EPHESIANS 5vv18-21

Walk circumspectly                Chapter 5v18-21

2.       A new corporate life, sharing with others the joy of the Lord.

For this we need the Holy Spirit, the supernatural power within us, and Paul now introduces a recurrent theme in his letter, the secret of Christian living, the reality of the Spirit operating within us.   It is noteworthy that in Ephesians there are 12 references to the Spirit, whereas in Colossians there are none.   In the Colossian epistle he is exalting the glories of Christ, and the Spirit remains in the background;   in Ephesians his subject matter is the Church and the Spirit is very prominent.   Paul uses the imagery of intoxication to illustrate his teaching...."Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess(riot or profligacy)..."   He is talking of the extremity of drunkenness.   Scripture does not suggest teetotalism but warns against excess because it begets unseemly fleshly behaviour.   "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise"   Proverbs 20v1.   It is possible Paul had this in mind in the exposition of wise behaviour.   However his point is not about strong drink, but of how it illustrates what we should be, that is Spirit-filled Christians.   Just as wine will take over a person to the point of ungodly behaviour, so the believer should be under the control of the Spirit to the extent that there will be reproduced in the life godly features.   What then is the meaning of the filling of the Spirit?   Clearly believers have the Spirit indwelling in totality, He is a person, and we cannot have part of a person.   We have all of Him but He does not have all of us while we are still in the body, there are competing spiritual issues within.   We are all sealed with the Holy Spirit, but the filling of the Spirit is conditional, and often to fulfil special tasks.   Examples are given in the new testament of those who were said to be filled with the Spirit;

•  LUKE 1v15    John the Baptist filled with the Spirit from birth.
• LUKE 1v41-42    Elizabeth, his mother in the prophecy of the birth of Christ.
• LUKE 1v67      Zacharias, his father, prophesying the birth of John.
• Acts 2v4 all filled with the Spirit on the day of Pentecost;   ACTS 4v8 Peter;   ACTS 4v31  all the attendants at the time of prayer;   ACTS 9v17  Saul at his conversion;   ACTS 13v9  Paul when confronted with Elymas the sorcerer.

All the above were special occasions when individuals were under the control of the Spirit;   however here the apostle wishes this to be a common experience for all Christians.   The verb is passive, and means yielding ourselves entirely to the control of the Spirit, to listen to His word, to obey His promptings, to allow Him sway in our lives.   There are four ways in which this will be evident;

• Speaking to yourselves       Paul has in mind the tremendous educational value of corporate singing, which express in a musical way the precious truths of God.   A comparison with Colossians 3v16 agrees and there we see the importance of singing as a means to edification.   "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another;   in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."   Many today are not persuaded of the value of music and singing as a tool of Divine education, yet the great men of the past were, as were the apostles of Christ.   A comparison of this verse with the Colossian one, suggests that the filling of the Spirit in Ephesians equates with the word of Christ dwelling in us richly;   in both singing is a means to spiritual education, and the way this is expressed is in psalms hymns and spiritual songs.   No one can deny the value to the church of Divine truth expressed in music.   Paul tabulates three different aspects of singing...psalms, hymns and spiritual songs... in this way he viewed the progress of the church.   Psalms are Divinely inspired poems set to music.   The word psalmos literally means to pluck, as in a stringed musical instrument.   In the last Psalm it is spelled out the extent to which musical accompaniments were used in worship;  "Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet(cornet), praise Him with the psaltery and harp, praise Him with the timbrel and dance, praise Him with stringed instruments and organs, praise Him on the loud cymbals, praise Him on the high sounding cymbals...."   Now says the apostle, we are to bring the culture of the old form of worship into the church....not once, but twice he says it.   Hymns were songs to promote legends, commemorate achievements, celebrate victories, they were not Divinely inspired, but can be used to express the wondrous truth of the accomplishments of Christ.   Next he adds spiritual songs, anticipating that due to the infinite depth of the gospel, many and varied would be the songs that would be written under the inspiration of the Spirit.   We are in possession of a vast legacy of songs, and many more will be written and these are to be used for the Lord.   It was God who created music as a tool of worship as an unfallen Cherub orchestrated the choirs of heaven (Ezekiel 28v13..."the workmanship of thy tabrets-(stringed instruments)- and of thy pipes-(wind instruments)-was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created."   music and song can be used for worship and those who think and practice differently are out of step with the mind of God, and of the scriptures both old and new testaments.   Clearly there are musical accompaniments in heaven, the notion that in the church age there should be none is just plain wrong and out of step with what the apostle is teaching here.   There are some today who think it is spiritual and wise to drop music in the churches, because music is used in the world to promote evil.   This is neither spiritual or wise, and bows to the commandments of a few small minded men.   Music can, and is, used for good and for God and we should embrace it when it is so.
• Singing and making melody in your heart      What has evident corporate value for the body the church, also has great personal value for the individual.   Sometimes we can forget the great stories of the bible and the lovely singing and music in our hearts will bring it to remembrance.   I recall many an occasion when drifting spiritually that the strains of a song would bring me back, this on a daily and periodic basis.   Singing has permeated the culture of faith from early days.   The wise king Solomon wrote 3000 proverbs and 1005 songs(1 Kings4v32).   Singing has been used to great effect through the ages, to soothe heavy hearts, to proclaim great victories, to restore the soul to God.   It's value in keeping us in touch with the Lord, and spurring us on to greater efforts is incalculable.   The repetition of corporate singing creates melody in the heart.   Note, it is not so much the melody of the song but the melody it creates in the heart and the pleasure to the Lord.   Readers should make a note of the many references to singing in the prophecy of Isaiah.  This in a prophecy which is all about God's salvation, those who are saved should be singing a lot.
• Giving thanks always for all things      Another feature of the Spirit filled believer will be that of thankfulness in every situation.  One of the marks of the unregenerate is thanklessness as per the following scriptures.   Romans 1v21 "...when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God neither were thankful..."   2 Timothy 3v2, referring to the perilous times of the last days "..men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy."   Thankfulness is just courtesy to anyone who does us good, how much more to God who gives us all things.   The standard of this is high... giving thanks always...that is at all times;  giving thanks for all things...in every circumstance.   In general the world takes material and spiritual blessings for granted.   The spirit controlled believer is to mirror the attitude of Job, who, when he lost everything, he thanked the Lord for giving to him at all
• Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God      Here is the very heart of the matter,,,submission, the ability to take a secondary place.   Divine beings are  the supreme example of this; Jesus Christ when He humbled Himself to servitude, the Spirit when He stays in the background when  Jesus is to the fore, God the Father when He commits all judgment to the Son... each in His own sphere, each in His own time.   There is no thought of superiority, just different roles and the mark of spirituality is to practice it.   There is necessarily a structure in the universe, as there must be in the church and the home and the workplace and we should be wise to it.  Being filled with the Spirit is not a funny feeling or an ecstatic utterance that panders to our conceits, instead it is a submission to God and to those He has appointed to be our spiritual carers. 

EPHESIANS 5vv15-17

Walk circumspectly                 Chapter 5v15-17

1. How a change of worldview should result in a change of lifestyle individually.

The issue here is the wise use of our time..."redeeming the time because the days are evil."   Time is a precious commodity, the world at large knows it, coining the phrase "time is money."   There are endless courses on how to manage time for the best outcome.   Every mother knows it, every businessman, every student, every sportsman, everyone is conscious of the importance of time management.   The bible has much to say about it and advises the proper use of it.   Moses, who wrote Psalm 90, spoke of the brevity of time in the context of a God who is eternal, and therefore outside of time.   His point is that, we creatures, who are bound by time should make the best use of it.   He spoke of "the days of our years" being 70 years, and perhaps by reason of strength, 80 years.   He says "So teach us to number our days and apply our hearts unto wisdom."   Job, who was said by God to be the most upright man of his day, who was also successful in business and a good family man, yet who lost everything, and everyone precious to him wrote about the realities of life, when he said "Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.   He cometh forth as a flower and is cut down, he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not"  Job 14vv1-2.   The apostle James wrote these now famous words..."For what is your life? It is even as a vapour that appeareth for a little time then vanisheth away"  James 4v14.   We all have 24 hours in each day, but for all of us time will end, and so the precious, fleeting, gift must be used to the maximum while here.

The point of the text is TIME STEWARDSHIP.   Jesus spoke to His disciples of "12 hours in a day"(John 11v9).   He was surely speaking of the hours of opportunity in an average day to accomplish anything.   The fact is all of us have an allotted timespan on this earth, some more, some less, and all of us will give account of our stewardship to God.   As believers in Christ we should be keenly aware of good time management, Paul says "...redeeming the time because the days are evil...";   there are some very interesting observations to be made here.

• Redeeming      Exagorazo    to buy up, to rescue from loss.   The imagery is of the merchantman who knows the value of his product, and who seizes every opportunity to maximise benefit to himself.   We are to have a business-like approach to our use of time.   Responsibility and proper management is in view.
• the time         Kairos            literally the opportunity;   there are two words for time in the Greek, chronos and Kairos.   Chronos refers to seconds minutes and hours, the onward passage of time.   The word used here refers to the windows of opportunity that present themselves in life.   Farmers are keenly aware of this, as are all business people.   There are only certain times in a lifespan when these come, and if missed, are often disastrous.   Timing is everything, when we do something can be important.   We may lose health and with it opportunity;   we may lose wealth and therefore ability to help others;   we may lose sanity and therefore ability to communicate.   Scripture says "there is a time for everything under the sun."   The Wisdom book of proverbs says in chapter 21v5 "THE THOUGHTS OF THE DILIGENT TENDETH ONLY TO PLENTEOUSNESS."   We are expected to be diligent in the things of the Lord and acquire the riches that can benefit others.   The same book points us to the busy and wise ant of which  is said "Consider her ways and be wise;   which having no guide, overseer or ruler, provideth her meat IN THE SUMMER, and gathereth her food  IN THE HARVEST."  Proverbs 6v6-8.
• because the days are evil        The need of the world is vast;   by the wise use of our time we can shine as lights in the darkness and bring God's blessing to many and in a variety of ways.  We have given the ability to show goodness in a world of evil. to shine as lights in a world of darkness, to demonstrate truth in a world of lies, to display righteousness in a world of injustice.   The days are always evil, this age, particularly, is described as an evil age, because it commenced with the high treason murder of the Son of God.   Best use of our time in that context is vital. 

This will involve a thorough understanding of the things of God, which involves reading of the bible;   it also involves prayerful consideration of the will of the Lord for my life, which means much time spent with Him... in Paul's words "understanding what the will of the Lord is."   Only thus will we be useful to Him to meet the needs of an evil world.   The scriptures contain historical narrative writings, prophetic writings, and also wisdom literature.   The wisdom writings contain instructions for wise living.   In our unconverted state we were foolish(God's words not mine), now we are saved we are to develop true wisdom in all we are, and in all our associations, and this is at the very heart of walking circumspectly.

EPHESIANS 5v15-6v9 overview

Walk circumspectly                 Chapter 5v15-chapter 6v9 overview

The construction of this first phrase is likely "See then how ye walk circumspectly...", thus a summary of the Christian walk;   Paul is teaching it as a worthy walk;   a distinctive walk;   a walk motivated by love;   a walk in Divine light.   Now he says that is true Christianity, and this is how we live.   The word "circumspectly" is used in Matthew 2v8 as diligently;   in Luke 1v3 as perfect understanding;   and in 1 Thessalonians 5v2 as perfectly.   It suggests therefore a thorough adherence to the Christian way, and this is confirmed in the usage in Acts 26v5, there translated as strictest or straitest.     All of us have a worldview, usually from our culture, and so in this new culture into which we have been brought in Christ, our way of life is changed, because our worldview is radically altered, and Paul now enumerates the different spheres in which this will be true.   He describes our former condition as being unwise, even though the world would proclaim otherwise.   The wisdom that we now have, is, of course, the understanding of the will of the Lord.   Scripture states that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom", so that those who know Him not have not even begun on the road to true wisdom.

• Ephesians 5vv15-17     A change of culture in relation to ourselves.
• Ephesians 5vv18-21     A recognition of a common bond with other Christians.
• Ephesians 5vv22-33   A higher view of marriage.
• Ephesians 6vv1-4       A behavioural pattern for the home.
• Ephesians 6vv5-9       A guideline for the workplace. 

Christianity is nothing, if not practical, and notable changes will take place affecting every aspect of life.   Each of these aspects deserve consideration if we are to truly respond to the awesome grace of God.   Thus changes will be seen in our individual, church, marital, home and business lives, in other words a total change of behaviour. 

EPHESIANS 5vv8-14

Walk as children of light             Chapter 5v8-14

Paul uses the repeated ploy of comparing what they were to what they now are in Christ..."ye were once..but now..."   once dead in trespasses and sins;   once dominated by the world, the flesh and the devil;   once doomed under the wrath of God;   once distanced from God because of the providence of birth.....all these in chapter 2v1-chapter2v11.   Now he says you were once darkness but now are ye light in the Lord.   Salvation by the grace of God means that your sins have been removed, that you have been freed from the powerful and damaging influences that dominated you, that you have been delivered from Divine wrath, that you have been brought near to God...all of these;   but it also means your life is changed, you are to live differently, you are to walk in light rather than darkness.

The former condition described by Paul is ominous;   he says "ye were darkness...", not only that you were in darkness, but that you were darkness.   Paul is revealing that true nature of sin, that it not only takes us away from God, but we become the very thing that is dominating us.   The sin of man turns us into the man of sin, we become darkness because it dominates our thinking and our actions.   Everything outside of the knowledge of God is darkness, and the world needs the light of heaven more and more.   God has brought us into the light that His light, His truth, may be displayed in us.   In other scriptures, darkness is said to be evil deeds, and so light will be good deeds, but such as are acceptable in the sight of God.   Light here is defined as the fruit of the Spirit, that is the character of the Spirit shining through us supernaturally.   This is demonstrated in three ways;

• All goodness    agathos  good constitution, good nature, useful, salutary, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, excellent, distinguished, honourable.    It is to display every form of goodness in all situations.... all that would reflect the goodness of our God.
• All righteousness      dikaiosune   equity, fairness, unbiased, treating all with equal disposition, doing what is right in all situations, displaying the character of our righteous God.
• All truth    aletheia      truth in things pertaining to God, the duties of man, and religious doctrinal truth, as expounded by the Spirit Himself, and which reflects the God of truth, in contradistinction to which everything else is a lie.  

All of this is to be of the standard which is acceptable to the Lord, and is to be put to the test in real life situations.

This will involve a separation from "the works of darkness" which are said to be unfruitful...not so much separation from people but from the works involving ungodly practices.   "Have no fellowship" means not partaking of their deeds which are motivated by other than Divine influence.   We are to restrain the works of darkness by reproving them, rather than acquiescing in them.   Light works by dispelling darkness, not by merging with it.   This goes as far as the small talk in which we indulge because it is a shame even to speak of practices which are done in secret, let alone what is now public banter.   Light and darkness do not mix, and even the gossip of it, that would tend to give assent to it, is a denial of our new position.   Light exposes darkness of the world, and, and reproof illuminates evil for what it is.   Jesus said His disciples were the light of the world, and this is true only as we reflect Him.   As the moon has no light in itself, but reflects the glory of the sun, so we should walk as children of light.

Paul completes the section in verse 14 by quoting a fragment of a well known hymn.   This is not a direct quotation from scripture but it contains truth from scripture, as many hymns and spiritual songs do.   The link here in the apostle's mind seems to be that reproof , rebuke of the works of darkness, and lives lived displaying light, should lead to others repenting and turning to the light.   The saying contains the basic gospel truth....life from the dead, and illumination of the mind only to be found in Christ.

EPHESIANS 5 vv3-7

Love not lust                 Chapter 5v3-7

"Walk in love", says Paul, the kind of love so vividly demonstrated by Christ in verses 1-2;   he now turns his attention to the alternative worldview of love, which is essentially lust, love of self.   In these verses 3-7 the ideas of fornication....uncleanness...covetousness are prominent.   Elsewhere Paul predicts human behaviour will become progressively acted out as "lovers of their own selves....and lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God..."    This can lead to all kinds of evil and he wants us to understand love in God's terms.   Scripture anticipates such a perversion of the greatest grace of God given to us, by placing side by side true love, and the worldly version of it.

• Romans 12v9   "Let love be without dissimulation, abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good."
• Ephesians 5 v1-3   "Walk in love... but fornication and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you as becometh saints."

As the saints of God, those who have been brought into fellowship with Him, there are certain things to be avoided;

• Fornication      The word is "porneia" and where it does not appear alongside of adultery, it refers to all forms of illicit sexual behaviour, including sex outside of marriage, adultery, homosexuality, incest, abuse of minors, bestiality.   This sin is particularly hateful to God, and it appears at the head of almost every list of evils in scripture.   Examples are Romans 1v29;   1 Corinthians 6v9-11;   Galatians 5v19;   Ephesians 5v2;   Colossians 3v5;   Revelation 21v8 and 22v15.   The God who created sex for the pleasure of man and the procreation of children, has spelled out the limits in which it will be enjoyed.
• Uncleanness      If fornication is the act, uncleanness is the thought, and this is just as hateful to God.   Jesus taught in Matthew chapter 5 that lust in the heart is tantamount to the act.   God defines such thoughts as uncleanness in His sight.   We cannot avoid evil thoughts, but we can avoid them becoming public, which is Paul's concern here.
• Covetousness       "pleonexia"   the desire to have what belongs to others.   We are to be content with such things as we have;   the biblical perspective is that we have what God has given to us, and that should be enough.   At the root of covetousness is dissatisfaction with what we have been given, knowing that what we have is by the gift of God.   This could refer to possessions, talents, family connections etc.   The warnings are clear... Psalm 10v3 "The Lord abhors the covetous..."   Jeremiah 22v17-19 "...Thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness....they shall not lament for him....he shall be buried with the burial of an ass..."   Luke 12v15 "Take heed and beware covetousness."   Paul was an example of the opposite...Acts 20v33 "I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel."   1 Timothy 6v10 warns "The love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."    Hebrews 13v5 says it all "Let your conversation(behaviour) be without covetousness and be content with such things as ye have; for He hath said I will never leave you nor forsake you."
• Filthiness, foolish talking, jesting      These things says Paul are "not convenient", or not proper for the Christian.   Paul uses this same word in Romans 1v28 and Philemon 1v8.  Obscenity, suggestive language; silly talk, idle banter; joking, witticism in a vulgar sense, glorifying folly, leading to an acceptance of the vulgar commonplace.   Instead of light, insincere, banter to engage in giving of thanks to a faithful Creator.

Those who engage in such a lifestyle, have no future inheritance in the kingdom of God.   Sexual immorality, filthiness of thoughts, covetous practices, if indulged as a lifestyle, will debar a person from the kingdom because no truly saved person will continue to live in that way.   Paul sounds the final warning that because of these things the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.   Those who are saints just do not live like this.   Salvation is not of works, but it is "unto good works".   There are many deceivers who will say otherwise, says Paul, do not be deceived!   Those of us who are saved are to live lives commensurate with our calling, it will not do to be partakers with the children of wrath.

..

EPHESIANS 5vv 1-2

Become imitators of God            (Chapter5 v1-2_

This remarkable possibility, that, redeemed human beings, formerly described as godless and alienated from the life of God, are now within reach of imitating God;   such is the conversion of a soul that what was inconceivable is now within reach.   Paul presents this as a natural outcome to Divine forgiveness in chapter 4v32.   He says "Be ye therefore followers(imitators) of God...."    Due to the awesome benefit of forgiveness received, we can do no less than to follow His example.   Indeed this is exactly why we are saved, to display the characteristics of our Father....he says "...as beloved children...."    Paul, in other places invites the saints to follow him inasmuch he followed the Lord, so he is the living example of his words;   1 Corinthian29s 4v16 "Wherefore I beseech you, become followers of me";   again, same epistle chapter 11 v1 "Be ye followers of me even as I am also of Christ."   He said to the Thessalonians(chapter 1v6) "...ye became followers of us and of the Lord."   Of Caleb it was said "He wholly followed the Lord".   Peter wrote in his epistle "Christ also suffered for us , leaving us an example that we should follow in His steps."(1 Peter 2v21).   Thus from old and new testaments we have the examples of those who followed the Lord.   What it will mean is that in every situation, we follow what God would do, we act like He would act.   The whole matter of our imitating God is germane to our new life in Christ.   God saved us to make us anew, that we might be conformed to the image of His Son(Romans 8v29.)    Ultimately He will make us like Himself;   it is His desire we imitate Him now.

• We are called to be holy, because our Father is holy                       1 Peter 1vv15-16
• We are to be kind and generous as the children of our Father         Matthew 5v45
• We are to be perfect as our Father                                                    Matthew 5v48
• We are to be merciful as our Father                                                  Luke 6v36
• We are to love, because our Father loves us                                     1 John 4v1

"Walk in love......"      Order your steps, live your life, as directed under the motivating power of love.   Love is agape sacrificial love, God's kind of love, love that needs no personal return, love that takes no account of the object of love.   Love is not only what God does, love is what God is!!   He is the very source and fountain of love that knows no human measure.....and always seeks the best for the one so loved.
"...as Christ also hath loved us..."   This is the high standard set, according to the level of the love of Christ to us.   Various descriptions of this love are given in the scriptures to convey love that transcends normal human love.   He loved us when we were most unlovable(ungodly);   He loved us when we came short of His standards(sinners);   He loved us when we were rebellious(enemies);   He loved us to the uttermost(not counting the cost to Himself);   His love is unfathomable, inexplicable, and unfeigned.   Truly, in the words of the hymn, "There is no love like the love of Jesus!"   Libraries have been filled to describe it, language cannot exhaust it, intellect cannot contain it, orators cannot explain it, cynics cannot destroy it.   It is a power, a spiritual force that constrains all who come into it's compass.   Nothing in all of the visible earth can hinder it, nothing in the unseen spiritual universe can touch it, nothing now, nothing of the past, nothing of the future can separate believers from Him.   Love, the love of Christ, never fails, when everything else may fail.   It is God's "more excellent way."
"...and hath given Himself for us..."      Love gives, love is action, talk is cheap.   Many talk love, but where is the evidence?   John 3v16 "God so loved the world that He gave......"   We can give many things but we cannot give more than ourselves.   When we consider who it was who gave Himself, when we think of all He is, and the fact, that, as God, He needed nothing from us, this gift of love is supreme.
"...an offering and a sacrifice to God..."      These two words are not the same;   we are talking here of an action toward God.   Because He is GOD, only a proper offering will do.   The first word has the thought of presentation, that is, such that was acceptable to God.   The second is the actual giving up of His life, as the holiness of God demanded because of sin.   Thus the twin thought is presentation, followed by dedication to God for us.
"...for a sweet smelling savour..."      The issue was greater than our needs only, Divine justice must be satisfied, and it was;   instead of the stench of sin rising to heaven, now the sweet incense of a perfect sacrifice is before the throne.   Divine satisfaction means human salvation, and behind it all is an act of love unparalleled in all history.   As the recipients of such love we are to follow in His steps.   Surely we must, what else can we do?   "Love, so amazing, so Divine, demands my soul, my life, my all."

EPHESIANS 4 vv25-32

Discarding the ugliness of the old for the beauty of the new         (25-32)

Throughout all of these verses, Paul is contrasting the virtues of the new man with the vileness of the old.   This is what you were....this is what you now are, so live it out!   There are four main areas in which this radical change will be evident.
1)       Our attitude to slander   verses 25-27  
2)       Our attitude to stealing   verse  28
3)       Our attitude to speaking(particularly in public)   verses 29-30
4)       Our attitude to the saints   verses 31-32

These represent major areas of life, involving the devil, material things, the Holy Spirit, and the people of God.   In each area there are negatives and positives and reasons given why there ought to be a difference.

1)   verses 25-27   the issue of slander....this is a very big part of human behaviour, the propensity to believe ill of another, and the tendency to falsely accuse without due attention to the truth.   This comes in many guises, and has no place in Christianity;   it may be the way of the world, it is not to be the practice of believers who are the recipients of the grace of God.   That this is the subject of these verses is evident as follows......the word for "lying" is falsehood, or "the lie", that is the biblical word for all that is of the father of lies, the devil.   Indeed to practise this is to "give place to the devil."   There are many depictions in the bible of Satan, and this one "diabolos" is the false accuser, or the arch-slanderer.   Slander is his stock and trade, and deception is his ploy.   He is not concerned with the truth, and he fills the world with his delusions.   By dealing in slander the believer is doing his work and giving him, the master slanderer, a foothold in their life, and therefore in the church.   The context of Psalm 4 which Paul quotes here supports this view;   there the writer is concerned with people acting in a godless way by dealing in falsehood "...how long will ye turn my glory into shame, how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing(falsehood-slander).   Quoting from Zechariah 8v16 Paul says put away the practise of false accusation, be done with slander, and "Speak every man truth with his neighbour."   Do not deal in lies, but in truth, and that with every one, and in order to emphasize it he reminds them of the truth of the body, he has taught them in chapters 1-4 "for we are members one of another".   The individual members of a body will not oppose other members, otherwise the body will be very sick indeed.   We are to be done with falsehood....but further,  (and here he continues the argument of Psalm 4)....."Be angry and sin not...." this is the Septuagint translation of verse 4 of the Psalm "stand in awe and sin not....."   This refers to David's way of coping with slander directed toward him.   As God's people we will become the objects of slander, from the devil(Revelation12v10), from the world of sinners(John 16v1-3), from false brethren(Galatians 2v4, 2 Corinthians 11v13).    We are not to dwell on it, allow it to bring us down, indeed it is not wrong to be angry when falsely accused, but we are to swiftly bring it to an end on the very day that it happens to us "let not the sun go down on your wrath(provocation)."   Deal with it in the presence of God on the day before you close your eyes in sleep....do not carry it on to another day, see it for what it is in the presence of God.   The Psalmist puts it like this "...commune with your own heart on your bed, and be still. Selah".   If angered by what someone has done or said falsely against you, resolve it in your mind before God and rest.   In summary, do not deal in falsehoods, do not dwell on falsehoods directed against you, do not let it fester to another day.   The Lord Jesus said "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

2)   verse 28...the issue of stealing     Paul is very precise about this "let him that stole, steal no more.." be done with it, finish it completely, notice the command NO MORE!   Stealing (taking what does not belong to me) is part of everyday life and has many aspects to it, but it is no longer to be the lifestyle of the Christian.   This goes to the whole aspect of our view of our possessions... in another place  he says "be content with such things as you have" and again "having food and raiment let us be therewith content."   Stealing is a sin, forbidden in the eighth commandment and represents an unlawful desire to gain at the expense of another.   It's many forms include armed robbery, petty theft, extortion, fraud, tax evasion, unpaid debt, reset, plagiarism, identity theft, intellectual property theft, scams etc.   In spiritual things, the bible highlights the sin of "stealing the hearts of the people", and also the possibility of "robbing God."   The cure to all of this is to "work with your own hands the thing which is good"....use your own energy, your own time, your own talent, to produce "the thing that is good."   Rather than taking from others what is not for you, supply by your efforts that which is profitable.   The issue of this is not to amass great possessions for yourself, but that you "may have to give to him that needeth."   Your surplus through honest use of time and talent for the benefit of those who lack.   God turns the robber into a benefactor, in the hands of Almighty God the parasite becomes the provider, the taker becomes the giver.

3)   verses 29-30... the issue of speaking       Paul now focuses on the evils of the tongue, how words can be used for good or bad.   "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth...."   The Apostle James warns against the immoral use of the tongue, which can be so hurtful.   Paul, however is concerned here with the doctrinal misuse of the tongue which is to the detriment of the saints.   Clearly he is referring to public communication when he talks of the need to "minister grace to the hearers."   He is thinking of the propagation of "every wind of doctrine, and the deception of men lying in wait to deceive" which he mentioned in chapter 4v14.   His burden here is of doctrinal hygiene in the teaching of God's word.   There must be nothing that is corrupt , nothing of the old nature, nothing of the doctrines of demons who controlled us before.   The language is very emphatic "Let no corrupt communication....." absolutely nothing at all, not even a hint of evil in our communication of the things of God.   The only thing we should be communicating is that which edifies the saints, and which ministers grace to the hearers.   Failure in this will grieve the Holy Spirit who dwells within us until the day of our redemption.   Teaching which does not edify and minister grace is an offence to the Spirit who is the revealer of God in His word.   Doctrinal purity is what is in view, the need to accurately communicate Divine truth.

4)   verses 31-32     the issue of the saints       Twice over in these verses he says ""one another".   He continues the theme of verse 25 "members one of another."   Behaviour one to another is paramount in the church.   There are six vices of the old man to be put away, there are three virtues of the new to replace them.

• All bitterness........harbouring of resentment, continuing disputes, raking up of past faults.   Actually betrays hatred, when there should be love;   an unforgiving spirit among those who have been forgiven.
• All wrath.....overflowing passion, a venting of temper, uncontrolled rage.
• All anger.....a different word(orge) which is a settled, deeply held, inward, implacable attitude.
• All clamour...loud, vocal, justifying of oneself, constant assertion of one's rights, and self proclamation, argumentative.
• All evil speaking....the word used is "blasphemia", attributing to a saint evil motives, from which will come false accusation, even slander.
• All malice.......the greek word kakia means badness, the desire to bring someone down, to defame, a disposition to hurt another.

The above ugly traits may take many forms and all of them have to be put away, removed altogether,

and replaced with three virtues, worthy of our new life.

• Kindness one to another......chrestos, literally to become employed in the interests of others, sacrificing self interest to make the needs of others your concern, graciousness, a practise of becoming useful to others.
• Tender hearted.....as opposed to hard hearted, showing real affection, especially to God's people.
• Forgiving one another.....the standard is high, wrongs done to others are seen as debts which must be paid;   since we were unable to pay our debt to God and have received His forgiveness, in the same way, and, in the same measure, we are to forgive those who sin against us....."according as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you."   Jesus suggested to Peter there was no situation when forgiveness should not be forthcoming, but sorrowful repentance should also be in evidence on the part of the offender.