Here we enter upon the great Second Division of the Epistle to the Ephesians. The first part dealt with "doctrinal" matters; the second has to do chiefly with Christian life and Christian conduct--the application of the wonderful truths of chapters 1-3. The first three chapters lay the foundation, broad and strong; in the last three chapters we have the edifice and superstructure which is to stand upon that foundation. Hence we find again and again those building words, "therefore" and "wherefore," which base the practical teaching upon the glorious truths established in the first three chapters. (See 4:1, 17, 25; 5:1, 15.)

      Often in these vauntedly "practical" days foundations are ignored. The "Christian life" is held up as an ideal and pattern to Christians young and old (sometimes even to outsiders) before ever they have known the principle and power on which alone it can be lived. The result is that they "try" to "live the Christian life" by their own strength and ability, by human resolution and willpower--as if such a thing could be done. There follows failure, disappointment, a feeling of condemnation. Some give up the impossible attempt entirely; others compromise on a "common-sense" sort of religion which everybody can conveniently live--a nice, decent kind of life, according to the world's standard--not "extreme," not "puritanic," not "narrow" or "straight-laced"--not the sort of life that would make one seem queer and odd; a "practical" sort of Christianity, not a crack-pot kind of religion based on fantastic and unrealizable ideals, which would not fit into our busy work-a-day world--but one of good moral principles, honest, clean, straightforward, altruistic, benevolent, public-spirited. It would seem hard to condemn such a life. Certainly all the common human virtues are included in Christian living. But the question arises--Is that all? Moral, clean, upright lives have been lived in all times, not only among the Jews but even among the heathen. Is the fruit of the gospel no better than the grapes that grow wild? It would seem on the face of it that the Christian life should exhibit something distinct and different. We would naturally expect it to be of a higher order, not merely the kind of life which the flesh and the power of man can produce. Christianity, if it is anything is supernatural. The Christian life is a heavenly exotic, brought down and implanted in hearts renewed. It is not of man. Those who are called are not people of high character and strong willpower. The Lord purposely passed those by, and called rather the "weak things" and the "base things," [33] yea and "the things that are not" (the "nobodies") that He might put to shame the strong and great, and the world's somebodies, that no flesh might glory in His presence, but that these might be "to the praise of the glory of his grace." But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." (1 Cor. 1:26-31.) But is the common type of Christianity anything to glory of at all?

      True, the lives of New Testament Christians were often faulty. But this was never accepted as normal. There were "babes" who were "yet carnal" (1 Cor. 3:1-3). There were backsliders also; and "false brethren," the tares among the wheat. And there was the "rocky ground," and "he that was sown among the thorns." But that was not the standard, nor was it the "average." There was a spirit nay, the Spirit manifest in the church, and a victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil that arrested the public attention; and the "exceeding greatness of the power," was so obviously of God as to admit of no other explanation. Such Christian lives are needed today as a testimony for God; and today more than ever. The power is still available and undiminished. In this epistle to the Ephesians its possibility is laid before us.

      "I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called--"

      It is to the called ones that the apostle is writing. The "you" whom he beseeches are the redeemed, forgiven, chosen ones of whom he speaks in chapters one to three. They are the ones who (he said) were made alive when they were dead in their trespasses and sins; who were raised up together with Christ and made to sit with Him in the heavenly places; who were saved by grace through faith, and "sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." "What do you more than others?" said the Lord Jesus to his own first disciples. If they, even then, were in position to "do more than others"--much more now are these who have entered into the fullness of Christ's blessing. It is in vain to preach Ephesians 4-6 to unregenerate people, or to untaught, unawakened Christians. They must first know what they are and what they have; for this new living is based on the new life which they have from God. There are no "therefores" and "wherefores" without a foregoing fact. As Elijah ate heavenly bread and drank the water brought from above, and then in the strength of that food walked forty days and nights through the desert (1 Kings 19:5-8)--so must we eat first (as well as constantly) of the bread of heaven (John 6:35) that we may walk through the wilderness of the world in Christian strength. [34]

      So then, he, Paul, the prisoner in the Lord, beseeches them, to walk worthily of this their high place and calling and privilege. They might, if they would, yet neglect, refuse, yield to lower appeals--no bridges are burned behind them. But now they can, now they must, now they may and, grant God, will live on an altogether new level. What that new life is, is set forth here--especially in Eph. 4:1-3, 17-32; and all of chapters 5 and 6. It is not an impossible, unrealizable ideal, which he sets before them; but sober instruction for everyday life--all backed up and guaranteed by "the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe." (1:19.)

      What now is the way of the new life which the apostle enjoins upon the Christians of Ephesus? (Or--should we not rather say--which he beseeches them to follow? See Philemon, verses 8, 9.)

      1. First, and fundamental is humility: "all lowliness and meekness."

      2. Longsuffering and mutual forbearance.

      These are precisely the virtues against which the flesh most rebels. "Lowliness and meekness" can only flourish upon the ruins and ashes of human pride. Longsuffering and forbearance are virtues we may admire in the abstract, but we do not relish "the rude occasions" that call forth their exercise. In fact the professing church is lacking--not to say wholly devoid--in these points of Christian character and conduct. But let each of us see to himself.

      3. Then follows the exhortation to maintain Christian unity: "giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

      There is then an antecedent unity which is of the Holy Spirit. It is a vital and inward, not an outward, mechanical unity. But, as to its outward manifestation, it is to be kept. The church at Corinth was still one, in the unity of the Spirit, despite the fact that they had split into parties and factions (1 Cor. 1:13). But their divisions were sinful ("enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties, envyings . . .," Gal. 5:20, 21). "For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed"--as has too often been seen and proved. (Jas. 3:16.) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control." These make up the cement that binds Christian hearts together in true unity. The unity of the Spirit is kept by those who "walk by the Spirit" (Gal. 5:16) and are "led by the Spirit." (Rom. 8:14.) It is disrupted by such as walk after the flesh. Its outward bond is the bond of peace. Hearts at peace with themselves and with God will be at peace among themselves, "Let the peace of Christ [35] rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body." (Col. 3:15.)

      The children of God in Christ Jesus are constituted upon one common basis, on which all alike stand. They are all members of one body (Comp. 1 Cor. 12:13); all are partakers of the one Spirit, which dwells in each individually (1 Cor. 6:19) and in all collectively (1 Cor. 3:16); all share in one and the same hope--the "one hope of their calling" (comp. 1:18). All own allegiance to the one Lord; all profess one and the same faith, which is faith in Him (Gal. 2:20), the faith of the gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-4); all were baptized in one and the same baptism; and all alike are children of the one and only God, who is the Father of all--"above all, and through all, and in all." That a people so bound together are truly one and should maintain this their unity outwardly also, would seem to need no proof nor argument.

      Along with this essential unity there is diversity--diversity of gifts and abilities and work and ministrations, in relation to the Body as a whole. (Side by side with Eph. 4:7-16 we should study Romans 12:3-8, and 1 Cor. 12:4-31.) Differing gifts are bestowed upon the several members of the Body. Nay--the brethren upon whom those gifts are bestowed are spoken of as being themselves the gifts of the ascended Christ. He mentions five kinds: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. The first two of these were the foundation-layers. (1 Cor. 3:10, 11; Eph. 2:20.) Their work was once for all, and is forever finished. They delivered to us "the faith once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3) the unalterable gospel (Gal. 1:8, 9; 1 John 2:24). We have the apostles and prophets just as Israel in Christ's time had "Moses and the prophets." (Luke 16:29.) Their work was done once for all and stands for ever. The foundation cannot be relaid. But the work of the evangelist must go on; also that of the pastor and teacher. For their labors there is constant need. The evangelist is the gospel-preacher who carries the good tidings into all the world. The "pastor" is the "shepherd" who, feeds and takes care of the sheep. The elders of the church were pastors (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:1-4.) All elders were pastors, though all pastors are not necessarily elders; just as all evangelists and pastors are teachers, but not vice versa. The gifts differ. Though miraculous gifts of the Spirit are no longer manifest as in the church's first beginning, it is certain that the Lord still fits, enables, equips, directs men into these various lines of service and the more so as He can find those who are willing and look to Him to be chosen and used unto this great work.

      The purpose of all this work is shown in verses 12-16. The saints are to be perfected so that they in turn may take up [36] the work of ministering (v. 12). There is a unity to be attained (v. 13) as well as a unity that is to be maintained (v. 3). This great result is to be accomplished by the mutual ministrations of all the saints, each doing his part, fostering the spiritual (and numerical) growth of the Body, "unto the building up of itself in love."

[LOE 33-37]