That Is Not the Way You Learned Christ

They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus.

—Ephesians 4:19–21—

It’s easy to claim to be a follower of Jesus. Anyone can do it! There are many people who firmly (and sincerely) believe that it doesn’t really matter how they behave if they simply believe. The Lord didn’t teach this, and neither did his apostles.

Jesus said, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great” (Luke 6:46–49).

In the context of our reading from Ephesians 4, the apostle Paul is urging them not to be like the culture around them, living in the futility of their minds: they’re to be different by putting off their former manner of life, being renewed in the spirit of their minds, and putting on the new self—

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:17–24).

The truth of God in the first century is the truth of God in the twenty-first century! God seeks in us a change, a difference from the world in which we live. It’s not always easy to be different than our surroundings, but we can do it if we’ll trust the Lord and follow his commands; and his commands are not burdensome (John 12:50 / 1 John 5:3).

It’s not just about reading the Bible, it’s about allowing God’s word into our hearts and minds—meditating (thinking) on his word (Psalms 1:2 / 19:4 / 63:5-7 / 119:15 / Philippians 4:8-9); spending time with his word, focusing on what matters most (1 Peter 1:13). The thing is, we’re all busy in our own ways, but we all know we should be making the best use of the time God is giving us (Colossians 4:5). We need to prioritize our priorities (Matthew 5:20 / 6:33). There’s a need to have some “down time,” but we don’t need to dwell there!

As the apostle Paul defended himself before King Agrippa, he said, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance” (Acts 26:19–20).

God still calls us to repent, turn to him, and do the things he commands in his word (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It’s not merely a matter of what we believe, but what we do (James 1:19-25 / Ephesians 2:8-10). It’s not just that we stop doing bad things (repenting) but that we do the right things. “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:17). As the ESV Study Bible explains: “It is not only what people do that matters; the good that they fail to do is equally important to God.”

Pursue Love

If one member suffers, all suffer together; 

if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 

—1 Corinthians 12:26—

The word “love” is used 213 times in the New Testament (ESV). It’s used the most in the first letter of John (36 times) and in his gospel (26). The main point I want to underscore from this is that love is a very important concept from God to man—“For God so loved the world …” (John 3:16). And it’s not merely that God loved us, but that His kind intention is that we love one another.

The love God has for us is supposed to be shared by us toward one another:

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another (1 John 4:7–11).

Jesus taught the apostles—“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34–35). The thing is, we know this … there’s nothing new to us in reading this passage.

But why is loving our brother sometimes difficult? Maybe we’d point the finger to our difficult brother! In all seriousness, the issue is not one-sided—it never has been, nor will it ever be. Indeed, there are those who make it challenging to be loved, but our Lord doesn’t admonish us to only love those who love us back. The harder thing is loving those who don’t love us back (and our Savior knows this better than anyone).

Jesus taught that we’re to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44). I would hope we never consider a brother or sister as an enemy, but even if we did, we’re supposed to love our enemies and therefore love our brethren! We’re to strive to be perfect as our heavenly Father and love everyone (Matthew 5:43–48).

John wrote: “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:15–16).

Paul admonishes: “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:1–5).

How do we go about pursuing love?

1. We need to hold in the highest esteem love as God does—“God is love” (1 John 4:8). “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. Pursue love” (1 Corinthians 13:13–14:1). As Paul would conclude in his first letter to the Corinthians—“Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14).
2. Pray for one another (James 5:16). Selfishness is sinful (Philippians 2:3; James 3:13–18), but some pray selfishly. Our prayers should include others; we certainly want others praying for us, so we should pray for others. Jesus prayed for Peter (Luke 22:31–32). Jesus intercedes for us (Romans 8:34). Paul asked for prayers and we’re sure he received them (Ephesians 6:18–19).
3. Remember that Christ died for all of us—that His gift of love and forgiveness is for all the ungodly (Romans 5:6, 8; Ephesians 5:2; John 6:51; 1 John 2:2).
4. Be genuine in our love for others (Romans 12:9). We know the importance of really being loved; God has done this for us, we should be willing to do this for one another—“And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24–25).

Honest and Good Hearts

And the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have 

heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, 

and bear fruit with perseverance.

—Luke 8.15—

There are a couple of points to stress from this passage. First of all, as we raise our children and influence our grandchildren, nieces and nephews, let’s remember to instill in them honesty and goodness by our own examples of honesty and goodness. Most of us learn better (more permanently) not by being told what to do, but by being shown what to do.

They need to see these qualities in us that the Lord taught necessary to receiving the word of God (the seed, Luke 8.11). These qualities might be instinctive to some degree—some people seem to be predisposed to being honest and good more than others—but I believe the word of God can change us into becoming honest and good as we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3.18).

Another point to stress from Luke 8.15 is the dire need we have to learn from Jesus and grow in His grace: Jesus urges us all to “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” (Matthew 11.29). Learning from Jesus comes by learning about Him as He’s been revealed to us in His word (John 12.44–50), meditating upon it, gleaning from it the wisdom needed, and doing what we have learned by His perfect example (Ephesians 4.20–24). It’s not just about learning what Jesus taught, but also what He did in glorifying His Father.

Jesus is honest and good; therefore, we need to strive for these qualities. It’s not to say that other qualities—love, goodness, kindness, self-control, for example—are not necessary, but these two characteristics (honesty and goodness) are what the Lord explained are needed to receiving the word of God and being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12.1–2).

Bearing fruit with perseverance indicates that we’re bearing fruit (Galatians 5.22–24 / Philippians 1.9–11 / Romans 2.6–7) to God’s glory. “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15.8).

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful (Luke 6.31–36).

And how do we bear fruit? Jesus said, “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15.5). As the apostle Paul put it, “Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3.14–17).

Growing in grace means that we’re wholly dependent upon God’s thoughts and ways as He has revealed them to mankind through the apostles and prophets (2 Peter 1.16–21 / Isaiah 55.8–11 / Zechariah 1.4–6 / Ephesians 2.19–20 / 3.4–5).

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2.1–4).

Our call to action is to learn God’s ways and do them: “Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves” (James 1.21–22). Remember, good and honest …