Paul Exhorts the Ephesians to Walk in Love with one
another
Ephesians
4:1-3 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of
the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with
longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of
the Spirit in the bond of peace. KJVThe Apostle Paul has detailed for these Ephesian believers all the blessings they and we today have in the redemption that our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ purchased for us with His Blood on the Cross. Paul even declares to them and to us our eternal security “in Christ” as he said it to them in the first Chapter of this epistle with these words, “In Him you also who have heard the Word of Truth, the glad tidings (Gospel) of your salvation, and have believed in {and} adhered to {and} relied on Him, were stamped with the seal of the long-promised Holy Spirit. That [Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance [the first-fruits, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage], in anticipation of its full redemption {and} our acquiring [complete] possession of it--to the praise of His glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14). Paul has prayed for them to have their inner man and inner woman opened up completely by God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit that their spiritual eyes would be enlightened to all the great power and might of theirs and our inheritance in Christ Jesus our Lord (Ephesians 1:18-23).
Paul has detailed for them how they and we were dead spiritually in our trespasses and sins and how our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ resurrected them and us from spiritual death and made us alive to God the Father declaring them and us to be as Paul put it with these words, “For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].” (Ephesians 2:10). Lastly, Paul has described to them and to us how this mystery kept in the Bosom of God the Father of Him sending Christ to bring both Jew and Gentile together forever in His Body (the Church) and that the Holy Spirit would strengthen them and us with might in our inner man and inner woman to know the eternal, everlasting, and enormous love that Christ has for His Own bought back from sin and death by His Blood.
So with all of that said by the Apostle, he now wants them and us today to live like they and we have truly received all the blessings of redemption through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul reminds them that he is presently imprisoned by the Roman authorities, but he really is the prisoner of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. Paul wants them to know that his body is in prison, but his spirit/soul is bound only to Christ. Paul then wants these free Ephesians to let everyone see that they live for Christ so he says I “beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Ephesians 4:1). The English word beseech Paul uses is translated by the Greek word parakaleo which means to invite, invoke, or implore someone; to entreat, exhort, or urge someone to something; to desire or to pray for someone; to bid, to order, or to command someone to something. The English phrase “that ye walk” Paul uses here is translated by one Greek word peripateo which means to live or to behave in a certain manner. The English word worthy Paul uses here is translated by the Greek word axios an adverb which means appropriately or deservingly or suitably- as becomes, after a godly sort.
In other words, Paul seeing himself confined from the free world urges, exhorts, and even commands these Ephesians and us today to live a godly life with and amongst one another and before all of the people in the world that do not know our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul wants their profession of Christ to be manifested in the presence of one another and before the lost world to be in such a manner as our Lord Jesus Christ deserves His sons and daughters to live because they love Him and want to glorify Him in the world. This is the only true response we have to such a high calling of grace out of the darkness of sin and death into the marvelous light of Jesus Christ our Messiah. Paul now begins to spell out this walk he refers to in detail by saying, “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;” (Ephesians 4:2). The first exhortation is for them and us to walk or live with all “lowliness” and this English word is translated by the Greek word tapeinophrosune meaning humiliation of mind, that is, modesty: - humbleness of mind, humility (of mind).
In other words, Paul declares that we should never think of ourselves as some great instrument of God or that we are better than our other brothers or sisters “in Christ”, but instead we should have a humble opinion of ourselves at all times taking into account these words written by the Apostle Paul when he said this to the Corinthian believers, “Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other. For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4:6-7). When everyone esteems themselves as small and their brothers and sisters “in Christ” as large, then this will work to promote unity or oneness in the fellowship as we give thanks to God the Father for the gifts that He has bestowed to others for our edifying and in no way ever developing clicks by gossip and backbiting, but rejoicing in one another and loving the Word of God together.
The English word meekness Paul uses here to describe our walk is translated by the Greek word praotes which means to be mild or gentle, that is, to exercise strength under the control of the Holy Spirit. In other words, Paul declares that despite any of our dispositions prior to conversion to Christ, each of us are to yield to the Spirit of God’s control as He leads us to respond gently with one another, never desiring to hurt one another for any reason, but yielding ourselves to the authority of the Word of God and being taught by our Lord Jesus as He declared with these words, “Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29).
Next Paul uses the English word long-suffering which I must admit and declare of myself that I struggle mightily with the Holy Spirit in developing this character in my inner man, but Paul declares that this must be manifest in our lives with one another and the Greek word is makrothumia which means longanimity, that is, Good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence; (subjectively) fortitude, that is, Strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage ; patience, that is, with long (enduring) temper, that is, lenient with others. In others words, Paul declares to these Ephesian believers and to us who believe today that we must patiently endure the faults, failures, and flaws of our fellow brethren and sisteren “in Christ” as He has and does deal with each one of us as Paul declared with these words to the Colossian believers, “Clothe yourselves therefore, as God’s own chosen ones (His own picked representatives), [who are] purified {and} holy and well-beloved [by God Himself, by putting on behavior marked by] tenderhearted pity {and} mercy, kind feeling, a lowly opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, [and] patience [which is tireless and long-suffering, and has the power to endure whatever comes, with good temper]. Be gentle {and} forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive].” (Colossians 3:12-13). Note: Here is what Matthew Henry had to say about long-suffering, “The best Christians have need to bear one with another, and to make the best one of another, to provoke one another’s graces and not their passions.”
Paul then uses the English word “forbearing” which is translated by the Greek word anechomai which means to put up with, endure with, or suffer with one another. In other words, Paul is exhorting, encouraging, and expecting these Ephesian believers and we believers today to bear with one another in the love of Christ for His sake that He (Christ) would be honored, hallowed, and happy with His Body/His Bride (the Church) as His visible representation down here on the earth, Paul said the same thing to the Colossian believers in this manner, “And above all these [put on] love {and} enfold yourselves with the bond of perfectness [which binds everything together completely in ideal harmony]. And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] One Body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always]. Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in your hearts and minds] {and} dwell in you in [all its] richness, as you teach and admonish {and} train one another in all insight {and} intelligence {and} wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts. And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus {and} in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:14-17). Note: Listen to what Dr. John Gill says concerning forbearing one another in love, “Overlooking the infirmities of one another, forgiving injuries done, sympathizing with, and assisting each other in distressed circumstances, the spring of all which should be love; by that saints should be moved, influenced, and engaged to such a conduct, and which should be so far attended to, as is consistent with love; for so to forbear one another, as to suffer sin to be on each other, without proper, gentle, and faithful rebukes for it, is not to act in love.”
Paul declares that when these Ephesian believers and we believers today do these things “lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love”, then and only then will we be “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3). The English word endeavoring Paul uses here is translated by the Greek word spoudazo which means to use speed, that is, to make effort, be prompt or earnest: - do (give) diligence, be diligent (forward), or to labor. The English phrase “to keep” Paul uses here is translated by one Greek word tereo which means to guard (from loss or injury, properly by keeping the eye upon). In other words, Paul declares to these Ephesian believers and we believers today that we must make every effort speedily to guard this faith once and for all handed down to the saints with diligence and determination as if we were guarding the life of one of our precious and defenseless new born babies or infants from physical hurt or harm in order that we would preserve the “oneness” or “the fact and reality of us being united into One Body in Christ” by allowing the Holy Spirit to rule in each of us binding us together in the Word of Truth (2 Corinthians 6:1-10) as ligaments in the physical body bind together bone and muscle to make it fit and strong and this only will produce the true peace of God that passes our human understanding in each of us individually and in the Body of Christ collectively.
My own Personal Note: Paul wanted these Ephesian believers and we believers today to know, understand, and realize that the Holy Spirit is not making Baptist, Catholics, Methodist, Anglicans, Episcopalians, Pentecostals, or any other such names, but He is making “new creations” and everyone He makes a “new creation” will be unified in Christ Body governed by His Holy Word.
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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