Ephesians 4.17-32 (2)
Pray Psalm 46.4, 5.
There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
Sing Psalm 46.4, 5.
(St. Chrysostom: We Have Not Loved Thee As We Ought)
God’s everlasting, joyous grace gladdens the city where He dwells.
Safely in Him, we will not be moved; when morning dawns, His love will be proved.
Fears and distresses Jesus dispels for His beloved, chosen race.
Read Ephesians 4.17-32; meditate on verse 20.
What’s the difference between “learning about” Christ and “learning” Christ?
Preparation
1. What do we need so that we can learn Christ?
2. What is the aim of this work?
Meditation
To explain the difference between learning about Christ and learning Him may seem difficult. But the difference is clear, and Paul alludes to it here.
Both those who would learn about Jesus and those who would learn Him begin at the same place: They must hear Him speaking in His Word. By so doing we can learn many things about Jesus on which we can agree wholeheartedly.
The difference comes in the next verb. Those who merely learn about Jesus may not be interested in being “taught by Him”. We show that we are taught by Jesus when we embrace Him as the truth and begin, at once and daily, to follow in the path He has marked out for us, the path of true discipleship (1 Jn. 2.1-6).
Those interested in merely learning about Jesus may try a few steps on the path of discipleship, but then they find it too demanding and look for a place to rest. Merely learning about Jesus will not enable anyone to follow Him, because Jesus is always in motion and on mission, seeking to build His Church and advance His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. He’s looking for people in whom His truth becomes firmly set and is operating in a manner that imitates Him (1 Cor. 11.1).
Let’s not be satisfied merely to acquire information about Jesus. We want His truth to embed in us so that, as we resort to His truth day by day, it grows and stretches out in us, by the power of God’s Spirit transforming us increasingly into the very likeness of Jesus, Who is the Truth. Don’t just learn about Jesus. Learn Jesus.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.16
Clearly, we did not learn about Christ, or learn Him, by having a darkened understanding, an alienation from God, having no feelings about right and wrong, being lewd, doing works of uncleanness, and being greedy (Eph. 4.18, 19). Those were the options Paul gave us before this verse: “But you have not so learned Christ”! (Eph. 4.20). No indeed. Nothing good is learned through that kind of thinking and outworking behavior.
Men and women can learn about one another through fellowship, through worshiping together, through visiting, and through courtship; but those two people do not truly know one another until they are married and living together. And God knows this. Perhaps that is one reason marriage and the relationship that Christ has with His Church are compared. It is a “great mystery” and yet it is true (Eph. 5.25-33). Anybody out there who is married, knows what I’m talking about.
That is an earthly example of how knowing about and truly knowing differ.
Another is this: we can know a lot about people in history; but we do not really know them.
So it is with Christ Jesus our Savior and Lord.
We can read all about Him; we can listen while He is taught about/preached about/sung about. We can even participate. But unless we serve Him as Lord, and intimately spend time with Him in His inspired Word, and through meeting with Him in prayer, and tend to His Body with loving and tender care; we will never really know Him.
In the same way that husbands and wives make each other smooth by chipping off the rough edges—“open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed”, “faithful are the wounds of a friend”, and “as iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (Prov. 27.5, 6, 17)—so God’s Word fashions us into the person He wants us to be.
“For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him
to Whom we must give account” (Heb. 4.12, 13).
Do you suppose that is why some don’t read His Word? And is it possible that to be exposed like that keeps one from really wanting to know and be known in that way?
But truly, to know and be known by Someone Who loves us enough to have died for us, before we were ever slightly cleaned up, is a joy that all should long to participate in (Rom. 5.8).
This is the way to learn Jesus.
“Let’s not be satisfied merely to acquire information about Jesus.
We want His truth to embed in us so that,
as we resort to His truth day by day,
it grows and stretches out in us,
by the power of God’s Spirit transforming us
increasingly into the very likeness of Jesus,
Who is the Truth.”
Reflection
1. How would you explain to a new believer the difference between learning about Jesus and learning Jesus?
2. In your experience, what are the best tools and ways to learn Jesus?
3. How do you expect learning Jesus to show up in your life?
It is Christ himself who teaches us about himself! When we are “taught in him,” we learn who he is, how great we should reckon him to be and what hope is in him. We learn “in him” what sort of people believers ought to be. Ambrosiaster (fl. 366-384), Epistle to the Ephesians 4.21
Pray Psalm 46.1-3, 6-11.
Rejoice in the Lord, that you are learning Him and finding Him to be your refuge and strength. Pray that you will learn more of Jesus today and that more of Him will show through you in all you do.
Sing Psalm 46.1-3, 6-11.
(St. Chrysostom: We Have Noe Known Thee As We Ought)
God is our refuge and our strength; He is our help in times of need.
Thus though the earth beneath us should change, the sea engulf the mountain range.
Waters may roar with raging speed; yet God will rescue us at length.
Kingdoms arise and rage and roar, threat’ning the earth with sore distress.
Nations may fall, earth melt away, His Word is yet our hope and stay.
God is among us, ever to bless; He is our stronghold evermore.
Come see the works of God’s Right Hand! He breaks the nations of the earth,
shatters their foolish weapons and pride, sets all their sinful strength aside.
Them He will show His infinite worth as they before His judgment stand.
Rest in the LORD and be at peace, all who are mired in sore travail.
Lift up our God, praise Jesus our Lord; proclaim to all the earth His Word!
God is our stronghold, never to fail; thus may our hope and joy increase!
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Do you know Jesus or just know about Him. Our book, To Know Him, can show you more of what Paul means by “learning Jesus.” Order your copy by clicking here.
Other columns of interest: This week: In our ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” we wrap-up our discussion of the Biblical teaching on justice. Our Read Moore podcast is working through The Gospel of the Kingdom, looking for the true Gospel of the Lord. The Crosfigell teaching letter continues our study of the life of Brigit, a contemporary of Brendan. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
