things christians are & are not ephesians 5:1-3. ephesians 5:1-3 - nkjv 1 therefore be imitators...

THINGS CHRISTIANS ARE & ARE NOT

Ephesians 5:1-3

Things Christians Are & Are Not 2

Ephesians 5:1-3 - NKJV

1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;

4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

To Be

Not To Be


Introduction

• The Bible teaches about Christian Character• Positively

• What we are• Negatively

• What we are not


What We Are


We are Debtors

“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh” - Romans 8:12

• A debtor is one who owes something to another• We owe our service to God

• Paul was a debtor to preach the gospel to the Jews and Gentiles• He was obligated to preach the gospel to all - Romans 1:14-17• This obligation arose from the favor God showed Paul to save

souls• He was a “chosen vessel” to preach to all nations - Acts 9:15

• Matthew 28:19, 20


We are Children of God

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” - Romans 8:16

• God is our spiritual Father• A privilege only to Christians

• We become “children of God” by faith• When we are “baptized into Christ” and “put on Christ”

• Galatians 3:26, 27

• “For (gar) as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ”• “Gar” - a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in

argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):--and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet• Strong's Dictionary


We are More Than Conquerors

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” - Romans 8:37

• Paul discussed the trails faithful Christians will experience and overcome• “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels,

nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” - Romans 8:38, 39

• Through Christ we have victory over every trial, including sin and death• 1 Corinthians 15:55-58


We are the Lord’s

“For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s” - Romans 14:8

• We are not of our own doing• God is our Creator and sustains our very existence• We must give our all to Him• We have been purchased by His blood - Acts 20:28

• We must put self last• Matthew 22:36-40


We Are Labourers

“For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building” - 1 Corinthians 3:9

• We are a product of God’s spiritual reproductive plan• “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour” • 1 Corinthians 3:6-8

• We are workers with God and other Christians in His vineyard!• Matthew 9:37, 38


We Are God’s Workmanship

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” - Ephesians 2:10

• The gospel transforms sinners!• Ephesians were created to good works -

• Dead, now alive• Lost, now saved• Aliens, now fellow citizens• Afar, now made nigh

• This transformation came by obedience to the gospel• Ephesians 2:11-22


We Are Members

“For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones” - Ephesians 5:30

• We must cherish this membership• All members of the body are needed• One member depends on the other members

• Romans 12:4• 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

• But we are of the ONE body (the church)!• Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 1:18


We Are Sanctified

“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” - Hebrews 10:10

• “Sanctified” - to make holy, i.e. (ceremonially) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate:--hallow, be holy, sanctify• Strong’s Dictionary

• We are to be separated from unholy and profane things• Ephesians 5:1-11

• We are “sanctified in Christ”• 1 Corinthians 1:2

• We are sanctified “through thy truth; thy word…”• John 17:17


What We Are Not


We are Not Under The Law

“What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid” - Romans 6:15

• The law was our schoolmaster • No longer under a schoolmaster

• Galatians 3:24-25

• The allegory (symbolic) used by Paul - Galatians 4:21-31• “Bondwoman” = The law• “Freewoman” = Salvation by faith in Christ - Ephesians 3:6

• We are children of the promise made to Abraham• “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed”

• Genesis 12:3; Acts 2:38, 39; Galatians 3:26-29


We Are Not Ignorant of Satan’s Devices

“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” - 2 Corinthians 2:11

• The Bible teaches us how do defend ourselves from the wiles of the devil - Ephesians 6:10-18

• God’s word describes Satan as…• “as a roaring lion” - 1 Peter 5:8, 9• A murderer and a liar - John 8:44• A deceiver - Revelation 20:10• A hinderer - 1 Thessalonians 2:18• Tempter who uses three avenues of temptation - 1 John 2:16

• Lust of the flesh• Lust of the eyes• Pride of life


We are not Corrupters of the Word

“For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ” - 2 Corinthians 2:17

• There are many perverters of the word• Galatians 1:6-9

• We are warned of these perverters by…• Jesus - Matthew 7:15-20; Mark 13:22• Paul - Rom. 16:17, 18; Eph. 5:6; Col. 2:8; 2 Tim. 3:5• Peter - 2 Peter 2:1-3• John - 1 John 4:1-3• Jude - Jude 2-18

• We speak “the oracles of God” - 1 Peter 4:11


We Are Not Reprobates

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

• 2 Corinthians 13:5

• A reprobate does not stand the test of faith in Christ• We must be approved by God’s word

• Romans 12:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:15


We Are Not of the Night

“We are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness”

• 1 Thessalonians 5:5

• Jesus is “the light”• John 1:1-13

• We walk “as children of light”• Ephesians 5:8

• We “walk in the light”• 1John 1:5-7


We are Not of Them Who Draw Back

“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul”

• Hebrews 10:38, 39

• Faithful Christians are not “quitters”• They press on - Philippians 3:14• To draw back is an abomination

• “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”• Hebrews 10:31


Conclusion & Review

We Are…•Debtors

•Children of God

•More Than Conquers

•The Lord’s

•Laborers

•God’s Workmanship

•Members

•Sanctified

We Are Not…Under the LawIgnorant of SatanCorrupters of the WordReprobatesOf the NightOf Them Who Draw Back


What Are You?

things christians are & are not ephesians 5:1-3. ephesians 5:1-3 - nkjv 1 therefore be imitators...

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