New Attitudes - Part 4
Choose Honesty and Wholesomeness
Ephesians 4v28-32
20th May 2016
In our study of Paul's teaching on Christian living in Ephesians 4v17-24 we've reached:
Ephesians 4v28
He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful his their own hands, that he
may have something to share with those in need.
All Christians know that we shouldn't steal, but we haven't all grasped the principle of generosity. We should work, not just so we can pay our own bills, but so we can give something away. The true Christian doesn't always want to receive - he wants to give.
Paul then writes:
Ephesians 4v29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according
to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
I'm not sure exactly what Paul meant by unwholesome talk. Of course it includes coarse language and crude jokes. But negativity, and criticism, and gossiping, and complaining are also unwholesome. None of that kind of speech meets Paul's criterion: only what is helpful for building others up. Everything we say should benefit those who listen. If what we say doesn't help others to live a happy and godly life, then why are we saying it?
All the behaviours and attitudes we've been looking at: choosing truth, peace, honesty, generosity and wholesomeness, and refusing falsehood, anger, stealing and damaging talk, can be summed up by what Paul says next:
Ephesians 4v30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
The Holy Spirit is infinitely loving and infinitely pure, and He dwells within every Christian. And when a Christian is unkind, or angry, or dishonest, or coarse, it makes the Holy Spirit sad. He cares about us, and He cares about how we live and how we treat other people.
I want my life to make a difference. I want my life to help as many people as possible to find the kingdom of God, the forgiveness that God offers, the joy that He brings, the love and power that comes to every Christian. And I'm finding that the degree to which I'm effective in bringing the kingdom of God to other people is more-or-less proportional to the degree to which I live a holy life.
I think there are two reasons for this. One is that many non-Christians can see sin and hypocrisy in a Christian very easily, so my message is obscured by my sin. The second reason is that everything we achieve that is of genuine, lasting value, isn't really our work at all - it's the work of the Holy Spirit operating in us. And when we grieve the Holy Spirit, it tends to happen less. The Holy Spirit prefers to live and work in clean vessels.
As children of God, we should live in tune with the Holy Spirit, with Christ-like attitudes, so Paul writes:
Ephesians 4v31-32
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.