Ephesians 4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you from now on walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,… 1. Ministers of the Word must both speak, and with protestation enforce, the ways of God. 2. We must do all good things in the Lord's power. 3. Our estate which we have in Christ must avail with us to leave oar old ways. 4. We must not spend our time after grace as we did before. (1) It is more to God's dishonour, and our own danger, to sin after grace, for God will be sanctified in all that come near Him, or He will by His judgments sanctify Himself in them. The times of ignorance God does not so strictly look to. (2) We should be worse servants to God and holiness, than we were to sin and the devil; for when we were in the flesh, we walked after the devil, and were free men from righteousness. (3) The time of grace itself includes a persuasion, for it is a day wherein the Sun of Righteousness shines in our hearts, as the time before our conversion was a night. Now, the day is not for works of darkness, but of light. (4) It is a great injustice to spend the time after grace in the lusts of our own hearts; for, would we not think ourselves wronged if, having hired one to work here or there, he should go loitering and wasting his time elsewhere? 5. Such as are called to faith, must not be like the world. (1) Ministers must call off the godly from conforming to the world. (2) We must not be afraid to be singular. 6. To walk after our vain minds is heathenish. 7. All the courses which the natural man can devise are vain. (Paul Bayne.) Parallel Verses KJV: This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, |
    |