EPHESIANS – WEEK 11

DISTINCT LIVING FOR DISTINCT REASONS – PART 2

EPHESIANS 4:17-32

JULY 12, 2026

EPHESIANS 4:17-32 – Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 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. 29 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. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Chapters 1-3 =Position (identity) – ORTHODOXY

Chapters 4-6 = Practice (how we live) – ORTHOPRAXY

PART 1 (v. 17-19) – Don’t live like you once were

PART 2 (v. 20-24) – Live like you now are

PART 3 (v. 25-32) – Practical examples on living out who you are

PART 3 (v. 25-32) – Practical examples on living out who you are

EPHESIANS 4:25-32 – Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 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. 29 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. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

1. Put away falsehood (but speak truth) 

ἀποτίθημι (apotitheimi) – to discard, strip off, cast away.

COLOSSIANS 3:9-10 – Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

“Our physical bodies cannot function properly or safely if each member does not correctly communicate to the others. If our brain were suddenly to start giving false signals to our feet, we would stumble or walk in front of a moving truck instead of stopping on the curb. If it falsely reported hot and cold, we could freeze to death because we felt too warm or be scalded in a hot shower while feeling chilly. If our eyes decided to send false signals to the brain, a dangerous curve in the highway might appear straight and safe, and we would crash. If the nerves in our hands and feet failed to tell our brain that injury was occurring, our foot could be mangled or our fingers burned without our knowing it…The church cannot function properly if its members shade the truth with one another or fail to work together honestly and lovingly. We cannot effectively minister to each other or with each other if we do not speak ‘the truth in love’ (4:15), especially among our fellow believers.”

John MacArthur

2. Be angry (but do not sin)

ὀργίζω (orgizo) – angry, irritated.

3. Don’t steal (work hard)

4. Don’t use corruptible language (bless with your mouth)

COLOSSIANS 3:8 – But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

5. Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit

6. Put away all the drama