Page 112 - Ephesians

haven’t received chapters 1-3 yet. You haven’t entered in. Those
riches are designated riches. Designed by God, to make you
holy. If they aren’t making you holy, you don’t have them in
reality. One produces the other. The inward is expressed
through the outward. What you are, character, is expressed by
what you do, conduct. Let me mention a second way that makes
this section frightening. 4:1,

“Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have
been called.”

The King James puts it, “Walk worthy of the vocation”. That’s
easy to say with your mouth. But if you read it carefully, as the
Spirit of God has recorded it, you realize that the standard of
behavior is God Himself. I heard a statement by the Presbyterian
theologian, B.B. Warfield. He used it over and over again in one
of his sermons. The statement is, “Our goal is God.” Hold that
in your heart for a moment. Our goal is God.

Take a look at, 4:32,

“Be kind to one another; tender hearted, forgiving each
other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

Did you ever think or meditate on that? You say, “Oh, I have a
responsibility to forgive my brothers and sisters.” Read it
carefully. To forgive one another just “As God in Christ also
has forgiven you”. Nothing less than that, is forgiveness. Your
goal is God. You are to forgive the same way, in the same
degree, God has forgiven you. See why that’s scary? Those are
high standards. Our goal is God.

Just think. Do you forgive your brother with that kind of
forgiveness? Is it unlimited forgiveness? God has already
forgiven you for future sins. Have you already forgiven every
Christian for every sin they will commit against you? If they come