Let’s Study Ephesians 4 (Part 1) Together!

By: Dominica Dottery

This Weeks Scripture: Ephesians 4

Parallel Scriptures:

• Romans 14:12-13

• 1 Corinthians 10:31

Guiding Questions:

• When is the last time you talked about someone or entertained gossip?

• When is the last time you found out somebody was gossiping about you? How did it make you feel?

• What are three ways that you can remain Holy in the eye sight of God?

Notes: 

If we are not careful, the lines of sin can become really blurred. Especially in today’s world where a lot of people (Christian and non- Christian alike) live by the mantra, “I’m going to do whatever makes me happy! If I am not hurting anyone, I am still a “good person.” Here is the thing God has not only called us to be happy, but to be HOLY. To be HOLY is to be dedicated or consecrated to God. Simply put to be holy is to be set apart – marked with a purpose. The good news is that the more you grow in God, the HOLIER and happier you become.

As Christ followers, we should live with behavior that not only backs up what we say we believe, but also gives Glory to God representing him well. The meaning of Christian is to be Christ-like, which means while we are on earth, we represent God. As a Christ representative here on earth it is also important to remember that somebody is always watching you. Watching how you act, watching how you respond to different scenarios. As a Christian, we cannot just respond to things however our flesh wants. If a non-Christian sees a Christian acting out, then they probably won’t see any point in being a Christian.

I love the book of Ephesians because throughout the entire book Paul told the church, “you’re doing good,” but I want you to excel, to continue to strive toward excellence.

To operate in a spirit of excellence we should make decisions using the influence test because everything we do influences somebody around you. Before you make a decision, ask yourself:

1. Does my decision (physically, mentally, spiritually) harm other people?

2. What is your motive behind making this decision?

   1. I once heard Joyce Meyer say in a sermon one time “that Christians can sometimes try to cover up gossiping about somebody by following it up with “well let’s pray for them.”

   2. My initial rection to her comment was that she was right! As Christians We need to BE Real!” Asking ourselves what was really your motive about telling somebody else’s business?  Was its boredom or pride? Check yourself.

3. Does the decision glorify God?

A few weeks ago, I had an encounter with God, where he convicted me about not just talking about somebody but making the choice not to listen to OR entertain others talking about it. You see “A friend of mine from church called me with some personal information about a mutual friend. The mutual friend was struggling with something and had confided in my friend. But now this friend was running to tell me the mutual friend’s personal business. After being convicted I had to repent because I should have cut that conversation short and stopped her from bringing up our mutual friends business.

I remember hearing a pastor talk about love and how it protects and covers. He said that if somebody starts talking to you about somebody else, especially if it’s in a negative way or you notice they start airing out people’s personal business……STOP them…..mid-sentence if you have to…. and ask them……one question; “Why are you telling me this?” The pastor state that this question will cause them to stop and ponder on their motive as to why they’re choosing to speak to you about the other person who is not even in your presence!

Romans 15:1-2 says, “Even if we believe that it makes no difference to the Lord whether we do these things, still we can’t just go ahead and do them to please ourselves; for we must bear the burden of being considerate of the doubts and fears of others.”

Mature people limit their freedom for the benefit of others.

1. They consider how their decisions will affect the people around them

2. They limit their own freedom out of love by asking themselves, how will this affect others?

Ex. I’m choosing to limit my freedom of cussing somebody out that pissed me off because I want to make decisions that affect people in a positive way…. expressing the love of God in every situation, not spreading hate.  What about you?

Guiding Prayer: 

Lord, teach us not to gossip. Teach us to walk in a life that always honors you. Lord convict us when we are being lead astray and give us the wisdom to grow in you every day. Teach us how to make our life a light for you that we can draw other people into your kingdom! We thank you for what you are doing in our life and we ask that you help us grow in you every-day! In Jesus name we pray Amen!

References: Meyer, J. (2019). Ephesians: Biblical commentary. New York, NY: FaithWords. ; Daily Hope with Rick Warren - Devotional. (2020, October 16). Retrieved November 10, 2020, from https://pastorrick.com/devotional/