The New Life

Today, like with JD Greer definition of biblical change.

The whole thesis of Ephesians. This is all strategy of how we try to teach a Bible change the spirit of God using the story of God make the beauty of God come alive in our hearts is only after saturating yourself in the gospel your heart see and know God and be changed.

People like just a list of rule shall not do this – and quite frankly it seems like all the fun stuff is so off-limits.

But is that really all it is, does Jesus want us to live by a certain moral code and preach that to others. There's got to be more to it right. Pastor Jenny Greer addresses that question today on Summit life as he continues our study of Ephesians called mystery and clarity. If you like to catch up on previous messages you can find them.

JD Greer.com.

Now here's castigating with the message, aptly titled new life. I want to present today with a question that many have had.

Specifically, this of Ephesians 4 verses 25 through 32, Paul gives you a list of behaviors that he tells the Ephesians that they ought to be practicing now, here's the thing, is describing Christian behavior of the on the surface there is nothing particularly remarkable about the list look at a real quick verse 25 he tells you to tell the truth to each other. Verse 26 he tells you to. Adults steal to get a job. Verse 28 tells you not to lose your temper. Verse 32 retail should be time just about every religion in the world tells you those things so a lot of people see that kind of thing I know I see all religions basically are the same. The point of them is all for all of this be good that matter what branding you use the same product. Some of you have thought this like the point of religion is to turn bad people into good people go to Hindu guy I know is like womanizers guys I've ever known. Does all these things.

So why do I need to tell him to become a Christian. I know a Muslim and he believes and practices these things right, even an atheist and he's good like this so they're already good.

So what's the point. The question then I want to consider is there anything distinctive about Christian moral teaching or is it really all the same. I want to try and show you that there is something distinctive, something that is fundamentally different than what is put forward everywhere else to do that really wide verses and go back to verse 17 Paul is going to give you an eight verse theology lesson before he mentions these ways for you to bay. I want to teach you that lesson as best I can, which is really about the way a summary of all the book of Ephesians up to this point and then show you how the moral commands that grow out of that eight verse theology lesson in verse 25 to 32 are of a different sort than what every other religion teaches verse 17 we start verse 70 now this I say and testify in the Lord that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do when Paul says Gentiles here is not referring to people of a certain race he's referring to anyone who doesn't know God through the Old Testament God had revealed himself to the Jews and anyone outside the covenant that God made with the Jewish people are referred to as Gentiles, so by Gentiles here Paul means every person who has it met Jesus. That is about to give you a description of what those people are like and know what we were like before we met Jesus and I want us to work backwards. So let's start verse 19 that's the end of that description and then work back backwards back of her 70 verse 19 he says they have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity, that's the language of crazy, greedy greedy. I have to have these sensual pleasures. I'm hungry for them. I need them. So I've given myself entirely to their. These are people who feel enslaved to their desires.

It's the guy can't say no to pornography the desires of his too strong is more than just lust for him. It's an estate, it's a way to add excitement to his life as a way to find comfort for a person who turns to drugs or alcohol for some kind of refuge. That's more than just a thirsting of the body for something to drink. It is a great you crave the feelings and the security and safety that alcohol or some drug gives to you greedy. Lust is what Paul says in another one of Paul's letters uses a different word that means essentially the same thing. He says the heart of sin is your Greek word for the day epic to me. Epithelia media is a word that we often translate into English as lust. Now when I say lust. Everybody thinks sex but everything Mia is not just about sex apathy. Mia means soul lust, a craving a journey, a greedy desire, something about which you say I have to have that because without that I can imagine life be okay without doubt, might as well be dead. Even the thought of not having produces despair in your heart. Don't just think lust for bad things. If something anything about which you feel like you just have to have it for life to be good, but for example, for some people it's not drugs is the security of money. The thought of not being financially secure produces all kinds of anxiety in your heart so you say you, saving you stress in your stingy because abundance of money is what you feel like you have to have for you to feel secure free to feel satisfied. Just ask yourself what is the one thing you feel like you have to have like to be good to get it meant to be a bad thing. Some middle-age ladies, it's the desire to have their family around and everybody get along.

That's good. Of course this thing goes beyond normal desire for family.

It's a craving life could not be good and has no point.

If the family is not close and everything is in perfect harmony to any disruption of the family to these types of people these ladies is devastating to this is the condition of people apart from God.

Paul says they have craving greedy hearts that where does Paul say that these cravings come from okay about this verse 18.

They come because we are alienated from the life of God.

These cravings arise from the absence of God in our lives to the Bible teaches that we were created for God and when we were one with God, get this, our hearts were satisfied and they were filled. When we rejected God we lost that essential life satisfying soul replenishing relationship. We found that our souls were starving again. This is reviewed with the first condition we found ourselves in is that we felt naked naked like something is not right. We figure something wrong, something missing and abashed before what you do when you feel naked after normal try to cover yourself.

You take a shower to hotel and suddenly realize that there's a window right next to your shower look like 95 people look at it off the street into your shower. You allocate the ship right by your loving you don't do that you're just thinking how I get covered.

That's a picture of humanity's something's not right. Something is missing something I feel naked empty F illustrate we know were missing something. We may not even realize what is how we got to this place. But we know were searching for something, searching for is his affirmation is present. That's what we lost in his absence.

Our hearts are restless and naked so we fill our lives and cover ourselves with cheap substitutes. Here's the next question I what is this alienation from God come from and why do we stay that way watches were safety. They are alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them. We stay alienated from God because were it week we can't see God's beauty. We don't since his glory or his Majesty or his loving this is all satisfying mess about the word you want to me since any of those things were ignorant of a that's why we stay alienated from God as we don't even know that that's what were looking for but because more self is caused by something. What causes that ignorance. Verse 18 that ignorance is this due to their hardness of heart see it's not that God is not there or can't be seen except our hearts were too hard even to see him for many of us, even though his glory is all around us can't sense it. We can't feel it because our hearts are hard, and dead and our spiritual eyes are blind by the way, that is why college students are say this, especially you as my two smart people look at the same set of evidence for whether or not there is a God and come up with two completely different conclusions that always bothered me in college as my professor looked like a good guy was smart for me and he says that clearly the evidence points toward there being no God but that I know other people you respect them. Also they seem to be smart to look at the same evidence and they see God in it which was smarter nothing to do with which one smart whether or not we see God has nothing to do with the quality of the evidence, but the state of our hearts. Even my favorite atheist Friedrich Nietzsche said this right even beyond good and evil. He says, quote the idea.

Hello, this is the idea of objective human beings were just disinterested seekers. In truth, is crazy.

The human heart is too insecure to ever be able to handle the truth. Q Jack Nicholson here so I got myself you don't talk about. He says there is a natural hatred and fear of the truth, I'll summarize this ex parte system we revise our memories to fit the story of ourselves that we want to believe there's no way I could have ever done that is our pride and it's not long before the past we remember is the past we wish were true that everybody knows that different cultures do this every culture rewrites its history so that it fits the story of himself what they want to believe but did you say that individuals do that to we mold the truth to fit our preferences and we do it with the truth about God, we see God not as he is, but as we want him to be including.

Sometimes what you cannot to be there the strangest thing happens when God softens you up and opened your eyes that you suddenly start to see him everywhere. Skeptic says I can't see God and some of us look around and think how can you not see God. You always understand him. But you see the evidences of him everywhere and you sense his presence there will always describe the problem because the human heart is alienated from God crave said any can't see God or since him or know him because it is too hardened, or deadened or blackened by sin that that's not to say by the way that Gentiles are not religious people, mankind in every nation has always been very religious, but the religious tendencies of the human heart are not born out of a love for or a delight in God. More often than not a religion is an attempt to use God. Here's a story I told you before to illustrate this story about a very poor farmer who lived in medieval England back your eight 900 years ago in his poor little Dirk Harvey Runcie grows a carrot that is the largest charity is ever seen.

It's like six below.

It looks things will look back here and he thinks that is a carrot that is fit for a king.

He loves his king, his king is fair. His king is kind and loving. He thinks I want to take this as a gift of the key because this belongs only to my king.

This is forgive us to show my love trip to Texas care Delta get the audience to the king of his king was a big scare of ever-growing what you have the king as it is moved by this gesture and says that is very that touches me is if you happen to own all the farm around all of the land around your farm. I'm going to give you that in response this is a gift just as you love me I love you I want you have this this extra land. One of the kings officers were standing there the background about day if that's it.

It was a gag because we thought he said he said if that's what if that's what the team would different parent.

Imagine what he would give her a real gift like a horse so king's officer leaves the court overnight goes and gets up horse middle majestic horse brings it in the next day as I go. My favorite thing ever.

I love you. Okay what you have this horse demonstrates her Majesty the King who was also very wise sees through the whole thing and says yesterday that farmer was giving the carrot to me today you're giving the horse to yourself. You see, that's a description of anyways what religion is for most people it's something that is done because we receive something back from God, for it is entirely self-interested. You give to God because God will award you will bless your life that you haven't, that's that that's what you're after and so you serve God as a means to that in Paul says verse 24 that what God is after look at this is true righteousness and true holiness. People who do righteousness like this for the reasons that God doesn't see where it says created after his likeness. God does righteousness because somebody is making him or God doesn't do righteousness because it's a means to an end. God does righteousness because it is his nature and he lost okay, but we caught up right so our problem is we have an ignorant dead heart. The Dudley what God will deliver the solution be the solution be of problem is that we have an ignorant dead heart that does only what God, what's the solution so obvious we need two things solution part of the Lord. We need verse 21 a new knowledge of God.

So not ignorant of him. In verse 23. We need a renewed heart to delight in that knowledge so we can receive that knowledge we can grasp it.

We need a new. In other words, we need a new vision of God and we need new eyes to see that vision with its awareness is knowledge of God and where does this renewed heart to see it come from two different places. Verse 21. This is a good 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him as the truth is in Jesus time. Sketches, very moment for the day, there is point out that when Paul refers to Jesus Christ almost always uses the term Christ the Lord Jesus Christ.

When Paul uses the term Jesus by itself. He is referring specifically to Jesus as he lived on the earth. The Nazarene baby who was born in Bethlehem, who lived as a carpenter work miracles and died on the cross. In other words, the new knowledge of God comes to us through the story of Jesus.

The new knowledge of God comes to us through the story of Jesus and the story of Jesus we see the beauty of God and seeing the beauty of God revealed in the story of Jesus we are changed. It is a story with such beauty and drama in it that when you get swept up in it. It changes your life, not just by correcting this or that by changing you fundamentally. Temptations lose their power because you seem greater beauty. Now you know what purpose is and you know how much power in the universe is available to you the love of God shown to you in that story transforms you into the kind of person. Love righteousness and holiness and forgiveness and goodness. So our ignorance is overcome by encountering the beauty of God in the story of Jesus or something else we need. Verse 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of our minds. We need eight spiritual renewal. That's why Paul prays for them. Twice in Ephesians, God has to give you eyes to see a blind man can stare in the direction of the rainbow all day long. We will never see it please be given I see so number two.

Our hearts perceive the new knowledge by renewal of the spirits theater summary your definition of biblical change about the way this is the whole thesis of Ephesians.

This is the whole strategy of how we try to teach a Bible here little change. The spirit of God using the story of God to make the beauty of God come alive in our hearts, the spirit of God using the story of God make the beauty of God come alive in our hearts. That's why was in church. That's why these prescriptions come in chapter 4 not in chapter 1 it is only after saturating yourself in the gospel that Paul has driven you into in chapters 1 to 3, and only after the spirit of God that he has prayed for has renewed your hearts would your heart see and know God and be changed so that was answer a question. How is Christian morality fundamentally different than the morality that other religions teach you six axioms of billable change right quick to jot them down, and I hope you see them and explain them six axioms of biblical change that make Christian morality unique and throughout this I will show you how this shows up and there's more prescriptions there given universal 25 to 32, number one gospel change is fundamentally a change of desire gospel change is fundamentally a change of desire.

You do truth because you love truth is she one of the biggest substitute for true gospel change that's this is what we call moralism more. Here's a definition of moralism.

Moralism is teaching people that external behavior matters more than internal disposition, moralism, moralism is teaching people that external behavior matters more than internal disposition. For example, how do you motivate a kid to quit lying right here in a couple ways we try to do. We talk to don't lie just below if you live you get caught needing in trouble for other people to think badly of you if you get caught live. So what you created him as a fear of punishment or projection, and he becomes honest because he doesn't want to be punished and he wants to be accepted by others. Here's another way which are not motivated not to like you I don't lie. Does your better net your career groups align, you want to be like automobile if you're dishonest you to lower your standards, like your buddy else would he do in their motivating him to change by creating a sense of superiority that you give Christian versions about this thanks if you live you and help you IK if you live not really Jesus you will be like Jesus. Don't you got all the non-non-Christian wires and line non-Christians. All the other religions you want to be like Jesus. Jesus people are better than people in the other religions sutured on for most of us, by the way, don't lie, it's either fear being punished or fear losing face run of a sense of pride. This is were better than everybody else. The problem is neither of those make us love the truth. Neither of those motivations make us desire to do. Truth is because of what we love.

That's not verse 24. True righteousness and true holiness. The gospel motivates us differently to create general hearts a lot for truth like God whose image we been made in the likeness of we love truth we do it because we love to do God have anybody over him saying that intelligent people will be drawn. God doesn't because it is nature loves it.

You might get people you see to change the moralism that you can't really change the middle to desire something something new that's the first axiom of biblical change. Make sure you join us tomorrow for the rest of the last you're listening to Senate life Bible teaching ministry F. Pastor, author and theologian JD Greer to hear this message again or to view the full transcript visit us@jdgreer.com so Jeannie were not quite there yet and are sending to the Ephesians chapter 591 of the most cherished part of this but will get there next week and has a lot to say about relationships right every time.

Average the Ephesians. Specifically, chapter 5. What I realize it's that our vertical relationship with God. When that is. In order horizontal relationships with each other begin to make a lot more sense.

That's why we keep returning to this passage of Scripture as an anchor foundation for all of her other relationships affect I would tell you. Chances are if you got horizontal disruption, whether it's with your spouse, or whether it's with friends or anybody in your life.

Chances are, you find the antidote, the answer that embedded in Ephesians 40, Ephesians 5, we seek from relationships what we can only finding God, you end up disappointed unfulfilled God is that missing sees the value. This is just one of the topics that you can dive deeper into with a new Bible study that will help you slow down and work of the book of Ephesians and let it string saturate yourself. This is a nine part studied is now available to anybody who makes a donation of $25 or more.

JD Greer.com it's easy going there. JD Greer.com and I would love to be able to put this Bible study. We like to get a copy of that new Senate life study called mystery and clarity. Ephesians 9 part Bible study is worse with our thanks when you donate today.

The suggested level of $25 or more working meeting even more people with gospel centered Bible teaching just like today's program for silvery and when you can't remember to ask for your copy of mystery and clarity fixing three 586-6524. Give online JD Greer.com Molly bit of it inviting you to join us Friday after Jeannie answers the question how is Christianity different. Join us for the rest of the list right here.

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