In verses 20-24 Paul explains why we must not live our lives like the pagans. He describes coming to Christ with 3 word pictures: We are dealing with the first point in this devotional article.
- A School (Eph. 4:20-21)
- Changing clothes (Eph. 4:22-24)
- A New creation (Eph 4:24b)
Remember your Christ-Centered Education
(Eph. 4:20-21) “But that is not how you came to know Christ, assuming you heard about Him and were taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus.” (Christian Standard Version.)
The first thing we note in our reading of the text is that Jesus Christ is “subject” of the teaching. Paul says in the English Stand Version, “You have ‘learned’ Christ. Christianity is about knowing a living Person. When we become a Christian we don’t just learn some facts about who Jesus is, but redevelop an intimate relationship with Him.
Paul had been away from Ephesus for a while, so he says, “assuming you heard about Him…” The reason he says this is that there had been a lot of false teaching that abounded in Ephesus. So Paul wanted to make sure the Christians there have remained faithful and that new potential converts would hear the truth about who Jesus is.
Since we are now “in Christ,” our lives and actions must show it. We must live out our faith. Someone wrote, “Christianity is not about moral rule keeping, religious attendance, doing good, or knowing about Jesus. Rather, it is having a real relationship with Him and then putting that Faith into action.”
Christ is the context of the teaching. All of our actions are predicated by whom we serve. The gospel is called “the word of truth” (Eph. 1:13, ESV). In verse 21 we see the name “Jesus.” I’m told that is the only mention of the name “Jesus” in the Book of Ephesians. Of course, we see other names for him in the book. We must be proclaiming “the whole counsel of God.”
Larry Miles is Co-Editor of Word and Work and attends Cherry St. Church of Christ, New Albany, IN.