Choices Of A Redeemed Life Series

The Choices of a Redeemed Life

Ephesians 4:22-32

· This morning we looked at Paul’s command to not ‘walk like the Gentiles’. To not live like the world.

1) THE CONDITION OF THEIR MINDS

2) THE CONDITION OF THEIR HEARTS

· Tonight we will look at Paul’s second command in this passage. This morning he told us to stop doing something, tonight we are told to start doing something.

(22) that, in reference to your former manner of life, 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.

· Being who we are in Christ means a radical new way of living. Paul called it in Romans 6 ‘to walk in newness of life’. It is leaving off the old and putting on the new.

· THE FORMER MANNER OF LIFE suggests that something about who we were outside of Christ should have been left in the dust of our past.

1) LAY ASIDE THE OLD SELF: old man, old who you once were: lost, thinking empty thoughts, living with a dark understanding, separated from the life of God.

Lay aside is the language of one taking off a coat and putting it to the side and wearing it no more.

Moved from Anchorage, Alaska to Miami, Florida I would get rid of one thing for sure: WINTER PARKA AFRICAN BAPTISMS

TWO REASONS TO LAY IT ASIDE:

1. Because of what it is: being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of

deceit Foul, rotten, putrid,

2. Because of what we have: the new self, which in the likeness of God has

been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

a. PUT ON: To clothe yourself with God.

Rom 13:14 Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to it’s lusts.

2 Pet 1:4 For by these(grace & peace) He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises that by them we might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

· The lost man has a problem with his mind and his heart. In Christ we have a renewed mind and a new self. The characteristics of our new life are to be two-fold: Righteousness & Holiness.

Beginning in Verse 25 we can see some practical things that should be true about us if we have put off the old man and put on the new.

Series of verses that reflect a definite change in life.

(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 and 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.

We quickly see from reading these verses that the OLD MAN has a problem in several areas.

1. THE OLD MAN HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRUTH: (25) Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.

a. Treats truth like I used to treat silly putty: stretch it, change it around, hide

it, put a new face on it.

July 15, 1993 The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey ran a help-wanted ad for electricians with expertise at using Sontag connectors, it got 170 responses even though there is no such thing as a Sontag connector. The Authority ran the ad to find out how many applicants falsify resumes."

Famous American Fibs: The check is in the mail. I’ll start my diet tomorrow. We service what we sell. Give me your number and the doctor will call you right back. Money cheerfully refunded. One size fits all. This offer limited to the first 100 people who call in. Your luggage isn’t lost; it’s only misplaced. Leave your resume and we’ll keep it on file. This hurts me more than it hurts you. I just need five minutes of your time. Your table will be ready in a few minutes. Open wide, it won’t hurt a bit(My honest Chinese dentist). Let’s have lunch sometime. It’s not the money; it’s the principle.