you were and who you were before your call or [conversion]—then you are not a Christian. If you are a Christian—you are different and that is a complement.

If you are of the age of accountability and have never accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior you are a sinner on the broad road to hell. If you have acknowledged your sinful state and ask God to forgive you—that means that you have accepted God’s call to Holiness and you are now a different person—traveling the high and narrow road to heaven. The bible teaches that there is a difference in an unsaved person and a saved sinner and in many circumstances that difference is quite obvious to another Christian observer. People are known by the fruit they bear. Christians are known by their works—not saved by works, but known by their works.

Paul is addressing the new converts at Ephesus and he is admonishing them to leave their old way of life and to turn to the new way of life taught by Christ. Far too many of the new members in this new church had verbally accepted Christ as Savior but had not made the changes in their way of life that testifies to the new change.

Ephesus was considered to be one of the greatest cities of the day, known for its commerce, culture, and trade and known for its art, music and theatre. It was one of the richest cities in the Roman Empire and the home of the pagan temple of Diana and one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Diana was the god of sexual cravings and was worshipped in the temple of Diana, a worship center that practiced different acts of sexual sin as a part of the daily worship service. Paul describes Ephesus and the lives of those who lived there as the norm and then tells the Christians who have been called out that they must now be different. “Don’t live like that any longer!”

There is a paradox here that is hard for me to understand. Ephesus is described here as a great city. However, I am forced to ask you and Paul what you used as criteria to make this judgment. Some of the things named such as the temple of Diana would prevent a high rating on the city. Paul says that we can no loner live the life that the Gentiles in Ephesus live. In order to be different we must change. He says that “you must be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” This tells me that Christian people must have a different mind set. Our thinking pattern must change so that the things that we eat, drink or participate in will put us on a different minus.

Living and leading a sinful life on a daily basis has a destructive effect on man’s inter spirit. If one knows Christ as Savior then he also will recognize sinful acts and thoughts as they contaminate the body. You did not become a hardened sinner all at one time [no one does]. A born-again man will feel sorrow and horror when they commit a wanton sin. But if he continues to sin without feeling guilty he is approaching a time when he will sin without feeling anything at all. His conscience will petrify like wood in a hot desert. Paul uses two other terrible Greek words to describe the heathen way of life. He says that they have abandoned themselves to every kind of unclean conduct in the insatiable lust of their desires.

We are directed to judge not—lest we be judged by the same judgment. I can be your daily window to what is right and light unto God. I can use opportune times to make you aware of thing you do or say that seems wrong to me. However, God serves as your daily judge and you are being tried in his court as you face daily sins. Get to know your judge well, and predetermine what his verdict will be. If you are a new Christian your life will be different from what it was before conversion. If you are an old established Christian and not living a more Christ-like life than you did a few years [even months] ago, you can expect to receive a harsh verdict in you daily-life curt. If you think that you are a Christian of any age or length of time and still living life as the Ephesians were—you need to reconsider whether you are saved or still lost.

As your teacher, I can not tell you when you are right and when you are wrong. The bible does tell you, and through the study of His word you can know when you are in the will of God. Do you agape God? Christ has told you that without exception, “if you agape me, you will keep my commandments.”

Which do you enjoy the most—the fruit of the spirit or the daily desires of your lustful flesh? What kind of buildings can you enter and feel completely comfortable no matter whom you meet there? If you knew that Christ would return tomorrow at ten AM, where would you be tomorrow at ten AM? I would guess that here might be two or three choices such as my home, my church, or any wonderful setting so long as my family was with me.

If you knew that Christ would return tomorrow at ten AM, is there any place any where that you would definitely NOT WANT TO BE? If your answer to this question is no—then you need to take a good look in the mirror. Ask yourself where your priorities lie.

On the day of your conversion you must leave the old life and enter the new—put off the old coat that you no longer need because it either does not fit any more or it is too worn and tattered and needs to be renewed. What are some of the things that must be banished from the new Christian life? The first on Paul’s list was falsehood. Without exception the only reason for anyone to lie is to protect them selves or punish the innocent.

A Christian can not live peaceably and in truth if he is unable to control his temper. There will always be anger in life, at some time. Even Christ demonstrated the rightful use of anger…but anger must be controlled. We are told that we must not let the sun set before our expressed anger has been placed under spiritual control. A foul-mouth must be controlled. Thievery is unacceptable. Paul leads us to believe that it is a horrible sin for a Christian to grieve the Holy Spirit. He is our counselor and helper here on earth and we owe Him our love and gratitude.

I don’t like to be misjudged, even by good men and so I try to avoid it when possible. The one thing that will prevent being misjudged is that I use the kinds of evidence that God will use when he sits to judge me. Did I repent of my sins and accept Christ as my Savior? Yes! Am I trying to keep His commandments? Yes. How do I want others to judge my life? Am I living in accordance with the worldly daily desires of most of the good people around me or in accord with God’s will for my life? I pray that others will see me as one trying hard each day to live God’s Holy way.