Paul is going to tell us, from chapter 4, verse 17, to the end of this book, how to get rid of that old coat and how to accommodate new clothes for the new man. We have learned what the new man is in the first three chapters.  Now we’re going to learn how the new man lives in the last three. He talked about the new nature and all treasures that are ours in chapters 1 to 3, and now, Pual is going to teach us to put on the new man and put off smelly, external, old man. Ephesians 4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk.

In verses 7-10 Paul challenges us to recognize that we are all gifted to serve the church and to remember what it cost Jesus to make those gifts available to us. One of God’s gifts to the church is leadership. In verses 11-16, Paul describes the leadership gifts and then expounds upon the purpose and plan for church leadership.

In the first three verses of chapter 4, Paul challenges us to be one, a united body in Christ and he shares the qualities that are necessary to achieve this: humility, gentleness, patience and tolerance, qualities that can only be lived out by the power of the Holy Spirit. In verses 4-6, Paul gives us the seven elements that are the foundation of unity. Now in verses 7-10, Paul turns his attention to the individuality of believers in the church, each gifted for the purpose of strengthening the church and bringing glory to God. In this passage, Paul challenges us to recognize that we are all gifted to serve the church and, remember what it cost Jesus to make those gifts available to us.