Lesson 44 July 30, 2003
Chapter Four
From Doctrine to Duty; From Theology to Practice!
We have been given up to this point the basis of our relationship with God as believers is our position in Christ; (vertical)
Now we find in this section that in our relationship with one another we need to live up to this position in Christ.
The bottom line is that these chapters detail just how the world, those around us should see Christ in us as we live, in the routines of life!
Main areas of focus: Our Walk in Christ!
1. As to the corporate assembly of the body, the church 4:1-16
2. As to the individual believer 4:17-5:2
3. As to dealing with the rebellious, those living under OSN's constant rulership; 5:3-17;
4. As to our special relationships, friends and family 5:18-6:9
5. As to our warfare, the armor for the Spiritual warfare; 6:10-20
[6:21-24 Closing observations and benediction]
1. 4:1-16 Unity within the corporate assembly of the "body".
a. 4:1 The basic principle that is to govern our "walk", our life.
b. 4:2-3 focuses on some characteristics, virtues that should be evident within a corporate relationship. [essential for proper function]
c. 4:4-6 basis or foundation of the unity of the body, the Church.
d. 4:7-11 The gifts necessary for this unity.
e. 4:12-16 Growth within this unity.
a. 4:1 The basic principle that is to govern our "walk", our life.
"therefore"
What follows is based on what has preceded; not just on the few verses of this great prayer we just studied; but the whole doctrinal thrust of the first 3 chapters;
*** Proper or right living that is from God's viewpoint always flows from and is based on right doctrine.
"I, the prisoner of the Lord,"
- Paul begins by reminding them of his current status as a prisoner.
- The B/L is that no situation that you face in life frees you from the obligations of Christian living which he is about to expound.
Paul's exhortation:
"entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called."
* Walking worthy is the foundation of Christian conduct; and its not a series of rules but a general principle to guide our thinking as we evaluate the various situations in life we will face so that the result is we walk worthy.
Walking is very deliberate, its one step at a time; if your going to get somewhere you must keep taking steps; one step at a time;
* Prin: To walk worthily is to live in a way that balances out, that is appropriate to or is consistent with sound doctrine. There is an equivalence between the life lived and the doctrine known!
* In 4 of his epistles Paul makes this point; other 3 Phil 1:27; Col 1:10; 1 Ths 2:12;
*** The standard for living, for our walk, is "the calling with which you have been called."
b. 4:2-3 focuses on some characteristics, virtues that should be evident within a corporate body, and its various members
#1 humility;
Observations:
1. To the Greeks this was a derogatory term; for one to be humble was considered a vice not a virtue.
2. For the Greeks the greatest virtues were related to the manifestation of power in self-assertion and dominance.
3. The Greeks saw man as the measure of all things, [we've come full circle] therefore to them the importance of self-assertion and dominance; with the resulting consideration of humility and anything that lowered man's stature or dominance was to them contemptible!
4. Humility is our own evaluation of our selves in light of or by the standard of God not man! [it is to have the proper estimate of oneself in relation to DVPT!]
5. True humility is a reflection of ones thinking; it is not innate, not automatic; it is a MA that can only result from the faith in you; flows from BD'l content of your F/O/R.
6. True humility has observable results in the life of the adv'g believer who is walking worthy.
7. It was Jesus Himself, who first elevated this term to the highest level as He used it to describe Himself as "gentile and humble in heart." [Mt 11:29]
8. For Paul the greatest example of humility, the supreme lesson in humility is the incarnation of Jesus. [Phil 2:5-8]
9. True humility indicates an absence of arrogance, pride, a self-esteem and self interest to the exclusion of sensitivity to others; a sensitivity based on N&S of BD not emotions. [Phil 2:1-4; linked here to unselfishness, not being self centered]
10. Humility is a characteristic that we are to put on as adv'g believers. Col 3:12; 1 Pet 5:5 [virtue must be developed]