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365 Graça & Adoração Da Criação ao Apocalipse
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Ephesians — Chapter 4

The Unity of the Body and Growth in Christ

"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ."

— Eph 4:15

Ephesians 4 marks the transition from theology (chs. 1-3) to ethics (chs. 4-6). The Christian life is to walk worthy of the calling — in unity, growth, and renewal.

🕊️ The Unity of the Spirit (4:1-16)

Eph 4:4-6
"There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
The creed of Christian unity: 7 'ones' — body, Spirit, hope, Lord, faith, baptism, God. Unity is not uniformity — it is diversity of gifts (4:11-12) serving the same body. The ministerial gifts (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors-teachers) are to equip the saints for ministry.
Eph 4:15-16
"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."
The growth of the Church is organic: each member contributes (kata meran energeian) to the growth of the body. The head is Christ — growth is toward him.

🔄 Renewal of the Mind (4:17-32)

Eph 4:22-24
"To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."
The process of sanctification: to put off (apothesthai), to renew (ananeousthai), to put on (endysasthai). The 'old self' is the Adamic self; the 'new self' is the self in Christ. The renewal of the mind is the mechanism of transformation.