In Ephesians 4:15-16, Paul revisits the metaphor of the church as a body with Christ as the head. Just as every part of a physical body has a function, every Christian has a role within the church. This counters the common tendency to attend church merely to receive; instead, Paul emphasizes that believers should aim to give and contribute, doing their share. This mutual service knits the body together in unity and love. This unity fulfills God's plan, revealed in Christ, to break down the dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles, forming one new body. The Spirit initiated this unity, and believers are urged to maintain it through peace. Even with diverse backgrounds, believers are growing together in Christ toward unity in faith and knowledge. Serving one another deepens these bonds, allowing the church to edify—build itself up—in love. Love is the essential building material, grounded on the foundation of Christ, the apostles, and prophets. Crucially, this love must be coupled with truth; as Paul stated, we must speak the truth in love (v. 15), recognizing that while knowledge can inflate, love builds up (1 Cor. 8:1). Presenting truth lovingly helps others receive it.

Transitioning in verse 17, Paul returns to an earlier theme: the call to live differently. He exhorts believers, ”You should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk.” This contrasts the new life in Christ with the former life described in Ephesians 2 – being dead in sin, following the world's course, and led by fleshly desires. God, through His grace and Christ's sacrifice, has raised believers and seated them with Christ, bestowing every spiritual blessing. Therefore, Christians are called to live consistently with this new identity.

Paul describes the Gentile way of life as marked by ”futility of their mind”—focusing on meaningless, temporary things. Their understanding is ”darkened,” tainted by sin, leading to alienation from God's life. Ignorance and ”blindness of their heart” prevent them from perceiving God's ways. Christians have left this behind.

Verse 19 deepens the analysis, stating the world is ”past feeling.” This signifies a corrupted, seared conscience. The conscience, our faculty for discerning right from wrong, can be deadened by habitual sin, becoming inoperable like branded flesh (1 Tim. 4:2). Consequently, they ”have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” Paul highlights the pervasive sexual immorality (”lewdness,” ”uncleanness”) prevalent in first-century pagan culture, often embedded within their religions, warning the Ephesians not to return to it.

Why leave these ways? Because, as Paul states in verses 20-21, ”you have not so learned Christ.” The teachings of Jesus stand in direct opposition to such practices. Jesus taught that sins like sexual immorality originate from the heart (Matt. 15:19) and defile a person. He defined marriage as between one man and one woman (Matt. 19:1-9) and condemned all sexual activity outside this bond. Central to Jesus' message was repentance—turning away from sin and toward righteousness (Luke 5:31-32; Luke 13:1-5; John 8:11).

Therefore, claiming to be a Christian while willingly continuing in sin without striving to change is self-deception. While Jesus loves sinners, His love calls for repentance. Relying on His love as an excuse for ongoing sin is clinging to false hope. True love for Jesus manifests in obedience to His command to repent. He died for our sins so we might live for righteousness. The call is clear: stop sinning, stop living for self, and start living fully for Jesus.

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