New Life in Christ" Part IV

Shepherdess Edelmira Cruz

STUDY #1203 CHURCH IN THE HOUSES Wednesday, July 14, 2021

New Life in Christ Part IV Ephesians 4:29-32 Corrupted, it is a process in which a thing has been damaged and is about to be completely destroyed or lose its sense of being. It is damage and destruction. Corruption comes when speech has been corrupted, when thinking what reaches the mind it is allowed to develop, bad speech arrives, sinful, that sparks of fire come out of the mouths.

I. Speech.

A. Contrast that which is unworthy with that which builds.

1. Corrupt speech refers to that conversation that is dirty and suggestive (suggests and inspires ideas), this includes out-of-tune "jokes", profane speech (not sacred) and dirty stories.

2. The speech here has probably the broadest sense of any form of frivolous conversation (superficial behaviors), empty, idle, and unworthy.

3. Our talk is for the necessary building.

4. It must be our speaking in the edification of believers.

5. The one who builds up is constituting sacred things in his speech.

6. Speak appropriately according to the occasion.

7. Speak for the "benefit" of those who listen.

8. A brain and a heart corrupted by evil, vice, envy, etc., cannot but transmit to the outside, through the mouth, the inner corruption.

9. Speaking is taking out the interior, you have to take care of lives to know what we talk about and build with all that we speak, it is a construction to speak.

10. (30) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

11. It means that a speech devoid (lacks) of value saddens the Spirit.

12. We should refrain from everything that grieves Him.

13. Three powerful reasons to abstain from everything that grieves Him:

a. He is the Holy Spirit. Anything that is not holy to Him is unpleasant to Him.

b. He is the Holy Spirit of God, a member of the blessed Trinity.

c. We were sealed by Him for the day of redemption as already mentioned, "a seal speaks of possession and security". He is the seal that guarantees "our preservation" until Christ returns for us and our salvation is complete. Interestingly, Paul here employs the eternal security of the believer as one of the most powerful reasons why we "should not" sin.

14. The fact that it can be grieved shows that the Holy Spirit is a "Person", not a mere influence (a person's power to alter the way of thinking or acting). It also means that He loves us, because only someone who loves can be grieved. The Holy Spirit's favorite ministry is to glorify Christ and change the believer into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18). When a Christian sins, he has to move from this ministry to one of restoration. It pains Him to see the believer's spiritual progress interrupted by sin. Then He must lead the Christian to repentance and confession of sin.

15. (31) All sins of wrath and tongue should be taken away.

16. The apostle gives a list of several of them:

a. Bitterness- a resentment in ember (small ember sheltered by ash) bad disposition for forgiveness, feeling of hardness.

b. Anger - outbursts of anger, violent passion, outbursts of genius.

c. Rage- Hostile feelings (enemies).

d. Shouting- Cries full of anger, screams of anger, squeals to win without convincing.

e. Curse- insulting language, slander, insults.

f. Malice- desire for evil over others, pettiness.

17. (32) The previous sins of attitude should be put to an end, but the void should be filled by the cultivation of Christian qualities.

18. The former are natural vices; what follows are supernatural virtues:

a. Benignity – a detached interest in the good of others and a desire to be useful even at "great personal cost."

b. Tenderness of heart or mercy – an interest in sympathy, affection and compassion for others and a willingness to carry their burdens.

c. Forgiveness - a willingness to forgive offenses, to overlook personal offenses against oneself and without harboring any desire for revenge.

19. The greatest example of One who forgives is God Himself.

20. The basis of His forgiveness is the work of Christ on Calvary.

21. And we are the unworthy objects of this forgiveness.

22. God could not forgive sin without adequate satisfaction.

23. In His love He provided the satisfaction that His righteousness demanded.

24. “In Christ," that is, in His person and work, God found a just foundation on which He could forgive us.

25. Because He forgave us when we owed "a multimillion-dollar debt," we should forgive others when they owe us "a pittance."