Marriage/Family Enrichment Lesson 2
                                                       Speak Words of Life in Love

Ephesians 4: 7- 32

Verses 7-19
Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.  [18] They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.  [19] They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

Who is a Gentile?
What 4 main characteristics describe a Gentile?

ØDarkened in their own understanding and do not know God
ØTheir hearts are hardened
ØThey have become callous
ØThey have given themselves over to sin

Verses 20-24
[20] But that is not the way you learned Christ!-  [21] assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,  [22] to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,  [23] and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,  [24] and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

1.What command are we charged with; what are we told to do?
2.What does this mean?

Ok, now we know what to do but how do we do it? If I told you to build a house, how would you do it? What would you need?

Verses 25-32
[25] Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.  [26] Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,  [27] and give no opportunity to the devil.  [28] Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.  [29] Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.  [30] And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  [31] Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  [32] Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

?What is it that removes our old nature?

?How does this happen?

?Many of the things we are told must change involve how we talk to each other. Why do you think this is?

From out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Ephesians 5:29-33
For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,  [30] because we are members of his body.  [31] "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."  [32] This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.  [33] However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

?As we look at our marriage in light of the scripture we have read today. What areas in our relationship are we doing well in?

?How well do we exhibit those first 5 characteristic in our marriage?

?What areas do we need to continue to ask God to help us improve so that we can better reflect His love?

Lets close this study in prayer.

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