Direction rather than directions? What does that means? Put simply, it means that when we become Christians, when we make the conscious decision to follow Christ, our life changes direction. Too often we think of religion, and specifically Christianity, as a series of rules that we must follow. While it is true that there are things that we are to refrain from doing, there are also things that we are to do. If our life in Christ is only about what we don't do, we have missed the point entirey. In this passage, we see Paul teaching the Ephesians, and through them us, that for every thing we give up in our old lives, there is something new, something better, something life-giving that replaces it in our new lives. We see that this new way of living is not the result of following a certain set of rules, but is the natural outcome of a life spent following Christ and being filled with His Spirit.
The fact that our new life is based on a direction rather than directions is made evident in the very first verse of this passage. "You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do" Paul instructs the Ephesians. It immediately calls to memory Paul's statement just a few chapters before that "you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you once walked" (Ephesians 2:1-2). The idea of walking, of heading in a certain direction is a theme that runs throughout the letter to the church at Ephesus. We see that a certain callousness characterizes the way that the Gentiles "walk". They "have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity." (4:19) Interestingly, this word callous literally means that they have lost the ability to sense or feel. When we attribute that state of being to the way we interact with others, we find that sensuality and impurity are the natural conclusion. In short, our lack of any ability to discern the feelings of others leads us to use them for our own sensual pleasure. The phrase "greedy to practice every kind of impurity" communicates well the fact that our own acts of sensuality are born out of a selfish desire for physical gratification, and like any other type of action motivated by greed, the ends always justify, or in this instance fail to justify, the means.
The passage continues with warnings against several types of negative behavior, but balances these warnings with instruction in the type of positive behavior that should replace this old destructive lifestyle. The first can be generalized as behavior that stems from the use of our speech. Specifically, the Ephesians are told to put away falsehood, and instead speak the truth. It is no conincidence that this teaching echoes what we find in Zechariah 8:16. Indeed, Paul is showing us that the marks of a peaceful and prosperous Zion that we find in Zechariah are the very same characteristics of the Christian community.
The second warning is against allowing our anger to carry us into sin. It is a subtle reminder of Jesus' teaching that behind serious transgressions like murder lies a heart full of anger. Anger is a reality. There will be times when anger comes over us in a wave that seems irresistable. However, we are to remember that that if we allow anger to take root, the devil has gained a foothold in our heart. Murder and violence are almost always the end result of a series of steps me take in our heart, the first of those steps being anger. When we allow our anger to define our image of someone else, we have begun the process of dehumanizing them, and made violence that much more of a reality.
The final type of behavior that is condemned is stealing. It seems pretty obvious that a violation of one of the ten commandments would be deemed a transgression to be avoided. However, the real message is not that stealing is wrong. The real message goes much deeper, challenging what motivates us to work and accumulate material possessions. The theif is told to no longer steal, but to do honest work "so that he may have something to share with anyone in need" (Ephesians 4:28). Why do I get the feeling that Paul is no longer talking to the ones with "sticky fingers"? I am left wondering, what is my motivation for working, for earning a living? Is it simply so I don't have to steal from others? Is it so I can have nice things? OR, is it so that I can share what I have with others? Again, our old mindsets are not only torn down, but new, life-giving, community-building ones are erected in their place.
As we near the end of the passage, we see that our actions should in some sense affirm the "Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30) Despite the lack of the reference to baptism, it's baptismal language. Together with the repetivive theme of putting off our old selves, and putting on a new self in Christ, the language reminds us of our baptismal vow. It reminds us that in our baptism we become a new creation, made in the likeness of this Jesus in whose footsteps we now walk. As we turn to look over our shoulder, we see all the things that marked our old lives; bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slandor. As we see all of those old traits and characteristics disappear over the horizon of our past, we once again gaze ahead to see that this new direction looks altogether different. As the light provided by kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness grows brighter, we are assured that we are indeed walking in the right direction. We are walking in the direction of Christ.
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