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Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ
4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech
you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are
called,
4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering,
forbearing one another in love;
4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace.
4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are
called in one hope of your calling;
4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and
through all, and in you all.
4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to
the measure of the gift of Christ.
4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led
captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also
descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up
far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and
some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the
ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and
fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the
sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in
wait to deceive;
4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him
in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and
compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to
the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh
increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Instructions for
Christian Living
4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord,
that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the
vanity of their mind,
4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated
from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them,
because of the blindness of their heart:
4:19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto
lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
4:20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught
by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the
old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is
created in righteousness and true holiness.
4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth
with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon
your wrath:
4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him
labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that
he may have to give to him that needeth.
4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your
mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that
it may minister grace unto the hearers.
4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are
sealed unto the day of redemption.
4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour,
and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you. |
Cults 
Why Did God Permit Sin?
