Seek First – Kingdom Focused Devotionals

“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30).

                We sometimes forget that the Holy Spirit is the person of the Godhead who indwells us.  Since He is person, He can be grieved.  Any behavior which is contrary to the holiness of God grieves the Holy Spirit.  In the immediate context, when behavior patterns which belong to the old man are repeated in the man who has been made new, it grieves the Holy Spirit who indwells us. 

                The linking of verse 29 and 30 suggest that speech which does not edify grieves the Spirit.  If Paul is here thinking about speech which occurs between two believers, the Holy Spirit is doubly grieved since He indwells both speaker and hearer.  Thus unwholesome speech breaks down the common life of the body.  When we sin against a fellow-believer it is an offense against the Spirit Himself who gives unity to the body. 

                We have already seen that all believers receive the Spirit as a pledge of the inheritance which will be ours on that day when God claims us as His own (1:13f).  We have also seen how the Spirit gives unity to the body (4:3) enabling it to function in such a manner that it grows up into all aspects into Christ.  We are one body in Christ and thus we must seek to live in community in such a manner that God is glorified and the unity of the Spirit is maintained. 

Prayer:  Father, forgive me when my attitude or words grieve Your Spirit.  Amen

“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear” (Eph. 4:29).

                “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me!”  What a lie!  We knew it was a lie when we sang it as children.  There are still words that ring in our ears and hearts that continue to impact us today.  A critical word from a parent said in a moment of anger that continues to impact our lives.

                Paul continues his description of the new self with a look at the speech patterns of the new man.  In 1 Corinthians 4:6 Paul says that Christian speech should be “seasoned with salt” so that it doesn’t become insipid or corrupting.  Crude and foul language had been habitual for many of the recent converts to Christianity.  “Unwholesome” language may be either foul language or harmful criticism whose goal is to “tear down” another. 

                This sort of “unwholesome speech” must be put aside and replaced with words that are “good for edification.”  The speech of believers is never insipid and dull; on the contrary it is full of life and as such gives grace to those who hear.  Does your language show others the grace of God?  Does it build up or tear down?

Prayer:  Thank You for speaking grace into my life.  May my speech always be good for edification.  Amen

“He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need” (Eph. 4:28).

                Christian ethics is not simply “putting off” the old self and it’s accompanying evil deeds, it is the “putting on” of a new way of life.  The person who steals must steal no longer.  In the first century, slaves regarded petty theft as a part of their way of life.  There are many ways of breaking the eighth commandment other than picking up something that doesn’t belong to you.  As employees, we can steal time.  As students, we can steal answers.  The believer can no longer behave in this manner.

                The negative behavior must be replaced by a positive one.  The thief must earn an honest living, performing that which is good with his own hands.  His work is to be positive, reflecting the nature of God who enables him to work.  But there is more to Christian ethic.  The worker is working so that he might have a surplus beyond his own needs.  This hard labor has as its ultimate goal the sharing of the surplus with those who have need. 

                If you read the early chapters of the book of Acts, you will see that such generosity of heart was a characteristic of the early believers.  Are you driven to hard work by your desire to accumulate for self-interest or to share with those in need?

Prayer:  Father, give me the heart to share with those in need.  Amen

“Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.”  (Eph. 4:26-27).

                A distinctive mark of the old man is a bad temper based on unresolved anger.  Paul once again quotes the Old Testament.  He quotes Psalm 4:4.  The New America Translation is “Tremble and do not sin.”  There is anger which is righteous as we see in the Lord Himself (Mk. 3:5 and Jn. 2:13-17), but His anger never led to sin. 

                Anger over sin is one matter but personal provocation or wounded pride is not appropriate.  Our anger can have no sinful motives and thus cannot be allowed to cause us to sin in thought, word, or deed.  Paul is quite aware that what sometimes begins as righteous indignation against sin can become perverted and thus turned against others.  Thus he insists that we cannot let “the sun go down on your anger.”  It is possible that Psalm 4:4 is still in view.  The last part of that verse says, “Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still.”  It is impossible for us to meditate upon God and hold anger in our hearts toward another. 

                The danger with anger is that it provides the devil an opportunity to influence our thinking.  What may have begun as indignation against injustice or wrong, if retained and nursed as a grievance (NEB) will allow the devil to lead us to unkind thoughts and personal resentment.  Are you harboring any grudges and nursing an unresolved anger?  Resolve it today so that you don’t give the devil an open door. 

Prayer:  Father, forgive me if I allow personal bitterness cloud my relationship with You and with other believers.  Amen

“Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another” (Eph. 4:25). 

                Paul has been discussing the process of putting off the old man and putting on the new man.  Putting on the new man means that the Christian must embody a new way of life which is characterized by holiness and righteousness. 

                Notice that he first speaks of that which must be laid aside or taken off.  The new self described in verse 24 is characterized by righteousness and holiness of the truth.  For that reason we must lay aside falsehood.  But it is not sufficient that we simply put aside the old man, we must speak truth to one another.  These words are a quotation of Zechariah 8:16. 

                Paul does not simply appeal to the moral law he appeals to the bonds of fellowship and community which binds all believers to one another.  Since they are members of one body, it is essential that they be completely honest with one another.  He has already indicated that the growth of the body is dependent upon members speaking truth in love to one another (4:15).  It is this bond of truthfulness that enables the gifted body to work in unity. 

Prayer:  Father, teach me to speak the truth in love with my fellow members.  Amen.

“And put on a new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth” (Eph. 4:24). 

                It is amazing to think that God has provided for us a new man which has been created in righteousness and holiness.  The old nature which was characterized by selfishness and sin has been crucified with Christ and now we have a new nature which is produced by the Holy Spirit. 

                The verb here is aorist which indicates a decisive act by which the believer appropriates this God-created and God-centered life.  Notice again that two things are required for the continual formation of this new man.  First is the continual renewal of the mind (23) and second is the decisive action of putting on this new man. 

                Did you notice that this new man is in “the likeness of God?”  Paul gives a more expansive definition in Colossians 3:10—“And have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.”  Man was created in God’s image but that image was marred and distorted by sin.  Through the new birth there is a restoration of that image.  There is a moral character to that new image which is here described in terms of righteousness and holiness. 

                These God-like character traits will be in evidence in everyone who has been recreated in His image.  The character of the Father should be clearly seen in the lives of His children.

Prayer:  Produce your righteousness and holiness in me that others may know You.  Amen

“And that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Eph. 4:23).

                Once the old man is taken off, believers are prepared to be renewed and that begins with the transformation of the mind.  The Greek words and tenses used here suggest a continual renewal of the mind that is produced by the Holy Spirit. 

                The mind is the center of a person’s thinking.  It can be used to think of spiritual truth or it can be used to think on purely natural things.  The word “spirit” here means the human spirit.  The renewal of the human spirit of man is the work of the Holy Spirit that enables us to put off the old man and put on the new one. 

                Paul speaks of this transformation of the mind in greater detail in Romans 12:1-2.  It begins with the surrender of the body; the giving up of all claimed rights to our body.  As we give ourselves fully to God the Holy Spirit brings about the transformation of the mind which fights against the natural tendency to be conformed to the world’s standards.  It is this transformation that will enable us to know and do the will of God. 

                How does this renewal of the mind take place?  First, it requires an act of surrender.  Give yourself to God fully.  Second, it requires that we begin to focus on spiritual truth.  Read your Bible and ask the Spirit to use the truth of God’s Word to conform you to the image of Christ. 

Prayer:  Father, I give you my mind.  Transform me and conform me.  Amen

“That, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit” (Eph. 4:22). 

                Paul now employs imagery from everyday life to drive home his point—putting off old garments and putting on new ones.  Some Bible teachers believe that it may have been a reference to the baptismal event that marked the beginning of new life. 

                This image of taking off clothes should not be understood as a superficial change; the old garments are to be “laid aside” in terms of being discarded.  They are put aside with the intention that they will be fully and completely replaced with new ones. 

                It is the “old self” that is put off.  The old self is characterized by the description given in verses 17-19.  This manner of life is corrupt and therefore corrupting.  This old self lives in accordance with the lusts of deceit.  “Lusts” here means self-centered life.  Such lusts are deceitful because they promise what they can never provide—happiness, joy, and prosperity.  The entire story of the Bible, from the beginning story in the Garden of Eden, presents the power of sin to persuade through deceit.  When we listen to the subtle hiss of the snake, it leads to corruption and finally death. 

                Good news!  We no longer have to live by the lusts of deceit.  Through the power of the cross, Satan was defeated and therefore we can lay aside this old self. 

Prayer:  Thank You for making it possible for me to lay aside my old self.  Amen.

“But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus” (4:19-20).

                The adversative “but” indicates that Paul thinks better of them.  The “you” is emphatic bringing this lesson home with no lack of clarity.  Once the person and purpose of Christ has come to dominate one’s heart and mind, he/she will no longer be comfortable with this old way of living.

                When one receives Christ his/her life is no longer dark, their minds are no longer controlled by vanity, and they are no longer alienated from God.  The implication is clear.  Christians are to put away all immorality and thinking which is impure and thus inappropriate for one who is indwelt by Holy God. 

                The phrase “if indeed you have heard Him,” was not intended to cast doubt upon the salvation experience of the first century recipients of this letter, it was rather designed to call them to verify the truth of this statement.  They had accepted that Jesus is the only source of truth and therefore their life must reveal His character through obedience to all His teachings. 

                I am afraid that many Christians continue to struggle with the flesh because we have failed to allow Christ to continue to teach us.  We neglect prayer and Bible study and then wonder why we continue to live in a manner that does not reveal the One who indwells us.  Are you spending adequate time with the Truth?

Prayer:  Forgive me when my life does not indicate the Truth that I affirm with my lips.  Amen

“And they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness” (Eph. 4:19).

                Many expressed great shock when it was discovered that Tiger Woods was involved in multiple affairs.  We collectively wondered, “How could a guy who had everything, be so foolish.”  The answer is found in this verse.  Tiger has never claimed to be a Christian.  He doesn’t have God’s Spirit indwelling him and thus moving him to righteous activity. 

                Paul now indicates that Gentiles (people without God), because of their failure to respond to God’s truth become more and more calloused in their ability to feel shame.  When one feels no shame for sinful behavior they often abandon themselves to a way of life that is an actual betrayal of what they were created to be—their true selves.  The end result is outrageous conduct of any kind.  It is a life without any care for personal standards or social sanctions. 

                While it is true that the description above would not be applied to every Gentile of Paul’s day, or ours for that matter, but it is the inner reality of man and society lived without God’s empowering.  We have a tendency to discount or forget the incredible power of sin and the weakness of human will without God’s Spirit.

                Once again, I want to remind us that Paul is warning them about falling back into this pre-Christian way of conducting one’s life. 

Prayer:  Father, let me never become calloused to Your word and Your way for my life.  Amen.