Ephesians 4:1-6

A1 Scripture—I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [There is] one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:1-6, NKJV)

A2 Outline

B1 Beseech

C1 Walk

D1 Walk has the idea of living our daily life. Walking in Scripture is to live the Christian life as outlined in the New Testament. We live a Christian life because we love God, not to earn our salvation.

E1 Old Testament example

F1 Version 1 using the word walk: Leviticus 18:3-5 KJV After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances. 4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. 5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.

F2 Version 2 using other words: Leviticus 18:3-5 GW You used to live in Egypt. Don't live the way the Egyptians do. I am bringing you to Canaan. Don't live the way the Canaanites do. Never live by their standards. 4 Follow my rules, and live by my standards. I am the LORD your God. 5 Live by my standards, and obey my rules. You will have life through them. I am the LORD.

E2 New Testament example

F1 Version 1 using the word walk: Ephesians 4:17 KJV This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind.

F2 Version 2 using other words: Ephesians 4:17 GNB In the Lord's name, then, I warn you: do not continue to live like the heathen, whose thoughts are worthless.

D2 Some characteristics of walk in our passage:

E1 Walk worthily of the calling with which you are called. We are Christians and are expected to talk and live like Christians. Truly, the Christian life must be in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds.

E2 Walk in all lowliness (humility, not arrogantly)

E3 Walk in all gentleness

E4 Walk with longsuffering (patience)

E5 Walk forbearing one another in love (showing some tolerance)

E6 Walk to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace

C2 One (a description of that unity spoken of here)

D1 Body

E1 The church

E2 This is not an organization. This is all the believers from Pentecost to the Rapture.

E3 It has members who are Jews or Gentiles, but they all are believers.

E4 Being in the body does not mean:

F1 Church membership

F2 Holding to a particular theology.

F3 Growing up in a so-called Christian country.

F4 Just identifying as a Christian.

D2 Spirit

E1 This is the Holy Spirit.

E2 All believers have the Holy Spirit at the moment of conversion.

F1 Romans 5:5 GW We're not ashamed to have this confidence, because God's love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

F2 1 John 4:12-13 GW No one has ever seen God. If we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 We know that we live in him and he lives in us because he has given us his Spirit.

F3 Romans 8:9 NRSV But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

E3 He enters the “heart” of a person at conversion. There is no ceremony or act that accomplishes this.

F1 2 Corinthians 5:5 NRSV He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

F2 1 Thessalonians 4:8 NRSV Therefore whoever rejects this rejects not human authority but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.

F3 Galatians 4:6 NRSV And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"

F4 Ephesians 1:13-14 GW You heard and believed the message of truth, the Good News that he has saved you. In him you were sealed with the Holy Spirit whom he promised. 14 This Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we will receive our inheritance. We have this guarantee until we are set free to belong to him. God receives praise and glory for this.

D3 Hope

E1 Hope is confident expectation.

E2 It is a one hope for the future promises to believers of a new heavens and new earth,

F1 2 Peter 3:13 KJV Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

F2 Revelation 21:1-8 WEB I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. 2 I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. 3 I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.” 5 He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.” 6 He said to me, “I have become the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son. 8 But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

G1 A place to live.

G2 A fellowship to enjoy (God with us)

G3 A place of comfort (God will wipe away)

G4 A place of life, not death.

G5 A place where the King of the universe lives.

G6 A source of life (the Lord Jesus and His salvation).

G7 A promise of grace to overcome.

G8 A promise to have no evil people.

D4 Lord

E1 Lord as in boss, king.

E2 Jesus is Lord of lords and Kings of kings.

F1 Deuteronomy 10:17 NRSV For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe.

F2 Psalms 136:3 NRSV O give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever. (All of Psalm 136 is great to read).

F3 1 Timothy 6:14-15 NRSV To keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

F4 Revelation 17:13-14 NRSV These are united in yielding their power and authority to the beast; 14 they will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.

F5 Revelation 19:16 NRSV On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, "King of kings and Lord of lords.

D5 Faith

E1 Believing God.

E2 Believing the Bible in its plain, normal sense.

E3 Believing God’s evaluation of sin.

E4 Believing God’s Gospel.

E5 Believing His promises.

D6 Baptism

E1 This mainly refers to Holy Spirit baptism.

E2 This baptism is right after conversion. There are no lights, lightnings, or experiences.

E3 There are 8 baptisms in the New Testament. This is but one, but the most important.

E4 1 Corinthians 12:13 NRSV For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

E5 John 1:33 NKJV I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.

D7 God

E1 There is only one God―Yahweh.

E2 Deuteronomy 6:4 WEB Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one.

D8 Father

E1 Above all (in authority, in everything, in authority and care of believers)

E2 Through all (sovereign, assigns gifts)

E3 In you all (dwells in believers: 2 Corinthians 6:16 WPNT Further, what agreement can a temple of God have with idols? Because you are a temple of the living God, just as God said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them; I will be their God and they will by my people.)

A3 Notes

B1 Definitions

C1 Walk =

D1 Conduct, that is, following, obeying God's laws. There are over 1,000 laws in the New Testament.

D2 Spiritual life, that is, with a worldview of pleasing God, who is Spirit, and not the fleshly desires.

C2 Lowliness = not being proud. Pride manifests itself often as "I'm right; you're wrong."

C3 Meekness = not being pushy, bullying over others to get "my" way.

C4 Longsuffering = patience towards others, not expressing anger too soon, too long, too violent

C5 Bearing = putting up with one, enduring, another, overlooking mistakes and faults that are not Scriptural.

D1 For example, driving a Ford instead of a Chevy, using the NASB instead of the KJV.

D2 Chrysostom defined longsuffering as the spirit that has the power to take revenge, but never does. It is characteristic of a forgiving, generous heart.

C6 Endeavoring = working hard to

C7 Unity of the Spirit = the opposite would be to have splits in the church.

D1 Sometimes there must be a split as for wrong doctrine or plain disobedience to New Testament laws. To be one in unity just for the sake of being one leads to corruption—eventually one corporation under one boss.

D2 God makes the unity, not us. The unity is because of those who having been convicted of their sins have repented and placed their trust in Jesus Christ alone.

D3 We keep the unity with the help of God.

D4 It is not that we are one because of a common interest; we are one family.

C8 Body = the group of Christians, that is, all true believers of all ages of the New Testament period.

C9 Spirit = the Holy Spirit. Maintaining not experiences but truth to the plain, normal understanding of the Scriptures.

C10 Hope of your calling = forgiveness of sins and the resurrection to heaven. A happy contentment.

C11 Lord = Jesus Christ who is head of the church

C12 Faith = body of doctrine

C13 Baptism = into the body, church, of God. A testimony of a clear conscious and its guilt by the grace and mercy of God.

C14 God = the one and only ultimate authority

C15 Father of all = especially those who are adopted into the family of God. In a very general sense it would include the idea that God creates all people.

C16 Above all = highest authority that exists

C17 Through all = giver of life

C18 In all = Christians

B2 Paul, through the Holy Spirit, is

C1 Giving instructions of how we should

D1 Act as Christians

D2 Believe as Christians

C2 These are

D1 Practical doctrine

D2 Theological doctrine

D3 Not optional

D4 Not just for the early Ephesian church

D5 Not a nice standard, but the required standard

D6 Not for salvation but because of salvation

Sunday School Lesson--Holy Spirit

 




 

Key Theme: God is faithful to His promises.


 

A1 Objectives

B1 Describe how Jesus's promise of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled.

B2 Explain the work of the Holy Spirit in believers.

A2 Scriptures

B1 John 16:5-15

B2 Acts 2:1-24

B3 Ephesians 1:13-14

B4 Galatians 5:22-23

A3 Notes

B1 Holy Spirit

C1 Who is He?

D1 God Acts 5:3-4

E1 Omnipresent Psalms 139:7-8

E2 Omniscient 1 Corinthians 2:10-11

E3 All other characteristics of God

D2 Person, not force or power

E1 Personality and Emotions

F1 Thinking and knowing 1 Corinthians 2:10

F2 Grieved Ephesians 4:30

E2 Has a will 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

E3 Prays for us Romans 8:26-27

D3 Seven spirits of God, that is, the sevenfold Spirit of God

E1 God the Holy Spirit is identified as the sevenfold Spirit of God in Revelation

E2 Most likely it refers to Holy Spirit being perfect and complete (the perfect, highest possible)

C2 What does He do?

D1 Indweller of Christians Romans 8:16, Galatians 4:6, 1 John 3:24, 1 John 4:13

D2 Teacher 1 John 2:27, Luke 12:12

D3 Convictor (the idea of convicting of sin, so the one who convicts/convinces) John 16:8, Acts 2:37

C3 Books on

D1 The Free Will Baptist Treatise Chapter 7 is the doctrinal statement on the Holy Spirit

E1 Text

CHAPTER VII

The Holy Spirit

1. The Scriptures ascribe to the Holy Spirit the acts

and attributes of an intelligent being. He guides,86

knows,87 moves,88 gives information,89 commands,90

forbids91 sends forth,92 reproves,93 and can be sinned

against.94

2. The attributes of God are ascribed to the Holy

Spirit.

3. The works of God are ascribed to the Holy

Spirit: creation,95 inspiration,96 giving of life,97 and

sanctification.98

4. The apostles assert that the Holy Spirit is Lord

and God.99

From the foregoing, the conclusion is that the Holy

Spirit is in reality God and one with the Father in all

divine perfections. It has also been shown that Jesus

Christ is God—one with the Father. Then these three—

the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—are one God.

The truth of this doctrine is also proved from the

fact that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are

united in the authority by which believers are baptized;

and in the benedictions pronounced by the apostles,100

which are acts of the highest religious worship.101

E2 Supporting verses

86 John 16:13: Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he

will guide you into all truth.

87 1 Corinthians 2:11: Even so the things of God knoweth no

man, but the Spirit of God.

88 Genesis 1:2: And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of

the waters. Acts 8:39.

89 Acts 10:19: While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said

unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 1 Cor. 2:13; Acts 21:11;

John 14:26.

90 Acts 13:2: The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and

Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

91 Acts 16:6: And were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach

the word in Asia.

92 Acts 13:4: So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost,

departed unto Seleucia.

93 John 16:8: And when he is come, he will reprove the world of

sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. Gen. 6:3.

94 Mark 3:29: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy

Ghost hath never forgiveness. Isa. 63:10, Acts 7:51; Eph. 4:30.

95 Job 33:4: The Spirit of God hath made me. Job 26:13; Psa.

104:30.

96 2 Peter 1:21: Prophecy came not in old time by the will of

man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy

Ghost.

97 1 Peter 3:18: Quickened by the Spirit. Rom. 8:11.

98 1 Corinthians 6:11: But ye are sanctified, but ye are justified

in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

99 Isaiah 6:8, 9: I heard the voice of the Lord,...And he said, Go,

and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not. Acts 28:25,

26: Well spake the Holy Ghost...Go unto this people, and say,

Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand. Compare John 3:16

with Matt. 1:18.

100 Matthew 28:19: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing

them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the

Holy Ghost. 2 Cor. 13:14: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and

the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with

you all. 1 Pet. 1:2.

E3 Addendum

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER VII

Adopted July, 1979

Free Will Baptists understand the Bible teaches the following

facts: On the Day of Pentecost believers spoke in distinct foreign

languages which were readily understood by the nationalities present.164

18 TREATISE OF THE FAITH

Tongues were given as a special gift to the early church as only

one sign which confirms the witness of the Gospel to unbelievers.165

While tongues were bestowed by the sovereign will of God on

some believers, all did not speak with tongues.166 When this gift

was abused, it became a source of disturbance in the congregational

meetings. To eliminate confusion and correct the error, Paul set

particular guidelines for the Christian church to follow.167 The gift

of tongues was neither an evidence of the baptism of the Holy

Spirit, nor does it bring about sanctification.168

We believe that speaking in tongues as a visible sign of the baptism

of the Holy Spirit is an erroneous doctrine to be rejected. Any

implication of a "second work of grace" has never been tolerated in

our fellowship of churches, and will not be permitted.

We teach and preach the fullness of the Holy Spirit and heed the

scriptural admonition, "Be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves

in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making

melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all

things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus

Christ."169

--

165 1 Corinthians 14:1-40; Heb. 2:4.

166 1 Corinthians 12:10, 30.

167 1 Corinthians 14:18, 19, 23, 33.

168 1 Corinthians 12:13.

169 Ephesians 5:18b-20

E4 Also found in Chapter 10 on faith

D2 http://www.catholic.com/magazine/articles/the-divinity-of-the-holy-spirit (Roman Catholic but has some good points)

D3 http://www.spokanebiblechurch.com/study/Bible%20Doctrines/Doctrine%20of%20the%20Holy%20Spirit.htm#HolySpiritIsAPerson

B2 John 16:5-15

C1 Jesus's message about leaving and returning to heaven.

C2 Disciples

D1 Sad

D2 Hopeful

E1 Jesus tells them that it is OK.

E2 You will be OK, because the Helper will come to you.

E3 Jesus is the sender.

E4 The church--the disciples at that point--will have the Helper with them.

C3 Holy Spirit

D1 Comes

D2 Works in the world.

E1 Convicts the world, that is, all humans.

F1 Sin

G1 This sin is of unbelief.

G2 They do not believe Jesus.

F2 Righteousness

G1 Go to Father

G2 See Him no more.

H1 That is in this life.

H2 His return will be after they die.

F3 Judgment

G1 Ruler of this world

G2 Is the devil. (John 12:31, John 14:30

D3 Works with the disciples who have many things to learn yet. The Holy Spirit will

E1 Come

E2 Guide you into all truth

E3 He will convey the message of God to these disciples

D4 Glorifies Jesus

D5 Takes Jesus's message and declares it

D6 The Godhead shares all things. The Holy Spirit is the worker of it and the messenger of it.

B3 Acts 2:1-24

C1 Day of Pentecost

C2 A gathering of the early church

C3 A sudden event

C4 A sound of wind

C5 A symbol of fire on each head

C6 A real earthly language spoken by each person

C7 A crowd gathers

C8 A message given--a message of glorifying God

C9 A ridicule

C10 A preacher--Peter

D1 An announcement

D2 A clarification (we are not drunk with wine)

D3 A fulfillment of prophecy

D4 A quote (from the prophet)

D5 A statement of doctrine--whosoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.

D6 An application--Jesus's life of miracles and other things that proved beyond any doubt that He is Messiah.

D7 A death--Jesus was killed. God know this and the plan of salvation was decreed beforehand.

D8 A resurrection

A4 Questions

B1