Christ Covenant Church

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Put On the New Self

“Put On the New Self” 

Ephesians 4.17-32

Introduction

This morning we will continue our series in the book of Ephesians. Currently we are considering “The Unified Purpose of the Church” found in chapter four and the first part of chapter five. Last week we considered walking together in the unity of the Spirit found in the first sixteen verses of chapter four. (Eph.4.1-16) This morning we are considering our unified purpose to put on the new self, found in chapter four verses seventeen through thirty-two. Hear now the Word of God:

17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;

19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. 25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity. 28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. 29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Eph.4.17-32

Paul begins this section of Scripture, “So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord.” (4.17a) Paul is reminding us that this admonition to put on the new self is not just an apostolic appeal, even though that would be enough, Paul wants us to know that this teaching is affirmed by the Lord Himself. Paul’s admonition to put on the new self is the teaching of Christ’s Church. It is the true gospel. The Apostle is very familiar with those who desire to burden God’s people with man-made laws and traditions. Paul is familiar with those pretending to promote true spirituality by teaching these elementary principles of the world. But these teachings do nothing but bind a person’s conscience with legalism and rule keeping righteousness. Instead of focusing on the substance that belongs to Christ these false teachers detort gospel by judging people on what food they eat, what beverages they drink, and the keeping of certain religious festivals. (Col.2.16-17) These teachers simply detort the gospel. The Apostle Paul will have nothing to do with this type of false gospel. Therefore, he will focus on believers in Christ radiating the character of Christ through their actions and attitudes.  

Put on the New Self

In this section of Scripture, the Apostle Paul reveals our unified purpose to put on the new self. Paul’s emphasis is not primarily on the individual Christian, even though our personal sanctification is necessary. Paul’s focus is on the body of Christ as a whole. Brothers and sisters, we together as Christ’s Church must have a unified purpose to put on the new self. We together as the body of Christ are to see to it that we walk no longer as the Gentiles walk. In this section Paul will identify behaviors and characteristics of those who are in Christ. Those who have been born again. Those who have experienced the spiritual transformation when the old passes away and all things become new. Paul will not focus on a list of dos and don’ts but rather he is inspired to reveal a lifestyle that is found among those who claim the name of Christ around the world and from age to age as the Lord tarries.

Paul’s admonition to put on the new self is summarized by the phrase “that you, walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk.” (4.17b) So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk. When Paul uses the term “Gentiles” he is identifying those who live their lives without Christ. Paul is making a clear distinction between those who are in Christ and those who live separate from Christ, those who are living without God in the world. (3.12) In this passage Paul uses the term Gentiles, not as an ethnic group but as those who are walking according to the course of this world, living out the lust of their flesh, and indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind. (2.1-2)

Characteristics of those without Christ

To make sure that we understand the distinction between those who are in Christ and those who live separate from Christ, Paul writes, So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. (4.17-19)

The life without Christ is futile – empty, vain.  Therefore, the person without Christ fills their empty life with the pursuit for riches, honor, and the need to be constantly entertained. The Preacher of the book of Ecclesiastes tells us that this type of lifestyle is “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity” and that this type of lifestyle is nothing more than “striving after the wind.” (Ecc.1.2, 7-8; 3.9) 

You see, people without Christ are spiritually blind and as a result they are darkened in their understanding concerning the things of God and excluded from the life of God. This ignorance of God causes a hardness of heart that over timeslowly become callous towards anything godly. Eventually they give themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. (4.17-19) 

Even though this description of a person’s life without Christ is hard to read, it is the truth. But remember these Gentiles were the people the Lord had sent the Apostle Paul preach the unfathomable riches of Christ. (3.8) Paul was very familiar with the lifestyle of the Gentiles but he was also completely aware of the need for the power of God’s grace to deliver people from this type of lifestyle. Paul was not naïve about the culture he was called to minister the gospel nor was he timid in his expectation of the working of God’s power to transform a person’s life. Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, for he knew that it was the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also, to the Greek. (Rom.1.16)

Characteristics of those in Christ 

Paul was not shocked when a non-believer lived the Gentile lifestyle. But he was absolutely blown away when someone who claimed to be in Christ, when someone claimed to be a Christian, displayed these types of Gentile behaviors.

But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. (4.20-24)

Paul not only believe in the power of God for salvation, but he believed in the surpassing greatness of God’s power for our sanctification. Brothers and sisters, Christian conversion includes not only the confession that “Jesus Christ is Lord” but it also involves the laying aside of our old self and our former manner of life. True Christian conversion involves being renewed in the spirit of your mind. That means that you start to think differently about your lifestyle, attitudes, and personal behaviors. 

As many of you know, I grew up in a Christian home and during my childhood I got born again . . . again, . . . and again. It wasn’t until June 1976 that I truly got born again. That time was different because there was not only a change in my heart towards Christ but there was also a change in my mind regarding my lifestyle and behaviors. For the first time I didn’t want to sin anymore. It is true that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2Cor.5.17) However, the born again Christian must wage daily war against temptations and tendency to revert back to their former manner of life. The fact is we all have the tendency to do the very thing we hate. We all have the tendency to practice the very evil that we don’t want to practice. (Rom.7.15-25) The fact is that we all are “in recovery.” Not recovery from alcohol, drugs, eating disorders, anger issues, and inappropriate sexual tendencies but recovery from “all the above.” We must continually – day by day – moment by moment – lay aside the old self and put on the new self which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth – that is created in Christ. Living a Christian life doesn’t earn you salvation – No, living a Christian life is evidence that you have received salvation. Brothers and sisters, Christian conversion must be followed daily conversion.

As Christians we put to death the deeds and desires of the flesh by the Spirit knowing that all those who are being led by the Spirit of God to destroy the desires of the flesh, these are the sons of God. (Rom.8.13-14) The Christian seeks to be renewed day by day. (2Cor.4.16)

Instead of being corrupted by the deceitfulness of lust, the Christian seeks to be renewed in the true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him. To be renewed in the true knowledge of Christ. (Col.3.10) Thanks be to God that He has predestined that we would be conformed into the image of His Son! (Rom.8.29) Always remember that the purpose for predestination is that we would be conformed into the image of Son. To be conformed into the image of the Son by the work of the Spirit is what brings the Father glory.

Always Reforming

One of the enduring slogans of the Protestant Reformation of the 1600’s is the phrase “always reforming.” The idea is until we are glorified – until we are fully, finally, perfectly conformed to likeness of Christ – we as God’s children must always be reforming. Not that we continually rewrite our doctrinal standards to reflect the opinions of popular culture but rather the Spirit of God is constantly reforming our hearts and lifestyles into the image of Christ. Brothers and sisters, “Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph.5.25-27) Our lives are not yet perfect. The Lord is daily scrubbing out our spots and ironing out our wrinkles. But this lack of perfection should not prevent us from daily pursuing and progressing to put off the old and put on the new. Our holiness is not yet perfect. But the main characteristic of those in Christ is that they are always reforming their lives in the image of Christ.

Call for Renewal

Paul now issues a call for renewal in five main areas of our lives. Instead of making a list of dos and don’ts Paul focuses on five main categories of daily life that Christians should expect to struggle and calls us to seek the Holy Spirit’s assistance to lay aside to old self and put on the new self in Christ.

Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (4.25-32)

Five Areas for Renewal 

Paul issues a call for renewal in five main areas of our lives.

  1. Truthfulness (vs.25)
  1. Emotional Control (vs.26-27)
  1. Labor and Money (vs.28)
  1. Speech (vs.29)
  1. Relationships (vs.31-32)

Pattern for Renewal 

Paul uses a pattern to highlight each of these main categories of renewal. 

  • He first states what the Christian should “lay aside.” 
  • Then he states what the Christian should “put on.”
  • Lastly, he states the “motive” or “reason.” 

Let’s work through these five areas together.

Truthfulness

The first area of renewal is Truthfulness. (vs.25)

Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. (4.25)

  • Lay aside: Falsehood
  • Put on: Truthfulness
  • The reason why we are truthful is because we are members of one another. The fact is that we not only hurt ourselves when we lie – we also hurt others. Proverbs tells us that, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal faithfully are His delight. (Pr.12.22) The reason why lying lips are an abomination is because God is truth, and it is impossible for Him to lie. (Is.65.16; Titus 1.2; Heb.6.18) Can you imagine what it would be like if God lied? Humanly speaking telling falsehoods always corrupts community (marriage, family, friends, business, and church).

Emotional Control

The second area we should seek renewal is Emotional Control. (vs.26-27)

Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. 

  • Lay aside: Uncontrolled Anger
  • Verse twenty-six tells us that all anger is sinful. The Bible tells us that our sinless Lord was angry with the Pharisees for their hardness of heart against the man with a withered hand in Mark chapter three. (Mk.3.4-5) The type of anger exhibited by our Lord on this occasion could be called “righteous indignation.” But what the Apostle is talking about here in verse twenty-six is uncontrolled anger. Anger that is unbridled and fueled by selfishness. 
  • Put on: Reconciliation – do not let the sun go down on your anger
  • Admitting that your anger was inappropriate and sinful as quickly as possible is the only way to maintain a good reputation. When we are guilty of uncontrolled anger, we should seek reconciliation with those we offended as quickly as possible – even before the sun goes down. 
  • The reason we admit our uncontrolled angry so quickly is because we don’t want to give the devil an opportunity to damage our reputation. (vs.27)

Labor and Money

The third area we must seek renewal is our attitude about labor and money. (vs.28)

He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. 

  • Lay aside: Greed
  • Greed is the reason we steal. We covet what others have and believe we deserve to have it too. The problem is that we don’t have the money to buy it – so we steal it. Paul states that anyone that has this type of attitude should lay it aside – He who steals must steal no longer – and instead we should seek the Lord to cause us to be content with our wage-earning capabilities.
  • Put on: Contentment – labor, performing with our own hands what is good
  • Being content with what we earned with our own hands, our own talents, and our own abilities – is good. Jesus taught that we should be content with our wages (Lk.3.14) and the writer of Hebrews told us that we should be content with what we have. (Heb.13.5)
  • Instead of being greedy and taking what doesn’t belong to us, the Christian seeks contentment and control of their spending to the point that they will be have something to share with one who has a need.

Speech

The fourth area we should seek renewal is in our speech. (vs.29-30)

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

  • Lay aside: Unwholesome words – Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth. We learn more about what the Apostle means by “unwholesome” words by what he says afterwards – only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Therefore, unwholesome words are words that don’t edify, words that don’t need to be said, words that are not gracious. 
  • Put on: Words that build up, words that need to be said, and words that are gracious. As the Apostle told the Colossians, “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” (Col.4.6)
  • The reason we seek renewal with our speech is because we can grieve the Holy Spirit by using words in an unwholesome way. (vs.30)

Relationships

The fifth area we seek renewal is in our relationships. (vs.31-32)

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

  • Lay aside: Hurtful and divisive attitudes towards others like bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice. (vs.31)
  • Put on: an attitude of compassion – Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other (vs.32a)
  • The reason why we seek an attitude of compassion is because this is the way God in Christ has treated us. (vs.32b)

Closing Thought

And this morning we can see that the unified purpose of the Church – the unified purpose for all Christians – is to be put off the old and put on the new. None that name the name of Christ can exempt themselves from this unified purpose. Laying aside the old self and putting on the new self, created in Christ Jesus, is the call for all Christians.

Therefore, let us walk no longer like the Gentiles walk and let us seek the Spirit to assist us to:

  • lay aside falsehood and put on truthfulness.
  • lay aside anger and put on reconciliation.
  • lay aside greed and put on contentment.
  • lay aside unwholesome words and put on speech that edifies.
  • lay aside bitterness and put on the forgiveness of Christ.

Brothers and sisters, to be conformed into the image of the Son by the work of the Spirit is what brings ultimate glory to the Father. Let us glory God!

Call to Prayer

“walk no longer as the Gentiles walk” (Eph.4.17)

Benediction

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord,

be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. 

(Jude.1.24-25)