Moral Maturity in the Church - Week 8

Ephesians 4:17-24

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Holiness of Mind

Read Ephesians 4:17-24

1. Read verse 17. What is suggested when Paul "affirms and testifies in the Lord"? What are some examples of "futility of the mind"?
(a) Paul suggests that this is God's will, as opposed to his own. (b) One example of the "futility of the mind" is to focus one's mind on creation instead of the Creator. Another is to rely on our own abilities as opposed to trusting God, which may include using your God-given abilities, but relying on God to see you through.

2. Read verse 18. What does Paul mean by a "darkened" understanding? How does a darkened understanding lead to alienation from God? How does hardness of heart cause darkened understanding and futility of mind?
(a) A "darkened" understanding is an intellect that does not acknowledge God and what God does for each of us. (b) If our intellect, or understanding, is darkened, then what should be used for the glory of God, instead is used for our own destruction. To refuse to give God credit for creation and for our very lives, is to worship the god out of creation. As Jesus answered the Pharisee:

"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment." (Matt 22:36-38, RSV)

(c) While a darkened intellect and futility of mind are effects, their root cause is a hardness of heart. The heart is used as a symbol of the emotional and moral life. If this portion of our being is not open to God, then we, apart from God's grace, are doomed to fail.

3. Read verse 19. What are the results Paul describes as issuing from a darkened mind and hardened heart? How do these results affect charity, chastity and love of truth?
(a) Paul states that the result of a darkened mind and hardened heart is to "become callous and have given themselves up to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of uncleanness". (b) Licentiousness and greed are self-indulgent and as such place us as servants to our own pleasures as opposed to the well-being of our fellow man. Licentiousness has the added effect of reducing one to satisfying desires of the flesh over and above all other things.

4. Read verse 20. Does Paul appeal to warm feelings or to the mind as the basis of Christian morality? Why? How do we "learn Christ"?
(a) Paul does not appeal to "warm feelings" or to the mind as the basis of Christian morality. (b) Because morality, specifically Christian morality, is super natural in origin. (c) We "learn Christ" by submitting to His will and His teachings. It is not enough to know of Christ, we must know Him in an intimate and personal way. This close relationship can only take place if we trust God to lead us as opposed to leading ourselves.

5. Read verse 21. What is Paul assuming about his audience? Paul appeals to the "truth" that is in Jesus. How does contemporary culture often make decisions about spiritual matters?
(a) Paul is assuming that his audience has heard of Christ and have been taught who He is and what that means. (b) While Paul points to truth in Jesus as objective, contemporary culture deals with spiritual truth in relative terms. In other words, our culture has the notion of many truths, thereby dilluting what truth represents. What is true for one person must be true for all. Therefore, if we truly believe that Jesus is the source of salvation, then no other explanation can also be "true".

6. Read verse 22. What does Paul mean by the "old nature" and "deceitful lusts"?
(a) When Paul refers to the "old nature" he is referring to our nature prior to Baptism into Christ. (b) "Deceitful lusts" refers the concupiscence which is effect of sin on our being.

7. Read verses 23-24. How are we "renewed in the spirit of our minds" and how do we put on the "new nature"?
(a) We are "renewed in the spirit of our minds" by accepting Christ and His gifts. (b) We put on a "new nature" when we are baptized and as such die to our old self:

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Rom 6:3-4, RSV)

Truth and Love

Read Ephesians 4:25-32

8. Read verse 25. What does it mean to be "members of one another"?
(a) To be "members of one another" is to realize that we, once baptized, are all members of the Body of Christ.

9. Read verse 26. How do we "be angry but do not sin"?
(a) If we remember Jesus' words during His Sermon on the Mount, this appears to be a contradiction:

You have heard that it was said to the men of old, `You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, `You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire. (Matt 5:21-22, RSV)

However, Jesus himself displays "anger" at the money changers in the Temple area:

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; you shall not make my Father's house a house of trade." His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for thy house will consume me." (John 2:13-17, RSV)

In order to rectify this seeming contradiction, we must remember that indignation, or anger, directed at an offense towards God is righteous. However, if we allow anger to control us, especially over things of a petty nature, such as offenses to our pride, then we do indeed sin.

10. Read verse 27. What is an "opportunity" for the devil? How do we deprive him of such opportunities? (See James 4).
(a) An "opportunity" for the devil arises from our anger, especially if this anger is rooted in our self-worth as opposed to an offense towards God. (b) We deprive the devil of these opportunities by remembering the words of St. James the Apostle:

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. (James 4:7-10, RSV)

Therefore, if we truly submit ourselves to God, there is no opportunity for the devil.

11. Read verse 28. What is the point of work in this verse?
(a) The point of work in this verse is two-fold. First, to avoid sin by being able to earn an honest living. Second, to assist in God's work and provide for the needy.

12. Read verse 29. What is "evil talk?" What is the point of all our speech, according to this verse?
(a) "Evil talk" is any words that we utter that do not edify another. Gossip is a common form of "evil talk" because it only serves to bring down another as opposed to building them up. (b) The point of all our speech should to "impart grace to those who hear".

13. Read verse 30. What does Paul mean by "grieving" the Holy Spirit?
(a) When Paul speaks of "grieving" the Holy Spirit, he is referring to sin.

14. Read verse 31. How do the varieties of sin mentioned in this verse differ from the "anger" Paul commends in verse 26?
(a) The varieties of sin mentioned here, bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and slander, only serve to bring some down or to hurt someone. This contrasts with the anger of righteous idignation discussed earlier which serves to not only defend God, but in the process to edify the offender by pointing out the gravity of his sin.

15. Read verse 32. How does the lesson of this verse relate to Matthew 18:23-35? (See Points to Ponder.)
(a) This verse reminds us to forgive one another, "as God in Christ" forgave us. In the Gospel of Matthew 18:23-35, we see Jesus illustrate this in monetary terms. The servant who was forgiven an enourmous debt, would not forgive another servant a minor debt. For this reason, the master condemned the first servant for not showing mercy to his fellow servant. In other words, what God has forgiven of us, offending Him, an infinite, omniscient, omnipotent being, greatly overshadows any offense that another might perpetrate on us. Therefore, there is no sin to great to forgive. An additional note, the word used here for forgive, charizein, means " to make a present of the debt to someone". This underscores the debt under which sin places us.

Imitators of God

Read Ephesians 5:1-20

16. Read verse 1. How do we "imitate" God? What sorts of things can we imitate? What can we not imitate? In what spirit are we to be "imitators of God?"
(a) We "imitate" God in our words, thoughts, and deeds. (b) The sorts of things we can imitate include holiness, knowledge, kindness, love, mercy, and justice. (c) In essence this means that we imitate some of God's virtues, but not His being. For He is immortal and limitless while we are mortal and limited. In other words, God possesses certain attributes which are incommunicable. (d) The spirit in which we imitate God is "as beloved children".

17. Read verse 2. What is the model to which Paul appeals as we walk in love?
(a) When Paul asks the we "walk in love", he appeals the ultimate model of Christ's loving sacrifice.

18. Read verse 3. What sorts of things are not to be "named"? Why not?
(a) The sorts of things not to be "named" are "fornication and all impurity or covetousness". (b) The reason being that if these things are associated with the followers of Christ, then we do nothing more than point out our own hypocrisy.

19. Read verse 4. What does Paul oppose and commend?
(a) Paul opposes filthiness, silly talk, and levity which are not fitting and commends thanksgiving.

20. Read verse 5. What three things does Paul warn against in this verse as keeping us out of the kingdom of God? What is the true nature of covetousness according to Paul?
(a) The three things Paul warns against as keeping us out of the kingdom of God are fornication, impurity, and covetousness. (b) The true nature of covetousness is idolatry. Because if we covet something or someone more than we desire to please God, then we have placed the object, idea, or person above God.

21. Read verse 6. What provokes the wrath of God?
(a) Disobedience provokes God's wrath.

22. Read verse 7. What does Paul mean by warning against "associating" with fornicators, impure, and covetous people? If he is not rejecting Christ's habit of accepting "tax collectors and sinners", then what is he doing?
(a) When Paul cautions agains "associating" oneself with fornicating, impure, or covetous people, his purpose is to avoid scandal in the Church. For, we can be "guilty by association". (b) However, this does not mean to turn our back on them, but to be open to their conversion just as Christ was with us. Let us recall from the Gospel of John what Christ expects of all of us who were once in darkness:

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?" This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus looked up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again." (John 8:3-11, RSV)

What Christ expects is conversion from sin. Paul warns against those who do not convert.

23. Read verse 8. What are we in the Lord? How do we "walk as children of light"?
(a) We are "light in the Lord". (b) We "walk as children of light" when we walk with God. To stray from God is to walk in darkness

24. Read verse 9. What are the three characteristics of the "fruit of light"?
(a) The three characteristics of the "fruit of light" are goodness, righteousness, and truth.

25. Read verse 10. How do we "learn what is pleasing to the Lord"?
(a) We "learn what is pleasing to the Lord" by trying. This sounds simple, and in one context it is, but the lack of trying is what leads many to condemnation. For as Christ says in the Gospel of Matthew:

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matt 11:29-30, RSV)

Christ is not going to force his "yoke" upon us, but he will help us if we try to carry it.

26. Read verse 11. What are "works of darkness" (see Galatians 5:19-21)? How do we "expose them"?
(a) From Galatians, we gain an understanding of the "works of darkness":

Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21, RSV)

(b) We expose the works of darkness with the light of Christ.

27. Read verse 12-13. As in verse 3, Paul again cautions against even speaking of sin, but he also repeats the necessity of exposing such evil to the light. What are some common sense ways of living that out?
(a) Some common sense ways of exposing evil to the light are first and foremost to help provide the light by living a truly Christian life. During Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, He gives us this duty:

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matt 5:14-16, RSV)

In practice this could be avoiding scandal, coordinating an anti-abortion rally, speaking with love to our friends and family who live a life apart from God, or praying for the mission of the Church.

28. Read verse 14. In what context were these words probably spoken (feel free to check a commentary)?
(a) These words were probably spoken in the context of Baptism:

Verse 14, with its little verses "awake you who sleep. . . ." is likely to be a fragment of an old hymn or perhaps a hymn used in baptismal liturgy. In the Eastern Church it was often said in the patristic age that to be baptized is to be illumined. (Commentary on the Pauline Epistles, Chp. 11, Father William G. Most)

29. Read verse 15. What does Paul mean by "walk"? Who, for Paul, are the "wise"? Who are the "unwise"?
(a) Paul, in using the term "walk", means how we live our lives. (b) The wise are those who "try to learn what is pleasing tothe Lord". (c) The unwise are the are those who do not (i.e. pagans).

30. Read verse 16. How do we "make the most of the time"? Why are the days "evil"?
(a) We "make the most of the time" by seizing every opportunity presented to glorify God. (b) The days are "evil" in so much that our current existence is in a plane where Satan has much power.

31. Read verse 17. What does Paul take for granted that the Christian reading this epistle is capable of doing?
(a) Paul takes for granted that the reader of the epistle can "understand what the will of the Lord is".

32. Read verse 18. What does Paul oppose and commend?
(a) Paul opposes getting drunk on wine, in other words debauchery, while commending being filled with the Spirit.

33. Read verse 19. How are we to address one another? How are we to address God?
(a) We are to address one another "in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs". (b) We are to address God by singing and making a melody with all our heart.

34. Read verse 20. When and for what are we to give thanks? To whom?
(a) We give thanks always and for everything. (b) We give thanks to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Disclaimer: I do not wish to present myself as an expert in either theology, history, or scriptural interpretation. I am merely someone who is attempting to answer the call of Christ. The ultimate authority and interpreter of scripture is our Holy Catholic Church. If at any point I deviate from the teachings of the Church, please correct me, alfredo@nevarez.net, as this is my shortcoming and in no way meant to be an expression of my views superceding those of the Church founded by Jesus Christ.

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