A New Way of A study of Ephesians 4:17 24 on the Daily Bible refresh.

Hello my friend Dr. Brad Miller here with the Daily Bible Refresh.

This is your daily reading of the Bible from a progressive point of view.

In a bit I will read the New Testament lessons selected from the Revised Common Lectionary for this very day.

The reading is understandable.

I use the Message version Relatable.

Please listen to the points to ponder and applicable with action steps you can take.

We pray and are done in less than 10 minutes.

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Here's today's reading.

The reading is from Ephesians 4:17 24 Reading from the Message the old way has to go and so I insist, and God backs me up on this, that there will be no going along with the crowd.

The empty headed, mindless crowd.

They've refused for so long to deal with God that they've lost, touched not only with God, but with reality itself.

They can't think straight anymore, feeling no pain.

They let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion.

But that's no life for you.

You learned Christ.

My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth, precisely as we have it in Jesus.

Since then we do not have the excuse of ignorance.

Everything, and I do mean everything, connected with the old way of life has to go.

It's rotten through and through.

Get rid of it and then take an entirely new way of life, a God fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.

So in this passage we're talking about this new way of being the Ephesians.

Paul's writing to the Ephesians here and challenges us to think deeply about what transformation really means and what is authentic living.

So let's get into some points to ponder.

The first is about collective consciousness versus individual growth.

The passage speaks strongly against going along with the crowd.

This isn't about superiority or judgment.

Rather, it's an invitation to to mindful living in a world often driven by unconscious patterns and systematic pressures.

As progressive Christians, we're called to thoughtfully examine cultural norms and choose paths that promote justice, compassion and genuine community.

The second point is about going beyond binary thinking.

The text here contrast between the old way and the new way isn't really about moral categories or or shame based theology.

Instead, it speaks to an evolution of consciousness, moving from unconscious patterns to intentional living.

This transformation isn't about rejecting our humanity, but about embracing our full potential as compassionate, aware beings.

A third point is about internal renewal in relationship to external impact.

The phrase renewed from the inside and working itself out into your conduct suggests that authentic change isn't about conforming to external rules, but about an inner transformation that naturally flows then outward.

This aligns with contemporary understanding of personal growth and social change.

When we do our inner work, it ripples into how we engage with others in our world.

Here's our action step.

Practice mindful awareness of your automatic responses and inherited patterns.

Choose one habitual reaction, perhaps distress or conflict or difference, and experiment with a little more conscious, compassionate response.

That's what I want you to do.

We're going to come back and have a closing prayer in here in just a minute, but we do have something else we want you to do that is to go to our website voiceofgoddaily.com and there you can pick up our daily Bible resource for you.

It is called the ABC123 Bible Study Method and it will help you with your at home practices in Bible study.

Let's pray.

Oh God, you are the divine source of love and growth.

We acknowledge the complexity of being human in these times.

Help us release patterns that no longer serve love and justice.

Guide us toward authentic transformation that benefits not just ourselves, but ripples out to heal our communities and the world.

May we be gentle with ourselves in this process of growth while remaining committed to the work of renewal.

In hope and gratitude we pray.

Amen.

My friend, I am delighted you chose to join me for today's reading.

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Thanks much.

My name is Dr. Brad Miller and I'll be right here tomorrow with your Daily Bible Refresh.

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Remember, God's loyal love doesn't run out.

His merciful love hasn't dried up, it's created new every morning.