EPHESIANS LESSON 9

     We will begin this lesson in Ephesians 5:1 "Be ye therefore
followers of God, as dear children;"

     A Christian is a believer in and a follower of the Lord Jesus
Christ. That is what the verse above is saying, also. If we really are
Christians, then we should pattern our life after our Leader's life.
Children, who have honorable parents, will usually be honorable, also.
Parents are a living example to their children. We are sons of God, if
we are really Christians. We must follow the example that He gave us
in Jesus. The great commission that Jesus gave all believers is found
in Mark 16:15 "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature."  He said to heal the sick and
many of the other things that He had done on this earth. If we belong
to Jesus, we should be doing the things He would do.

     Ephesians 5:2 "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us,
and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a
sweetsmelling savour."

     I believe Christianity to be a way of life. When we are saved
that is not the end. We must walk in the salvation we have received.
Every offering and sacrifice in the Old Testament law was fulfilled in
Jesus. To get the in-depth teaching on this, read the lessons in
Leviticus. Jesus is the everlasting sacrifice and offering to God for
all mankind.

     Ephesians 5:3 "But fornication, and all uncleanness, or
covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;"

     When we are saved, we are born again, not with a license to sin.
We are a new man in Christ. We no longer live, but Christ liveth in
us. The old man of sin is buried along with the lust of the flesh.
Christians are new creatures in Christ. We no longer have the desire
in our heart to sin. We must walk in newness of life. All of the sins
above are part of the old flesh man that was buried.

     Ephesians 5:4 "Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor
jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks."

     Christians need not to do any of the things listed in the last
two verses. We must not even give the appearance of evil. These sins
are signs of a life full of sin. They come of those who are sold out
to the flesh and the devil. Christians should spend all of their time
doing good and giving thanks to God for the blessings He bestowed upon
them.

     Ephesians 5:5 "For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean
person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in
the kingdom of Christ and of God."

     This really tells it like it is. Our actions show who we belong
to. If we are practicing the sins mentioned in the last few verses, we
are not sold out to God. We are still living in sin. A "whoremonger"
is a male prostitute. The word comes from the word porno. The
whoremonger would have to do with all unnatural sex, as well as
adultery. This is speaking of all types of sexual sin that is classed
by God as an abomination. "Abomination" means disgusting sin. The
unclean person, here, is speaking of an unclean heart and soul. The
covetous person wants things that do not belong to him. The "idolater"
is someone who worships false gods. You can easily see how God would
say that people involved in this kind of sin have no reward waiting
for them. These really are children of wrath.

     Ephesians 5:6 "Let no man deceive you with vain words: for
because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of
disobedience."

     Even worse than being a lost person committing these sins, would
be someone pretending to be a child of God committing these sins.
Judgement begins at the house of God. The sin of Adam and Eve in the
garden of Eden was that they disobeyed God. To be disobedient children
of God is very serious. The wrath of God falls on these people. The
way you could be deceived, is to believe that you would be above
punishment from God.

     Ephesians 5:7 "Be not ye therefore partakers with them."

     We must not fellowship with people involved in these sins. We
might be guilty by association. It is strange how the ways of the
sinner seem to picked up more readily than the ways of the saint, when
they fellowship together.

     Ephesians 5:8 "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye]
light in the Lord: walk as children of light:"

     Walking in darkness is the condition of all, before they come to
the Light {Jesus Christ}. Matthew 4:16  "The people which sat in
darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and
shadow of death light is sprung up."  As we said, Light does away with
darkness. John 8:12  "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am
the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in
darkness, but shall have the light of life."

     Ephesians 5:9 "(For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness
and righteousness and truth;)"

     Spirit, here, is speaking of the Holy Spirit of God. Fruit comes
from whatever tree it is of. Peaches come from a peach tree and apples
come from an apple tree. The fruit that came from the Holy Spirit
would be righteousness and truth. The Holy Spirit brings all truth to
the believer. Our righteousness is the righteousness that Jesus gave
us, when He took our sin.

     Ephesians 5:10 "Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord."

     The desire of a true Christian is to please God in all that they
do, and all that they are. With the Holy Spirit guiding, all our fruit
would be pleasing to God.

     Ephesians 5:11 "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works
of darkness, but rather reprove [them]."

     The works of those dwelling in darkness produce no profitable
fruit. To fellowship with someone means that you are partakers with
them. We should not only not join in with them in their evil deeds,
but we should tell them of their evil deeds, so that they might be
encouraged to change.

     Ephesians 5:12 "For it is a shame even to speak of those things
which are done of them in secret."

     This speaking is as if you are condoning what they have done. Let
their evil deeds be judged of God. Speaking of the devil and his
works, even in condemnation, seems in some way to glorify them to some
extent. It is best just not to mention them at all.

     Ephesians 5:13 "But all things that are reproved are made
manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light."

     When the Light of the Lord Jesus shines on anything, it is
suddenly revealed what it really is. This Light is so bright that it
reveals everything good and bad. The Light is a revealer. Most sin is
done in total darkness to cover up the evil deed. The Light exposes
everything. It can not stay hidden, when the Light is shined on it.

     Ephesians 5:14 "Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and
arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."

     Those living in sin are for all good purposes dead. When they
receive the Light of Jesus, they receive life. When you receive Light,
then you must let that Light shine brightly for all the world to see.

     Ephesians 5:15 "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as
fools, but as wise,"

     The word that "circumspectly" was translated from means exactly,
diligently, or perfect. This, then, is saying walk on the narrow path
that leads to life everlasting. A fool wanders around on the broad
path that leads to destruction. It is wise to follow on the narrow
path that leads to heaven.

     Ephesians 5:16 "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

     People, who have too much time on their hands and are not
involved in productive activities, wind up getting into sin. Make use
of your time. Do something good for God. In turn, you will be keeping
yourself out of mischief. The following Scripture shows one thing that
happens when you are idle. I Timothy 5:13 And withal they learn [to
be] idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but
tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
                        Ephesians 9 Questions


1.  Be ye followers of God, as _______ ___________.
2.  A Christian is a ________ in and a __________ of the Lord Jesus
    Christ.
3.  What should Christians pattern their life after?
4.  What is the great commission Jesus gave to the Christians?
5.  Walk in _____.
6.  Every offering and sacrifice of the law was fulfilled for us in
    ________.
7.  What 3 things should not be named among the saints?
8.  When we are saved, we are born again, not with a license __ ___.
9.  Christians are new __________ in Christ.
10. We must walk in _________ of life.
11. What things are not convenient in verse 4?
12. What are the sins a sign of?
13. Quote Ephesians chapter 5 verse 5.
14. What shows who we belong to?
15. What is a "whoremonger"?
16. What word did this come from?
17. What does "abomination" mean?
18. Who is an "idolater"?
19. What is even worse than being a lost sinner?
20. Where does judgement begin?
21. Walk as children of _______.
22. The fruit of the Spirit is in what?
23. What is the desire of a true Christian?
24. Who are Christians not to fellowship with?
25. Whatsoever doth make manifest is _______.
26. What does the word translated "circumspectly" mean?
27. Why should we redeem the time?