Ephesians 4:20

"But you did not so learn Christ!" Ephesians 4:20

This was "one" of the verses considered earlier to support the fact that Paul was and is still clearly speaking to "Christians" about both, what to do and not to do. This is important to know because there are some that teach that you don't have to do anything or give up anything, to be saved... but that is not the whole truth. On the other extreme, there are those who are so preoccupied with trying to live sinless that Christ has NOTHING to do with transformation... in a sense "working out their own salvation", which is ungodly, impossible, and very sad.

I believe we are standing before two bridges right here in this passage that we must decide which one to cross. If we move through the next few passages as a brand new thought... not bringing with us anything we've learned up to this point in our study we will end up on the other side of a bridge that, "once discovered an error"... we have to come all the way back to this point in Christ's teaching to cross over again on the right bridge.

Before we go back in context to see how we got to this point, let's look at what is and is not in this very short verse. Paul says, "But you did not so learn Christ". Now this is peculiar, in that many of the people whom Paul was writing to ever met Christ. Certainly anyone whom had "learned" Christ would know not to live like the heathens! And in context to "not living like the world lives"... why doesn't Paul refer to the teachings of Christ instead?

Back to my suggestion of two bridges... Christ "IS THE RIGHT BRIDGE A-CROSS TO SALVATION". He is the only way a-cross... The other bridge is where those try to cross with all of God's commands and never come into a right relationship to God! So, what does this mean, "You did not so learn Christ?

Paul is reminding those special... those blessed... those chosen by God, who, in fact, have received Christ inside them, to focus back on Him, JESUS. He's reminding us to look at the Real Living Christ, Himself... not just His written word, but HIM. You look at the does and don't of the bible and say... Ok, I'll do this and that... I'll not do this or that"... or even, "I'll never do such and such". YOU are in for a terrible surprise. For one thing, you do not know the power of sin and wickedness the enemy has over you! WITH a daily relationship to Jesus, you can move away from temptations... let go of ungodly family and worldly tradition, ritual, and sin. You will not be sinless, but with Christ, you will begin to sin-less! The focus is not on the letter... following the letter leads to death, but focusing on Jesus... following the Spirit, leads to life.

I pray that before we get into these next few passages, you will stand here at this place of two bridges and ask the Lord to help us a-cross the right one! Amen?

Let's pick up with Ephesians verse 4:21 next time.

I love you.