Ephesians 4

Scripture - Observation - Application - Prayer

What strikes me about this chapter is the instructions Paul gives the Ephesians. After explaining in previous chapters that their identity is no longer found in their birth as Gentiles but found in Jesus, he calls them into futher maturity in Christ. If their identity really has changed then they need to do something about it. "So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking".

But look at the things he tells them to do. If you take a step back, take the instructions out of the context of the bible, out of the context of God, I think you'd agree that the world would be phenomenally better place if everyone tried to follow them. Paul tells them to "get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." It just blows my mind to think of how much peace would be in the world if everyone really did get rid of those things. Whether you have relationship with God or not, I'm sure you'd agree that a decent person should "... 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."

You see, this is what I'm understanding about the bible. You have to read it to actually know what it says. What would an athiest say in response to the fact that Jesus told everyone to love everyone else unconditionally? Would they dismiss it just because Jesus said it? People often quote specific parts of the bible as rebuttal against a faith in God. But that doesn't make sense. How could the bible be used against the God that it so earnestly tries to document? I believe if people really wanted to look into the bible and actually find something, they would be surprised as to the complexity of each book. That if you really look, and understand the context, things don't contradict: they actually support and give background and colour and story. All the parts of the bible work together, not against each other.

So my application is to not judge a book by it's cover, literally. If I really want to understand where the intellectual basis of my faith is coming from then I need to study the bible and work out what it's really saying. Hopefully, by doing this I'll be more prepared to live a life according to the will of God and be able to help explain and pull apart the questions people have about the bible and about God. And I don't need to go to bible college to do this, though I'm sure it would be very useful!

My prayer today is for God to fill me with a desire to learn His word. I want to be so curious and get excited and passionate so I can find new things and learn them and apply them. Most of all I thank God that He has given us not only a book of instruction, but a book of encouragement and one that shows Jesus and all he did for us. Amen.


[Read Ephesians 4: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%204&version=NIV]