Ephesians 4: 17-32 - Questions you brought to the table...

We recently looked at the second half of Ephesians 4. You were asked to come up with questions with the text in mind. You all came up with some great questions and we had some good discussion time. Though, as we often do, we had to cut it short.

Here are the questions you all came up with. I'd encourage you to look these over and walk through the scriptures and these questions further. It may seem like a long list, but you can break it up over a couple of days or scan through and pick out questions that hit you. May it be a tool though in your time/walk with God.

In no particular order:

• Do I seek approval from "gentiles"/unbelievers above God?
• Do I envy the way of the "gentiles"/unbelievers?
• Am I proud of the new self, longing for it to be the only thing residing in me?
• Am I truly ready to put aside the old self? Have I resolved to?
• Do I have methods of discipline, support, & accountability to aid me in this?
• How am I actively putting aside the old man?
• (Eph 4: 25-32) Is this easy/pleasant in the moment?
• Is it worthwhile in the end? Do I truly believe it?
• Who am I not being Christlike towards?
• What were my old ways?
• Am I ready and willing to live this way and give up my old ways? Am I committed for life?
• What examples do I have of my old ways and how they have changed by the work of the Spirit?
• Am I supposed to turn my left cheek to those who are not believers and do bad things to me?
• Am I ever tempted to say mean words in anger, be bitter and angry? What helps in these times to behave rightly?
• Why is it so easy to back to the old ways?
• What actions do I need to take to be made new again & to live in true righteousness and holiness?
• What specific ways am I living for my own pleasure or self gratification?
• What are some other scripture passages this reminds me of?
• What might life look like or how would it be different if my attitudes were made new and I put on the new righteous and holy self?
• Using this list of actions as a litmus test, do I think I'm living more like a gentile or a child of God? What would my friends, family, coworkers, or others say?
• Am I accomplishing verse 29? If not, how can I do this? What about us as a group?
• Why does it say, "Do not give the devil a foothold"?
• Give 3 reasons why I should not live like the gentiles.
• What change should occur to those who have Jesus?
• What is the new self?
• What should be done in place of falsehood?
• What's the benefit of no longer stealing?
• What should replace unwholesome words and bitterness?
• How can we help each other in accountability to not be impure or live as the gentiles?
• Is what is coming out of my mouth helpful & uplifting ?
• How can we help each other to get rid of all our rage, bitterness, malice, etc.?
• How have I been giving the devil a foothold?
• What things do I still cling to that would be considered part of the old self?
• What are things that have caused my heart to harden & how can/has Christ overcome this?
• Why do I hold onto grudges sometimes?
• How do I grieve the Holy Spirit?
• What non-physical things have I ever stolen from others?
• Have I fully put off the old self? Am I truly living in the new righteous & holy self?
• Am I still allowing deceitful desires to corrupt me?
• Am I forgiving others as Christ forgave/forgives me?
• In anger, do I sin?
• Do I build others up according to their needs?
• What am I struggling to put off?
• Do I feel separated from God? Why do I feel like this?
• My new self is created to be like God. In what ways can I work out my salvation towards this end?
• What does it mean to be made new in the attitude of God?