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Ephesians Lesson 5

PUT ON THE NEW SELF IN CHRIST

Ephesians 4:17-32
Key Verse: 4:23,24

“To be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Over the last several years I had chances to visit missionaries in various places. I saw that missionaries in their mission field sacrifice much and struggle to live by faith. Some are very successful in their mission field, while others are not. However, I realized that most of them suffer from similar problems even though their circumstances are different. To name a few, they suffer from language barriers, cultural adjustments, financial burdens, managing general stress, raising children, health problems, marriage difficulties, loneliness, etc. But surprisingly enough, the most serious problem missionaries face are not the problems I just mentioned. The number one problem missionaries face is a relationship problem with other missionaries and coworkers in their mission field. Christian life is a relationship, our relationship with God and our relationship with one another. Apostle Paul, a missionary, was fully aware of the importance of relationships among believers. In the previous passage, Paul encouraged the Ephesian Christians to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. He also mentioned the necessity of spiritual maturity by saying in 4:13, “Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” In today’s passage, he gives more practical instructions. We learn that each of us needs to put on the new self in Christ. Let’s think about what it means to put on the new self in Christ.

First, we must no longer live as the Gentiles do (17-19)

Look at verse 17. “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.” Here, Apostle Paul strongly encourages the Ephesians not to live like the Gentiles do. Of course, we cannot deny that there are noble and sincere people among the Gentiles. But when Paul refers to the Gentiles, he meant the ungodly and idol worshipers who deny the truth that God created the heavens and the earth. One of the greatest deceptions of the devil is that God did not create the world. Those who deny the truth of God’s creation have no real foundation. Since they have denied the truth of God, their thinking is confused. Paul called it the futility of their thinking.

Sir Isaac Newton, a great scientist, had made a perfectly scaled -down replica of the solar system for his studies. A large golden ball represented sun at the center, and the known planets revolved around it through a series of wheels, belts, and gears. It was an incredible machine. One day while Newton was studying his model, an agnostic friend stopped by for a visit. The man marveled at the machinery and asked. “Wow! Who made this machine?” Newton replied, “Nobody. It just happened.” “Nobody? It just happened?” “That’s right,” said Newton, “all of these balls and wheels, belts and gears just happened to come together, and by chance they began revolving in their set orbits with perfect timing.” The message was clear.

According to Romans 1:19, from the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and the sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God and his creation. Therefore, when people deny the truth of God’s creation, their minds become dark and confused.

Look at verses 18 and 19. “They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.” The consequence of their denial of God’s truth gets worsened as they harden their hearts with many excuses. They think that they can enjoy their lives without God. But they are not that happy. Our minds and hearts are very important parts of our body because our happiness depends on the condition of our inner person. When our minds and hearts are darkened and hardened, we cannot be truly happy even when we wear nice clothes and drive expensive cars. The consequence of the denial of God’s truth is even more horrible. According to verse 19 says, due to the emptiness of their hearts and minds, the ungodly cannot be satisfied with the normal way of life. So they indulge in more and more pleasures and sensuality until they become perverts. Even though they claim to be smart, they are not wise. They are fools because they are ignorant of God’s impending judgment upon their ungodliness.

Christians should not live like the ungodly Gentiles do. But they should live a life different from the ungodly. Most of all, they should fear God and live before the presence of him every day. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

Second, put on the new self in Christ (20-24)

Look at verses 20 and 21. “You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.”  The Christian life is not based on man-made theories, which change as the time changes. Christians have values, goals and interpretations of life based on the truth of God. For example, the Ephesian Christians were the Gentiles who lived ungodly lives, following their sinful desires. But they came to know the truth of God through their faith in Jesus Christ. In other words, they came to know God and Jesus Christ personally through the repentance of their sins. They were also taught the truth that they should to live a new life in Christ. According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, anyone who is in Christ Jesus is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! But that does not mean that we don’t have any more problems. Why not? It’s because we still have the old self in us.

Look at verse 22. “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires.” Since we still have the old self with its corrupted and deceitful desires, we have to struggle between the old self and the new self. What do we do with our old self? Paul says that we should throw away the old self because the old self is basically corrupted and deceitful, no matter how noble or desirable it may look. In other words, our sinful desires cannot be modified, renewed or repaired no matter how hard we may struggle to change because they are totally spoiled, like a rotten apple. If we live according to our sinful nature, we will die in sin. That’s why Jesus said to Nicodemus, a Jewish holy man, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” (Jn 3:5)

Look at verses 23 and 24. “To be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” God does not want us to live in our old self with its corrupted and deceitful desires. By sending Jesus Christ, he provided us a new way of life in him by putting on the new self in Christ Jesus. Paul said in Romans 13:13 and 14, “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” Don’t even think about it!

What does it mean to put on the new self in Christ? It means that we who belong to Christ Jesus should crucify the old self, the sinful nature with its passions and desires, in order that Christ may dwell in us. (Gal 2:20, 5:24) Saint Paul himself had to struggle every day to put off his old self and put on the new self in Christ Jesus. While he struggled spiritually, he had to die to his pride and many other sinful desires. So he said in 1 Corinthians 15:31, “I die every day– I mean that, brothers.” Denying his pride and sinful desires in Christ was like dying humanly. But when he died to his old self in Christ, a miracle happened to him, that he was recreated in the beautiful and holy image of God by the work of the Holy Spirit. Likewise, when we struggle spiritually to put off the old self and to put on the new self in Christ, we can become a new creation, a better man in Christ day by day. We can grow in true righteousness and holiness. We can become humble like Jesus, gentle like Jesus, patient like Jesus and forbearing like Jesus and loving like Jesus.

There is also an important point that we should not ignore in this part. Look at verse 23a again. “To be made new in the attitude of your minds.” Paul was saying that the attitude of our minds is very crucial in our spiritual growth and maturity as Christians. Of course, he was talking about more than the intellectual aspect of our minds. He was talking about the spiritual aspect of our minds. In other words, there must be spiritual renewal of our thoughts and attitude. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is –his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

It’s easy to fix our hair style or to change our style of clothes. But it’s very hard to change our old way of thinking. The attitude of our minds and hearts are easily ruled by sin, such as pride, prejudice, jealousy or any other sinful desire. Therefore, there must be a spiritual renewal in our thoughts and attitudes. Otherwise, even though we may hang around Christians in the Christian fellowship, we can never experience new birth or new creation in our lives. Instead, we only become like an old wineskin, which is so rigid and inflexible that it cannot contain new wine. In short, we should become new wineskins by renewing of our minds and hearts. That’s why Jesus said in Mark 2:22, “No one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins.”

Then how can we be made new in the attitude of our minds when we are so stubborn? It is possible through the power of God’s words. When Jesus prayed for his disciples, he said in John 17:17, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” Also Saint Peter said in his letter, “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring the word of God.” Hebrews 4:12 also says, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to diving soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” God gave us the word of God so that we may be made new in the attitude of our minds and hearts and become a new creation. When we study the word of God, our sins are exposed in the light of God. However, as long as we remain unrepentant, we remain in darkness of sin and cannot experience the joy of God’s salvation. Therefore, we need to struggle daily before the word of God and made new in the attitude of our minds and hearts through sincere repentance.

Third, for we are all members of one body. (25-32)

Verses 25-32 give more practical instructions for our relationships with other believers in Christ. Although there are many different instructions concerning the matters of lying, anger, stealing, speech, bitterness, etc., the underlying idea is that we are all members of one body.

Look at verse 25. ‘Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” This verse teaches us a very crucial truth to our relationship with other believers in Christ. First of all, each of us must get rid of falsehood. There must not be any pretension, distortion or any intentional lie in Christian relationships. Paul says that we should be able to speak truthfully to our neighbors. Well, it does not mean that we should be so honest that we can even hurt others. What shall we do then? We should be like Jesus to be truthful and graceful. When Jesus confronted a Samaritan Woman, she didn’t tell the whole truth to him. Although she had five husbands and a living roommate, she said, “I have no husband.” But Jesus didn’t rebuke her by saying, “You are a terrible liar.” Instead, he said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” (Jn 4:17,18) Jesus was so graceful and truthful in dealing with this sneaky woman. Although she didn’t seem to be trustworthy at that time, Jesus still trusted her in such a way that she was deeply touched and a personal relationship was build up between her and Jesus.

Likewise, Christians should be truthful and graceful toward one another even more because we are all members of one family in Christ Jesus. We cannot separate from one another because we belong to each other in Christ. When our trust is damaged, it’s hard to restore. One of the characteristics of love is to always trust. (1 Cor 13:7) Even though we have many weaknesses, we should learn to be truthful and graceful toward one another in Christ.

Look at verse 26. “‘In your anger, do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” When we are angry, we lose our control and become a new person, not in a good way but in an ugly way. So somebody defined anger as “momentary insanity.” When we lose our control, we become vulnerable to the devil’s temptation. Of course, there are righteous indignation and holy anger. Jesus often became angry toward the stubbornness and wickedness of the Jewish religious leaders in his time. But he never lost his temper. He was able to control his anger. However our problem is that we get angry with the wrong person at the wrong time. Such anger really damages our relationship with others. Nobody wants to hang around an angry person.

Mostly harsh and thoughtless words stirs up anger. Therefore, we should not provoke others by saying thoughtless and harsh words. But no matter what the reason is, man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, we should learn to control our anger before the Lord. James 1:19 says, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Most people are slow to listen and quick to speak and quick to become angry. Then they regret it. But we should do the opposite, quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to become angry. In that way, we don’t become insane in anger. We can manage anger.

Look at verse 28. “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.” At that time, stealing was practiced so widely among the Pagans as a means of survival. Those who have the habit of stealing must learn to work hard not only to support himself but also to share with those in need.

Read verses 29 and 31 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” One of the most serious problems of believers is that they just don’t get along with one another. They suffer from bad relationships. For example, when somebody says and does things that we don’t like, we hold grudges against him. Then such ill feeling leads to bitterness, to anger, then to gossip, to brawling or even to slandering. When a person or any Christian fellowship is full of such sins, the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us, is deeply grieved. God cannot use such a person or such a fellowship. The worst thing is that such a person or a fellowship becomes the devil’s playground. Therefore, we should get rid of bitterness and anger. Unwholesome talk is poisonous and very harmful. Therefore, we should learn to use our mouths only to speak to build up one another in Christ Jesus.

Look at verse 32. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” This verse teaches us that we should not hold grudges against each other. Instead, we should be willing to forgive. God knows each and every sin we committed. If God holds grudges against us, we are already dead. But he is so willing to forgive. The people of Israel were so wicked and disobedient to him. Yet, he said to them through Jeremiah, “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” As sinners forgiven by God, we need to learn to forgive and forget. Actually when we don’t forgive others, we are not hurting the person who hurt us. We are only hurting ourselves. But by forgiving them, we can be relieved and experience the healing hand of our Lord Jesus Christ. Where there is forgiveness, there is healing. Where there is forgiveness, there is unity.

Our enemy Satan wants to get a foothold in our lives. But when we are united in Christ, Satan cannot get a foothold in us. May God help us to live a godly life, learning to be graceful and truthful, willing to forgive and building one another up in Christ. May the Lord help us to establish a wonderful family of God among us so that we may become a blessing to all people, especially to many broken hearted young teenagers and college students. Most of all, may we put on the new self in Christ daily. Let’s read our key verse, verses 23 and 24. “To be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”