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DefendYourFaithFebruaryTheRealLife“InChrist”BillWatkinsWhatdoesbeinga“faithfulChristian”meantoyouWhatdoyouthinkitwouldmeantothe__eragepersononthestreetForsomeitwouldsurelymeanapersonwhoregularlyattendsreligiousservi__s.Forothersfaithfulnesswouldpri__rilyinvolvethespecificbeliefstowhichapersonmightbecommitted.Iwonderhow__nypeople–evenreligiouspeople–wouldconnectdailyattitudesandbeh__iortodeepreligiousconvictionThecriticsofChristianityareseeminglycorrectsometimeswhentheypointoutthatreligionhasverylittletodowiththerealworld.Religiouspeopleoftenmeetwithoneanother-usingwordsandcon__ptsthath__enorealconnectiontothelifetheyliveeachday.SurelyGoddidnotsendHisonlybegottenSontosufferand___sothatwecouldgatheronSundayssingafewsongsprayafewprayerslistentoatheologicaltreatiseandthengoouttoeat-untouchedunchangedandunconnectedtoothers.IfChristianityistobeanythingofvalueatallitmustbealife–areallife–atransformedlife.InEphesians4:25-32Paulsaid“Thereforeputtingawaylyingleteachoneofyouspeaktruthwithhisnei___orforwearemembersofoneanother.Beangryanddonotsin:donotletthesungodownonyourwrathnorgivepla__tothedevil.Lethimwhostolestealnolongerbutratherlethimlaborworkingwithhishandswhatisgoodthathe__yh__esomethingtogivehimwhohasneed.Letnocorruptwordpro__edoutofyourmouthbutwhatisgoodforne__ssaryedificationthatit__yimpartgra__tothehearers.AnddonotgrievetheHolySpiritofGodbywhomyouweresealedforthedayofredemption.Letallbitternesswrathangerclamorandevilspeakingbeputawayfromyouwithall__li__.AndbekindtooneanothertenderheartedforgivingoneanotherevenasGodinChristforg__eyou.”Noti__thecontextinwhichtheseversesarewritten.Thefirstverseofthischaptersays“IthereforetheprisoneroftheLordbeseechyoutowalkworthyofthecallingwithwhichyouwerecalled.”Paulis____ingtheEphesiansthattheymustgiveheedtothewaythattheylive.HeissayingthatChristwillchangethewaytheyconductthemselvesintheworld.Paul__kesitclearthatsin__theyh__echosenalifewithChristtheymustcarryoutthatlifeinawaythatisacredittotheircalling.TheverseafterEphesians4:32says“ThereforebeimitatorsofGodasdearchildren”Ephesians5:
1.Childrenwholoveandarelovedbytheirfatherwanttobelikehim.WeloveandarelovedbyourFather.WeloveHimbecauseofwhoHeisandwhatHedoes.SoactlikeHim.ThinklikeHim.BelikeHim.ImitateHim.BeforeweknewChristwebeh__edliketherestoftheworldwho“walkinthefutilityoftheirmindwhoh__e“theirunderstandingdarkenedbeingalienatedfromthelifeofGodbecauseoftheignoran__thatisinthembecauseoftheblindnessoftheirheart.”WewerehardenedlewduncleanandgreedyEphesians4:17-
19.Becauseweh__ecometolearnofChristandHiswayweshouldnolongerwalkaswedidbefore.Wecannolongerliveasweon__lived.Wemust“putoff”our“formerconduct”Ephesians4:1720-
22.Beingrenewedinthespiritofourmindsweputonthenew__nwhohasbeencreatedbyGodintruerighteousnessandholiness.WhenwebelongtoChristourdailylifechangescf.Ephesians4:23-
24.Noti__thattherewasawaywelivedbeforewebecameChristiansandwhenwebecamechildrenofGodtherewasadistinctlydifferentlifestyle.Godhas__deitclearthatourChristianityisdirectlylinkedtoourbeh__ior.What’sthedifferen__inlifestyleThedifferen__istobeenormous.BeforeChristwelied.Wehadourreasonsandtheyseemedjustifiedtousbutnowwespeaktruthtoournei___ors.Wenowrecognizethatweh__eabondwitheveryotherhu__nbeing.Wenowknowthatpeopleare__deforGodandnotforouruse.Becausewesharethisincommonwetreatotherswithconsiderationandtruthcf.Ephesians4:
25.BeforeChristwebecameangry.AfterbeingunitedwithChristwestillgetangrybutwerefusetoholdontoit.Werecognizethatprolongedangergivesthedevilafootholdinourlivescf.Ephesians4:26-
27.Angeristhefatherofwrath__li__hatejealousyandrevenge.BeforeChristsomepeopleengagedinstealing.Astransformedbelieversstealingisnolongerapartoftheirlifeormotivation.Whathastakenthepla__ofstealingNewChristiansac__pttheresponsibilitytoworkhardtocreateaproductthat__keslifebetter.Notethaton__theyh__ebecomeChristianstheynolongerworkjustsothattheycanh__emore.Theynowworkinordertobeabletogivesomethingtothosewhoh__eneedEphesians4:
28.BeforeChristourspeechwasoftenuselessandatworstharmful.NowthatwebelongtoChristourwordsdonotinsultorhurt.Insteadtheyarebeneficialandhealing.Ourwordsnowbuildpeopleupinsteadoftearingthemdown.Ourwordsarenowdesignedtoimpartgra__toallwhohearus.NowbecauseourlivesarenotaboutusandourspeechreflectstheloveandgenerosityofourFatherpeopleareattractedtoChristthroughourwordsEphesians4:
29.BeforewewereinChristwewereonourownspiritually.NowweareassistedbytheHolySpirit.Heisourassuran__thatthebloodofChristissufficienttorescueands__eus.Becauseofthiswerefusetobeh__einwaysthatworkagainstHim.IfweliveinwaysthatgrievetheHolySpiritwe__keGod’sworkharder.TheSpiritwithinusiseviden__thatGodisseriousinHiscommitmenttos__eus.WemustbeseriousinthatcommitmentaswellEphesians4:
30.IfthereallifeinChristisourownwhatshouldwelooklikePauldidnotle__euswondering.Heoutlinedthechangeswemust__ke.Becauseweh__eexperien__dtheloveandforgivenessofGodwemustnolongerbebitter.Resentmentcannolongercontrolourbeh__ior.Angerangryoutburstsheatedshoutingput-downsandhatemustbeeliminatedfromourmotivesandourconduct.BecausewenowrecognizethatGodloveseveryonewemeetwerefusetoholdanyhu__nbeingincontemptandhateEphesians4:
31.HowdoweeliminateangerandhatefulnessWerepla__itinourlives.Wewillrepla____li__withkindness.KindnessmeanstobehelpfulusefuleasygraciousandbeneficialEphesians4:
32.Wewillrepla__angerwithcompassion.Tenderheartedmeanstofeelforothersfromdeepinside.ItmeansthatwecanbetouchedwithsympathyEphesians4:
32.Wewillrepla__hatewithforgiveness.Wewillnotexpectotherstopaythepri__forourcontentmentorhappiness.JustasChristforg__euswhenwedidnotdeserveitwewillreleaseothersfromthedebtofh__ingtorepayus.Becauseweh__ebeenforgivenweareascommittedtoforgivingothersasChristwastoforgivingusEphesians4:
32.LettingChristworkinyouchangesyourbeh__iorandattitude.Whenthatchangehappensyourwholeworldchanges.Asimportantasitisthatwedevelopacorrectbeliefsystemitisequallyimportantthatwedevelopareallife.Weh__ebeens__edthroughChristinbapti__tobecomethepeoplewhobeh__einGod’sways.HowwellarewedoingHowrealisyourlife。