This week I read more chapters on Ephesians 4 which covers the walk that is worthy of God’s calling. For years verse 20 always seemed a bit awkward to me—“But you did not so learn Christ as the truth is in Jesus.“ I really saw a bit more about what this means when I read Life Study of Ephesians chapter 46, pages 393-394:
The matter of learning Christ as the truth is in Jesus is difficult to comprehend, and we need to consider it carefully. Christ is not only life to us, but also an example (John 13:15, 1 Pet.2:21). During the thirty-three and half years of His life on earth, He set up a pattern, a mold, a model. This is a matter of great significance. One reason the four Gospels were written was to show the pattern of the life that can satisfy God and fulfill His purpose. First Corinthians 1:30 says, But of Him are you in Christ Jesus. When God put us into Christ, He put us into the mold…Hence, Romans 8:29 indicates we are to be conformed to the image of Christ, the Firstborn among many brothers. To be conformed is to be molded. The Firstborn is the pattern, and the many brothers of the Firstborn are those who are to be conformed to the pattern. To learn Christ is simply to be molded into the pattern of Christ, that is to be conformed to the image of Christ (Lee, Witness. Life Study of Ephesians. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1978. Print ).
Then Witness Lee goes on to say that when we were baptized, we were put into this mold. And it was in baptism that we put off the old man (everything of our old life in Adam and the old creation) and put on the new man (who is Christ as our life). He also said that upon regeneration most believers want to live a life like the Lord’s. But the tricky thing is we can’t do it with our natural life! One of the things I saw through this chapter was that when the Lord was crucified, all of His living as the pattern was put into the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45b
) that we received when we’re regenerated! So not only does baptism put us into this mold, but the supply to live by the pattern of the Lord’s life is now in the Spirit! Every day we just need to come to the Lord in His word and receive a fresh supply so we can live Him out in our living!!
You can listen to excerpts of these Ephesians Life Study messages on Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee.
What is the Subject of Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians?
What is the Mystery of God's Will Revealed in Ephesians 1:9?
How Does God Head Up All Things in Christ in Ephesians 1:10?
How Does the Spirit Seal us in Ephesians 1:13-14?
What is the Surpassing Greatness of His Power in Ephesians 1:19?
From the Life Study of Ephesians: How Electricity Illustrates God's Purpose to Reach Man
What is the One New Man in Ephesians 2:15?
What is the Stewardship of the Grace of God in Ephesians 3:2?
What is the Multifarious Wisdom of God For in Ephesians 3:10?
What's God's Calling for in Ephesians 4:1?
What Does It Mean to Learn Christ in Ephesians 4:20?
Seeing the Church as the Bride of Christ in Ephesians 5:32
Seeing the Church as the Warrior in Ephesians 6
How Do We Apply the Armor of God in Ephesians 6?
What are the Seven Aspects of the Church Seen in Ephesians?
Why Did God Abolish the Ordinances in Ephesians 2:15?
Why is the Spirit Mentioned in Every Chapter of Ephesians?
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