The word examination is a word that I do not particularly like. It conjures up all sorts of mental pictures. From age 6-23 it represented a test in school. Then for many years, it would suggest the exams my boys would be having in school. I think these were harder for me than my own. I felt responsible for their education so I question when their next exam would be and how we could prepare. Now in my old age, the word takes on a whole new meaning. These days it involves a trip to the doctor’s office to examine me physically so small problems do not become big ones. These are all exams that we must do to progress in this world, but what about the world to come? Do you ever sit and examine yourself against scripture? Do you pass God’s test?
In Ephesians chapter 4 Paul ends with a list of things that a Christian should be doing and not doing. In verses 20-21, we find Jesus is the author of this education. He came to earth to teach and made disciples to teach. When He went back to Heaven, the Holy Spirit was given to all believers to help us to learn and understand scripture and to obey. He dwells within us and will guide us into all truth. We have an internal examiner. In John 16:13, Jesus said, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” In John 14:26, Jesus again tells us about the inner examiner, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. “
Ephesians 4:20-21 “But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus.”
Now he begins our list of what the new life should act like. In verse 22 the word conversation means conduct. The old life was corrupt and controlled by our passions, the new life is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16 teaches us that if we are under the control of the spirit, following in obedience we will, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
Ephesians 4:22 “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;”
When we follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit our minds will be renewed. We will no longer want to think the way the did before. The things we listened to, the programs we watched, the words we said, even the people we hung around with will bother us. This Spirit that now dwells within us will alert us to the wrong things in our life and if we yield to His help our new life will grow to be more like Jesus. The renewing of our minds is to be a continual process.
Ephesians 4:23-24 “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
Paul teaches us in the next verse to tell the truth. Lying has always been a known sin but it is one that many overlook. They make remarks such as, “It is only a little white lie.” A lie is a lie in God’s eyes and if we are His children, it should be serious to us. When you fabricate a story or a situation, stop then and confess your wrong, A few times of doing this will help you tell the truth in the future. We should feel convicted when we do wrong and that is the time to take care of it.
Ephesians 4:25 “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.”
The next two verses go hand in hand. When we get angry and harbor that anger, we are giving the devil a foothold in our lives. Many feel justified to hold on to anger, but nowhere in scripture do we find this permitted. Anger will eat away at you until it makes you bitter. You become blinded by your own sin and allow it to fester until it destroys you from within. If you seek to continue to be right with God every time you kneel to pray the Holy Spirit will bring it to your memory. The verse tells us to deal with it before the sun sets!
Ephesians 4:26-27 “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.”
In verse 28 the admonition is to not take that which is not yours. Work for what you get and make sure you work hard enough to have something to give to those in need. Then Paul moves into the area of what we say. Our speech should build others up. Not in a way of flattery but we should be encouraging them in their spiritual walk. In verse 31 we are to put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor which is disorderly conduct, and evil speaking all need to be put away from the child of God. All these kinds of behavior grieve the Holy Spirit because they are from our old life. The word grieve means to inflict sorrow or make sad. The new life brings change, and the Holy Spirit is dwelling within us to help us. When we act this way, we are dragging the Holy Spirit into situations that He cannot be a part of yet, He has to witness it.
Ephesians 4:28-31 “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:”
The new life teaches us to be kind to one another, tender-hearted, and forgiving to each other. Why? Because of what God has done for us. He extended mercy and grace in lovingkindness to us. He gave His Son to suffer and pay the price for those sins. We should be so overwhelmed with love, that we cannot help but treat others the way God treats us. We owed a debt we could not pay; we lived a life that was doomed to Hell, but with this new life we will spend eternity in Heaven with Jesus, the gracious Father and our helper the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Live the new life to please God and you will experience joy unspeakable and love that abounds.
