Ephesians 4:1-32. We have not so learned Jesus Christ, as Others want us all to learn.

1. We must learn Christ from Jesus Christ himself, but not from other preachers.

"Ephesians 4:20 But ye have not so learned Christ;" There are many divisions and denominations in Christianity. As Paul wrote this letter to Ephesian Christians, he recognized that they receive a different teaching also. The true way to learn Christ is, from his life and by walking in his steps. But there were other Christians learn Christ to accommodate their own lustful ways, and think it is okay. This chapter is easy to understand, since it is filled with advises and counsel, but not with doctrines. However, he tells them not to walk as other gentiles walk, mentioning how do they walk one by one. "17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But ye have not so learned Christ;" That is, they have learned Christ this way. So, what kind of Christ they have. He must be another Jesus and the Anti-Christ. So, the religious and worldly Christians do not have true understanding of the true Jesus Christ, so, they are ignorant, and blindness in heart. They love their lust and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, as in Jude 1:4. Apostle Paul tells this to the true Christians, which are in the body of Christ, that they must not learn Christ from others, since they preach another Jesus and Anti-Christ. "21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:" Paul reminds them to behave, since they have learned the teachings of the true Jesus Christ from apostle Paul himself. "22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." So, even the new Christians, who are listening to apostle Paul now, must change from their previous life of lust, have the holy Spirit renew their mind, and become righteous holy people.

"1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called," Apostle Paul tells that he is the prisoner of the Lord, because he was often locked in prison even in Rome, because he preaches Jesus Christ and his gospel. He says that we must be worthy of our calling, either our calling is to be a witness or to be an apostle. But in Christianity, preachers teach fake humbleness to confess that we never could be worthy, but only by the mercy and grace of God, we may get what we get. That is fake humbleness and pure lie. We must truly be humble in order to receive grace, and we must be merciful to others to receive mercy from God; and so, we must become worthy to receive things from God. "2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." We must always be lowly, meek, and such; but be careful about deceivers. In the name of Jesus Christ and love, they want us to be in love and in unity with all worldly and religious Christian, including deceiving preachers. No, this unity must be in the Spirit, that is, the bond of peace and love must be within the body of Christ, but not with Christians of the world, who are of the flesh and of deceiving spirits. "2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." So, keep the unity within the Spirit, and separate yourself from religion and world. It is the caution given by God. "4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." There is only one God. Even though he is Omnipotent and Almighty God, he is Father to us all, if we are in the Spirit body of Christ, and he is Father to Jesus Christ also. God cautions us about the deception of religious Christians, who will try to trick you saying that they are also one with us. God tells us to be separate from them. We are in the Spirit of God, and we are the only one body. We are not with anybody else, and nobody else is with us.

3. The Spirit Church is ministered by God's Servants and is made perfect as Jesus Christ.

"9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)" So, God the Word became man Jesus on earth, suffered and died. God raised him from death and raised him far above all heavens and anointed him back as God. It is in Philippians. "2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." So, resurrected Jesus Christ, who is now in the Omnipotent Spirit, is God of all in heaven, earth, and hell. Now let us see verses 7 and verse 8, and please notice the difference between them. "7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." Here, the 'us' is the body of Christ; it is the Spirit church. Those who receive the gift, also has receive grace according to the gift. Grace is the power of God to work in godly ways to bring glory to God. Next verse is not so. "8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." Here the people are not of the Spirit, but they are captives under heaven; so, they are sinning people. When Jesus Christ went to heaven, he took the captives of heaven to be captives to him. But he will not punish them until the judgment day. But what he does will surprise you and me, and everyone else. He gives gifts to them. So sinning people also receive gifts of the Holy Ghost. It is in Psalm 68:18. It says, "Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them." So, these sinning preachers receive the gifts of God, advertise, and show themselves as godly men, become rich and famous. The purpose is that, as the rebellious preachers works the gifts, the presence of God may also minister to people who are in need. This is how Jesus Christ deals with ungodly men. Now, what he does with godly people? He gives them grace also with gifts, which is the power of the Spirit and God. They work with us, who are the body of Christ, which is of the Spirit. "11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" God gave them to the Church, which is the body of Christ, for the work of the ministry. How do we know that they are true apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers? Apostles must show signs and miracles. If a prophet told one false prophesy, he is not the prophet of God. But present-day prophets of churches tells nothing but false prophesy. Evangelists must preach the true Jesus Christ, and what he preached to obey as the gospel. But the evangelists of churches, preach the story of Jesus Christ as the gospel. Pastors must protect the sheep from wolves, but church pastors are mostly wolves themselves. Teachers must teach the truth and mysteries to believers. But church teachers do not know the truth and mysteries. That is why, God sends his own apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. They will edify the church, and keep on making them better, until they come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. So, the Spirit Church will be made perfect, and will be worthy to be the Spirit Sons of God in heaven.

4. Jesus Christ is our head, we are his body, and let us grow into the head as his body.

The first century churches and the present-day churches are entirely different from each other. At present, we see the religious and worldly churches, proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ. But, the Spirit Church, which is the body of Christ, is hidden. Believers of the Spirit Church is under the guidance of the Spirit of God, and most of them are being perfected to become the Sons of God in Spirit, and they will inherit the kingdom of God. The first century churches appeared godly, but the enemy was trying to take over them from within. So, apostles were cautioning believers to be careful among themselves. Let us hear apostle Paul. His advice may also apply to 'us', if we are the body of Christ, who are being guided by the holy Spirit. "14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." So, the secret and strength to make us perfect, is to grow into Jesus Christ, who is our head. If we all do, then in the process, all the fellow brethren will also join as one in Jesus Christ. So, not only we will be edified by Jesus Christ, but also we will edify each other in love. Instead, if we are looking outside for famous preachers, new churches, and such glamour, we will certainly be deceived.

5. Advice to the true Spirit Church, that is the Body of Christ.

The advice of apostle Paul to the Church is as to the common people in practical life, which leads them to godliness. "25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another." So, he assumes that everybody is part of the body of Christ. "26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:" Yes, to get angry with a cause is permitted; even Jesus Christ got angry. But let the wrath be short lived. "27 Neither give place to the devil." Devil's work is not violent crime only, but it is also deception. "28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." It is very good advice, even to solve social problems. "29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Corrupt communication here refers to vulgar or indecent language. It is good for even social decency. Notice, the next verse is spirit matter. "30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." God gives the holy Spirit to a believer, for him to live a godly spiritual life. But it is not a guaranty that he will inherit heaven, but it is just a seal for the day of redemption. So, do not grieve the holy Spirit. If you lost the seal, you cannot go to heaven. "31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:" The language is simple enough to understand; we must get out of all the evil deeds of the flesh; and we must receive the holy Spirit and live in the Spirit. "32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Let us try to apply this verse for today. The Spirit church is hidden inside the religious church, and so, both kinds of believers are seeming to be brethren. That is, Spiritual and Religious people, who have different principles live together as brethren. Now they must forgive each other "even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you (them)." So, forgiveness of God is the example. For religious people, God forgives as soon as they say sorry, just like at the snap of our finger; and so, we must also forgive others as soon as they say sorry. But for Spirit church, God requires you to repent and to be converted for forgiveness; so, you also require his repentance and change of his heart toward you, and then you forgive him. The good way to solve this is, do not keep religious people as brethren, but keep them as worldly friends. Don't let your enemies ride over you. At the same time, if your preacher says that God forgives you as soon as you ask, he is a liar; reject that preacher. Know the truth; obey God; escape eternal damnation; go to heaven; and inherit eternal kingdom in heaven.