BY BRUCE GREEN
OPINION —
Last week we began looking at the second part of Ephesians (chapter 4-6), paying special attention to the five places where Paul uses the word “walk” (ESV). We saw that the first walk had to do with disciples walking in a manner worthy of their calling (4:1). In this piece, we’ll look at the second walk.
- We are to walk differently than the world (4:17). In addressing what appears to be a largely Gentile church, Paul tells us we can’t be saved by Jesus and yet live like we don’t know Him. That was how we used to walk when we “followed the ways of this world” and Satan (2:2). But no more. We are to be different.
Still, there’s different good and different bad. Different bad would be to be the Pharisees. They were certainly different, but it was not a good thing. They were proud as peacocks about being different and looked down on people because of it (Luke 18:9). Disciples are not to live that way.
Different good is like a medical practitioner. They are different than us in their diagnostic abilities, knowledge of medical procedures, as well as the attention they give to maintaining a sterile field. But they don’t look down on anyone because of it. In fact, they are different in these ways because they are com-passionate and caring and want to help us. And the world is a better place because of them. That’s the kind of difference Paul is pushing disciples toward.
In keeping with the “heavenly realms” scale he has previously established, Paul speaks of walking in a way that does not give the devil any opportunity (v. 27 NIV). In the context, he’s discussing controlling our anger, but the broader principle is that we don’t leave any room in our life for Satan. This doesn’t mean we don’t sin, but it does mean we’re diligent in confessing it to God and repenting of it.
This is the opposite of what Cain did. After Abel’s sacrifice was accepted and his was rejected, Cain was warned by God that “if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it” (Genesis 4:7). He didn’t heed God’s warning. Instead, he gave the devil opportunity and it led to him murdering his brother. It wasn’t the first sin that got him (offering an unacceptable sacrifice), it was the second sin of becoming uncontrollably angry about it — which led to Abel’s murder. Paul wants to handle our anger with care.
This leads to Paul’s other reference beyond the human realm. It is when he speaks of us not grieving “the Holy Spirit of God” (v. 30). We do this by using words that won’t be helpful in building others up (v. 29). And with that, we’re back to where we started our walk — with a connection between the Spirit and unity. Words and attitudes against our brothers and sisters grieve the Spirit because they threaten “the unity of the Spirit” (v. 3).
We learn from the two occurrences of “walk” in Ephesians 4 that our walk is not an individual, private walk. It is a walk that includes our brothers and sis-ters. We are walking with them and for them.
Next Week: The Walk of Life, part three.
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