Ephesians 4: Unity, Maturity, and New Life

Short answer: Ephesians 4 urges believers to live worthy of their calling by cultivating humility, patience, and unity in the Spirit. It describes how Christ gives gifts to build up the body, calls for maturity, and instructs believers to put off the old self and put on the new, with practical exhortations for holy living.

What Ephesians 4 says

The chapter opens with a heartfelt appeal from the prisoner in the Lord, urging believers to walk in a manner worthy of their calling. This walk is marked by lowliness, humility, patience, and bearing with one another in love. The goal is to eagerly maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. The foundation for this unity is the sevenfold oneness: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. This unity is not something to create but to keep, rooted in the shared identity of believers.

Verses 7 through 16 shift to the diversity of gifts within the body. Grace is given to each according to the measure of Christ's gift. The ascended Christ led captivity captive and gave gifts to people. The text explains that his ascent implies a prior descent into the lower parts of the earth, and that he ascended far above all heavens to fill all things. He gave some as apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers, for equipping the saints, for the work of service, and for building up the body of Christ. The purpose is to attain unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of Christ's fullness, so that believers are no longer children tossed by every wind of doctrine, but speaking truth in love, grow up into Christ, the head, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together, grows and builds itself up in love.

Verses 17 through 24 contrast the old life with the new. The author testifies that believers must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds, darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God due to ignorance and hardness of heart. Having become callous, they gave themselves to lust and greed. But the believers did not learn Christ that way, if indeed they heard him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus. They are to put away the old self, corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of their minds, putting on the new self, created in God's likeness in righteousness and holiness of truth.

The final section, verses 25 through 32, gives concrete ethical instructions. Believers must put away falsehood and speak truth with neighbors, for they are members of one another. Anger is permitted but must not lead to sin; the sun must not set on wrath, and no place should be given to the devil. Thieves must steal no more but labor, doing good so as to have something to share with the needy. Corrupt speech must be replaced with words that build up and give grace to hearers. The Holy Spirit, by whom believers are sealed for the day of redemption, must not be grieved. Bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander must be put away, along with all malice. Instead, believers are to be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave them.

Verses that carry the chapter

• “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,” (Ephesians 4:1) — This verse sets the tone for the entire chapter, grounding the ethical instructions in the believer's calling. It urges a walk worthy of that calling, which is then unpacked in the following verses.
• “but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ,” (Ephesians 4:15) — This verse captures the balance of truth and love that should characterize Christian maturity. It also introduces the metaphor of the body growing into Christ, the head, which is central to the chapter's vision of unity and growth.
• “that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit,” (Ephesians 4:22) — This verse marks the transition from describing the old way of life to the imperative to put it off. It is a key call to repentance and renewal, essential to the Christian walk.
• “And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32) — This verse summarizes the ethical demands of the new life in Christ, emphasizing kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness. It grounds forgiveness in the forgiveness believers have received from God in Christ.

Gospel connection

Ephesians 4 connects to the wider biblical story by rooting the believer's new identity and conduct in the work of Christ. The chapter speaks of Christ's descent and ascent, his victory over captivity, and his giving of gifts to his people. This echoes the gospel narrative of Christ's incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension. The call to put off the old self and put on the new self reflects the transformative work of the gospel, where believers are made new creations in Christ. The emphasis on unity and maturity in the body of Christ aligns with the biblical theme of God's people being built into a dwelling place for his Spirit. The forgiveness believers extend to one another mirrors the forgiveness they have received through Christ's sacrificial work on the cross, which is the heart of the gospel.

Application

This chapter asks readers to examine their walk with Christ and to align their lives with their calling. It challenges believers to pursue humility, patience, and unity within the church, recognizing that these are not optional extras but essential marks of the Christian life. It calls for a deliberate putting off of old habits and attitudes, and a daily renewal of the mind. Practically, this means speaking truth, controlling anger, working honestly, using words to build up, and forgiving others as God has forgiven. It requires a reliance on the Holy Spirit, not grieving him by our actions, and a commitment to grow into maturity in Christ. The application is not about trying harder in our own strength but about living out the reality of the new life we have been given.

Biblical fidelity check

The chapter does not specify the location or circumstances of the original audience beyond calling the author a prisoner in the Lord. It does not describe the specific gifts in detail or give a hierarchy among them. It does not claim that believers can achieve unity or maturity through their own efforts, but rather through the grace given by Christ. It does not address every possible ethical issue, focusing instead on a few representative examples. It does not state that anger is always sinful, but allows for anger that does not lead to sin. It does not explain the nature of the descent into the lower parts of the earth, leaving that as a matter of interpretation. It does not promise that the Christian life will be free from conflict, but provides guidance for handling it.

Questions for study

1. What does it mean to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, and how do the virtues listed in verses 2 and 3 help achieve that?
2. How does the sevenfold oneness in verses 4 through 6 provide a foundation for unity in the church, and what are the practical implications for your local congregation?
3. According to verses 11 through 16, what is the purpose of Christ giving gifts to the church, and how does that purpose shape the way you view your own role in the body of Christ?
4. What are the specific behaviors and attitudes that Paul instructs believers to put off in verses 22 and 25 through 31, and what does it look like to put them off in your daily life?
5. How does the command to forgive one another in verse 32, just as God in Christ forgave you, challenge or encourage you in a current relationship?

Keep reading

Related studies: Ephesians 1 Bible Study, Ephesians 3 Bible Study, Ephesians 6 Bible Study.

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FAQ

What does it mean that Christ led captivity captive?

This phrase, drawn from Psalm 68:18, pictures Christ as a victorious king who has defeated his enemies and now distributes gifts to his people. It refers to his ascension and the resulting outpouring of spiritual gifts on the church.

Why does Paul say not to let the sun go down on your wrath?

Paul is urging believers to deal with anger quickly and not allow it to fester, as unresolved anger can give the devil a foothold. This does not forbid all anger, but warns against nursing it.

What does it mean to grieve the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is a person who can be grieved by the attitudes and actions of believers that are contrary to his holiness. Paul lists specific behaviors such as bitterness, slander, and malice that grieve him, and calls believers to put them away.