Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4, part of Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church, written around AD 60–62 from Rome during his imprisonment, shifts from doctrinal truths to practical Christian living. Paul urges believers to maintain unity in the body of Christ, grow in maturity through diverse gifts, and live distinctly from the world, emphasizing love, renewal, and righteous conduct.
Key Sections
Unity in the Body of Christ (4:1–6): Paul, a prisoner for the Lord, urges believers to walk worthy of their calling with humility, gentleness, and patience, preserving unity through the bond of peace. One Spirit, Lord, faith, baptism, and God unite all believers.
Diverse Gifts for Maturity (4:7–16): Christ gives grace to each believer, distributing gifts (like apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers) to equip the saints for ministry and build up the body. These gifts foster maturity, preventing believers from being swayed by false teaching, and promote growth in love toward Christ, the head.
New Life in Christ (4:17–24): Paul instructs Gentiles to abandon their former futile, darkened lives of sensuality and greed. Believers, taught in Christ, put off the old self, corrupted by deceitful desires, and put on the new self, created in God’s likeness, marked by righteousness and holiness.
Practical Christian Conduct (4:25–32): Believers must speak truth, control anger, avoid stealing, work honestly, and use edifying words. They should shun bitterness, wrath, and slander, instead showing kindness, forgiveness, and love, imitating God as those sealed by the Spirit.
Cross-References
Unity in the Body: 
Romans 12:4–5: One body, many members.

Colossians 3:14–15: Unity in love.

John 17:21: Jesus’ prayer for oneness.
Christ’s Gifts: 
1 Corinthians 12:4–11: Diverse spiritual gifts.

Romans 12:6–8: Gifts for service.

Psalm 68:18: Ascended on high.
Maturity in Christ: 
Hebrews 5:14: Maturity through practice.

Colossians 2:8: Beware false teaching.

1 Peter 2:2: Grow in salvation.
New Self vs. Old Self: 
Romans 6:6: Old self crucified.

Colossians 3:9–10: Put on new self.

Titus 3:5: Renewed by the Spirit.
Practical Conduct: 
Zechariah 8:16: Speak truth.

Colossians 3:8–9: Put away anger, slander.

Matthew 6:14–15: Forgive as forgiven.
Imitating God: 
Ephesians 5:1–2: Walk in love.

1 John 4:7–8: Love from God.

Romans 15:7: Accept one another.
Theological Meaning
Unity in Diversity: The Spirit unites believers despite differences, reflecting God’s oneness (4:3–6; 1 Corinthians 12:12–13).

Christ’s Gifts: Diverse roles equip the church for growth, rooted in Christ’s victory (4:8; Romans 12:3–5).

Spiritual Maturity: Gifts aim for doctrinal stability and Christ-likeness, guarding against deception (4:14; Colossians 1:28).

Transformed Life: Salvation renews believers, replacing sinful patterns with God’s righteousness (4:22–24; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

Holy Conduct: Practical righteousness reflects God’s character, fostering forgiveness and love (4:32; 1 Peter 1:16).

Sealed by the Spirit: The Spirit’s presence assures salvation, motivating godly living (4:30; Ephesians 1:13–14).
Questions and Answers
What does “walk worthy” mean (4:1)?
Live in a manner reflecting God’s calling, with humility and love (4:1–2; Colossians 1:10).

Why emphasize unity (4:3–6)?
One faith and Spirit bind believers, countering division in Ephesus’s diverse church (4:3; Romans 15:5–6).

What are the gifts in 4:11?
Leadership roles (apostles, prophets, etc.) to equip and mature the church (4:11; 1 Corinthians 12:28).

Why put off the old self (4:22)?
The old, sinful nature corrupts; the new self reflects God’s holiness (4:22–24; Romans 12:2).

What grieves the Spirit (4:30)?
Sinful behavior, like bitterness or slander, offends the indwelling Spirit (4:30; Isaiah 63:10).

How imitate God in conduct (4:32)?
Show kindness and forgiveness, as God forgave through Christ (4:32; Colossians 3:13).

How does this apply today?
Pursue unity, use gifts to serve, live holy lives, and forgive others (4:16; 1 Peter 4:10–11).
Additional Notes for Readers
Historical Context: Written from Roman imprisonment (Acts 28:16–31), this chapter addresses Ephesus’s diverse church (Acts 19:10), facing pagan influences and Jewish-Gentile tensions (Ephesians 2:11–13). Unity (4:3) countered factionalism (1 Corinthians 1:10–12). Ephesus’s culture of idolatry and sensuality (Acts 19:24–27) necessitated the call to holiness (4:17–19). Leadership gifts (4:11) reflect early church structure (Acts 20:28).

Cultural Questions: “Walk worthy” (4:1) uses Greco-Roman ethical language, adapted for faith (Philippians 1:27). “One baptism” (4:5) likely refers to Christian initiation, unifying in Ephesus’s ritualistic context (Acts 19:3–5). “Ascended” (4:8) cites Psalm 68:18, evoking Jewish victory imagery (Colossians 2:15). “Old self” (4:22) contrasts with Ephesus’s moral laxity (Romans 1:24–25). “Speak truth” (4:25) echoes Jewish ethics (Zechariah 8:16). Forgiveness (4:32) challenges Roman grudges (Matthew 18:21–22).

Application: Ephesians 4 calls believers to foster church unity, grow through service, and live transformed lives. It challenges division, worldly behavior, and unforgiveness, urging love and maturity in a fragmented world (Romans 12:4–5; Colossians 3:12–15).