Putting Away Lying and Speaking the Truth Ephesians 4:25

Paul the apostle told the Ephesian church members to “put off” the old man, and “put on” the “new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness”. In chapter four and verse twenty-five of his letter, Paul wrote more specifically as he told them to “put away lying” and “speak every man truth with his neighbor”. We read:

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor:

for we are members one of another.

The verse begins, “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor:” Paul began with the word, “Wherefore” which is a supposition word that means “in conclusion, on account of, consequently, for which cause and therefore” “putting away” or “putting off, aside or away” “lying” which means “a lie, conscious and intentional falsehood, whatever is not what it seems to be, of perverse, impious and deceitful precepts”, “speak” or “utter a voice or emit a sound, articulate or tell” “every man” which refers to “each, any human being whether male or female” “truth” which means “what is true in any matter under consideration, in reality, in fact and certainly” “with his neighbor” or “friend, any other person or any other man irrespective of nation or religion with whom we live or whom we chance to meet”. Paul desired for the “truth” to be spoken rather than “lies” as the “speaking the truth” would relate to the “new man” or the new manner of living.

The verse goes on to say, “for we are members one of another.” Paul added, “for we” which refers to the Ephesians and Paul, “are members” which means “a limb or part of the body” “one of another” or “reciprocally, mutually, reduplicated and together”. Paul related the church to a “body” which is comprised of many parts and yet unified in cooperation together.

When we consider these words of Paul, we see the importance of “speaking truth” with one another. “Lying” separates, and the church is to be “unified”. “Lying” is part of our “old man”, and that old manner of living must be “put away”. We are to be “unified” as the “body” of Jesus Christ, and through the help of the Holy Spirit, let all “falsehood, perverseness and deceit” be not once named among us.

Next time Paul tells the Ephesians to “be angry, and sin not”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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