In the first verse of chapter four the Apostle Paul reminds the Gentile converts in Ephesus that they are CALLED to the Lord. Jesus said that many would be called, but few would be chosen. Why would the Lord call someone to join Him, then reject that person? Because they did not answer His call (Mat. 20:15; 22:14). It is not that they did not pick up the “receiver” (read His instructions–the Bible), but that they did not do what He told them to do. Billions “pick up the receiver” but only a minutely few obey the “voice” on the line–answer His call. We country folk have a saying relative to this situation: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” In the spiritual realm it would sound like this: “You can give a man a Bible, but you can’t make him study, believe and obey it.”

This teaching addresses those who pick up God’s spiritual receiver (hear His spiritual voice–His Bible), but the background noise (church doctrine) drowns it out. In this posting we will look at more of what He tells us when we listen only to Him. Recall that Adam and Eve heard God’s voice (Gen. 3:2,3), but then let Satan’s voice drown it out (vs 4). God whispers; Satan yells. We must listen to God’s “still, small voice” (the Holy Spirit) and ignore the devil’s screams heard from pulpit and podium every sun god day (Sunday).

In the title of this lesson I noted that God is issuing a double-directed command relative to unity within His family. He commands oneness among His people and His people’s oneness with Him and His Son. These oneness commands are not mutually exclusive–one cannot exist without the other. In verses four through six Paul tells us that there is one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God and Father of all. This rules out all denominations, churches, faiths, etc. along with all of their various “truths.” THERE ARE NO DIVISIONS IN GOD’S CHURCH (1 Cor. 1:10; 3:3; 11:18). His Word is Truth (Jn. 17:17)–the ONLY spiritual Truth. This fact is refuted by the hundreds of so-called “churches” found within professing Christendom. In order to qualify for salvation upon the return of Jesus Christ, one must follow Paul command as recorded in Second Corinthians 6:14-7:1. Two words sum up His command: “COME OUT.” Read that passage with care and faith. No one is saved or born again in this life. Read Born Again and Hope and Salvation, key words–Born and Hope respectively. Only one human being is in heaven–“the MAN, Jesus Christ” (1 Tim. 2:5). Read about life after death, key word–Death.

In verses eleven through sixteen Paul emphasizes the importance of unity IN the church and unity BETWEEN the church and the Godhead. He points out that upon Christ’s departure following His resurrection He decreed that the church would henceforth be led by certain people with certain gifts, and that He would select and place those people in each position. Within His church some of those He would appoint would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists and some pastors and teachers. Each position would involve specific responsibilities. By working together the appointed ones would teach and lead their respective congregations in such a way that each saint would come to THE ONE AND ONLY faith and to the knowledge of the Son of God–have “the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16/ Phil. 2:5). Each would grow into a person that would be “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Jesus was not divided in His theology (1 Cor. 1:12,13). True oneness is necessary so that God’s true saints will not be divided by different doctrines espoused by those Satan has placed within God’s church. Each false church has a “selection committee” that decides who will do what in man’s church. God’s voice is cancelled. Only in God’s church does He place whom He wills in each position. Paul goes on to tell us that every saint (holy one) in God’s church has a part to play in the life of the body, and that all parts are equally important. Read the series titled Who are God’s People? and ‘My People Called by My Name,’ key words–People and Called respectively. Those series explain how Satan’s people come to be in the church and how his people come to positions of leadership where they teach his message–church doctrine. One will note that only a few within “the church” are members of God’s “little flock” (Lk. 12:32). All others are Christians In Name Only (CINOs). Today they number approximately 2 1/2 billion globally. God’s Little Flock numbers only a few thousand.

In verses 17-26 Paul tells us that a NEW PERSON must be created in each of us which replaces the OLD PERSON that we were prior to embracing Jesus Christ. All old things must be put to death and expelled as far from us as east is from west. NEW THINGS AND A NEW PERSON must replace them. God creates that new person and places His Holy Spirit within him/her upon his/her being justified–have all PAST sins forgiven, rendering him/her righteous. We must voluntarily “put on the new person” who is created in righteousness and holiness. In Romans 5:21 and 6:22 Paul tells us that righteousness and holiness are essential for salvation. He points out that the END RESULT of a post-justification life filled with those two virtues is SALVATION.

Righteousness and holiness must involve every aspect of the new person’s life. Paul points out that unrighteousness and unholiness are the hallmarks of those who are of the world. We are all IN the world. But God’s true saints are not OF that world. We must remove from our lives everything that is of the world as much as possible. Like Jesus while on earth, we live in a world that is steeped in sin. We must walk through this life without allowing the world’s sins to enter our minds (hearts). As I mentioned in a previous teaching, God long ago told me to stop watching television because it is all about the world and the worldly people who populate it. Television, radio, the internet, movies, books, magazines, etc. are FILLED WITH THE THINGS OF THE WORLD. The entertainment media send those things into our hearts (minds) where they remain. This is why we can remember things that happened many years ago, even during our childhood. The mind absorbs everything that enters it through the eyes, and to a lesser degree, the ears. How often do you see and hear someone praise God on television, the internet, etc? Almost 100% of all programing highlights and forces into our minds the sins that saturate the world. There are networks whose programs involve only stories about murder. I know because I have relatives who watch hours of such programs every day. In verses eleven through twenty-six Paul tells us to avoid such Satanic garbage. Why? because it takes up residence in our hearts and we become Satan’s garbage carriers.

In verses twenty-five through thirty-two Paul compels us to embrace the Holy Spirit and to reject the devil. He points out that each time we sin we grieve the Holy Spirit by having chosen to obey Satan’s voice over God’s voice (the Holy Spirit). Paul ends the chapter by telling us to be kind to one another. In following the commands of the Lord we draw closer to one another and to God and His Son. Let us be about doing that.

Though not a part of this teaching, I feel compelled to share this with you. When we sin, God punishes (curses) us. Only a minutely few church people realize that it is God Who is bringing upon them sickness, accidents, so-called “natural disasters,” wars, famines, “bad luck,” etc. Read Second Chronicles 7:13-24 very carefully. Then read Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, again, very carefully. Notice that God is addressing those whom He calls His people anciently and today. Notice also that it is the Lord Himself Who curses His own people when they disobey Him. Jesus warned in Matthew 24:3-8 about what God will do because of man’s (including churchman’s) sins in the future. The Lord is no respecter of persons. His Law of sowing and reaping applies to everyone. All who are in the Catholic/Protestant Religious System (the church) are His people. As stated earlier, the vast majority are CINOs (Christians In Name Only). Only a few of those in His “sheepfold” have entered it through His strait (difficult) gate and are walking His narrow (restrictive) path (Mat. 7:13,14). Read All That Glitters and Would God Do That?, key words–Glitters and Would respectively. L.J.