Ephesians: Session 10 – Remember Who You Are

Notes:

Remember Who You Are – Ephesians 5:1-16

Eph. 5:1-2. Recap: The word ‘worthy’ = contains the idea of equal weight or balancing. When you put two things of equal weight in opposite pans of a set of scales there is perfect balance. Give equal weight in our lives to doctrine and practice. Begin by asking “who am I?” Then live accordingly. This is “learning Christ” as opposed to man-made ways to holiness. Remember who you are.

 If you don’t know who you are, you can’t be that person he was. Do you know who you are?

  • Eph. 5:1.  We are His “dear children”, i.e. beloved (agapatos). This is the same word God used in. Matt. 3:17; 17:5. Do you know how dear you are to God? (John 17:23; Col.3:12).
  • Eph. 5:2.  Also, Jesus gave Himself as a sweet-smelling sacrifice to God for us.
  • We do not understand God’s love if we leave out the real meaning of the Cross (1 Jn.4:10).

So, remember who you are! But what if we forget?

Eph. 5:3-5 “But” contrasts Eph. 5:1-2. Remember, we have been saved for a purpose, i.e. that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. There are certain things which we as Christians must never do because they are totally incompatible with what it means to be a Christian. Unbecoming for saints! Something that doesn’t fit is uncomfortable.

  • Example: Fornication and covetousness are both the sin of taking what does not belong to us, (Heb. 13:4). The problem behind covetousness is the lie of what money can do for us; which leads us to trust in it instead of in God. Paul goes on, in verse 5, to define covetousness as idolatry!
  • “Filthiness” “foolish talking” “coarse jesting”. This does not refer to all humour or jesting, but that which is inappropriate for a Christian.
  • Eph. 5:5-7. Those whose hearts are filled with these things forfeit the kingdom of God.
  • If we are saved by grace, i.e. not by our works, how can we be lost? But then, how do we understand these verses, and other conditional passages?
  • Salvation is a gift based on the work of Christ.
  • If we are sons, then we are heirs, i.e. firstborn sons. Once a son, always a son; once a firstborn son, not necessarily always a firstborn son. Examples: Esau and Reuben were both firstborn sons who forfeited their birthright.
  • Conditional passages relate to this, Gal. 5:21;  1 Cor.6:9-10.
  • To practice these things is different to falling into these things. It means to delight in them to the extent that these very things become our habitat. “Such were some of you…” (1 Cor.6:11).
  • Examples of the danger of losing our crown or reward: 1 Cor.5:1-5;  1 Cor.3:10-15;  1 Cor.9:24-27;  1 Cor.10:1-13; Rev.3:11; Rev.3:5; Rev.3:21; Rev.2:10.
  • Eph. 5:7-8. God’s way of sanctification is clearly seen again. First, we need to know who we are; then exhorted to walk worthy of our calling in Christ. You were darkness, but no more! You are children of light, so walk as children of light.


  # Answers to this quiz are found in the notes above. Click on quiz to commence. Only correct spelling is recognised. A minimum 70%  correct is required to advance to the next session.