In Ephesians 4:25-5:2, Paul lays out a blueprint for building a strong church community. God brings us together with his kindness. Therefore, Christians should imitate that kindness in their dealings with one another. Because the community can badly be distorted by malign action, Paul instructs believers to avoid harmful habits. Christians need to imitate God’s kindness because building a strong church community rests on their accurate representation of God. Just as God draws believers into his community by love, so believers draw others into the community by love. We build the community because we show people what God looks like.

Reflection Questions on Church Community

1. What sorts of things do I see that tend to make me disappointed in church?
2. Likewise, What sorts of things do I see in the church that most encourage me?
3. If the world looks at our congregation, what would they think about the God we represent?

More from this series

1. Blessed and Adopted (Ephesians 1:3-14)
2. Understanding the Authority of Jesus (Ephesians 1:15-23)
3. From Death To Life (Ephesians 2:1-10)
4. Diversity Without Hostility (Ephesians 2:11-22)
5. A Message of Wisdom (Ephesians 3:1-13)
6. The Fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14-21)
7. The Bond of Unity (Ephesians 4:1-16)
8. Becoming Truly Human (Ephesians 4:17-24)