In Christ, I Am...made New Series

IN CHRIST, I AM…MADE NEW—Ephesians 4:17-5:2

(Series on Ephesians: In Christ, I Am…)

When our son Andy went off to college, he decided to become Andrew—again. If we called his roommate to ask where Andy was, his roommate did not recognize the name. Andrew’s name change was symbolic of a new start for him, as going off to college is an opportunity to reinvent oneself—to establish a new identity, new habits, and new ways of interacting with people.

If you could reinvent yourself at this stage in your life, what changes would you make?

Would you be less uptight, less stressed? Or would you be more conscientious, more organized, goal-oriented?

Would you calm the turmoil within you: frustration, anger, fear, or shame? Or do you need to light a fire in your soul—a new passion for life, to inspire and motivate?

In you could reinvent yourself…Would you be enjoying life more, with a more positive attitude, better relationships, and a healthier lifestyle?

Or maybe, if you could reinvent yourself, you would be a better person. You would overcome the sins you keep falling into, and you would shore up your moral weak points. You would have better judgment, and make wiser choices.

Is it really possible to reinvent ourselves? We might struggle to make big changes, but God can. In fact, what he intends for us is an extreme makeover! He gives us a NEW SELF.

Read Ephesians 4:17-24.

When we accept Christ, God re-creates us: We are “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Of course, Paul is not saying that we are gods, but that his intention is to make us as righteous and holy as God. Hebrews 12:14 says, “Without holiness no one will see the Lord.” We cannot be in the light of God’s glory without being perfectly holy, and we will be perfected in heaven.

God has already created a new self for us. It is not a different person; it is our best self. It is all that God made us to be. Our character, our personality, our capabilities, and our passions are all perfected in what Paul calls our “new self.”

Is our new self hidden away in storage in heaven, waiting for us to arrive? No! We can begin our makeover now, recognizing that there is always more to come.

Paul uses the imagery of new clothing. (Reread Ephesians 4:22-24.) It is like a new outfit hanging in our closet. We could put it on, although it is not the kind the thing we have worn before. It might even be sort of scary to wear it in public, because we are not sure how people will react. Yet we know that it is much better than what we usually wear. So put it on already!

Of course, the new self God which has for us goes much deeper than what is on the outside; it goes to the core of who we are. If Paul were writing today, he might be talking about a software upgrade, even an upgrade of our entire operating system.

Our new self comes with:

• New passions. Apart from God, we are “corrupted by deceitful desires,” resulting in…not too much fun, but never enough! Read how Paul describes it in verse 19. Sensuality suggests sexual desires, but it includes all kinds of desires: for more expensive stuff, more excitement, or recognition and approval. No matter how much of those we have, we always seem to want more. We have a “continual lust for more,” because we are seeking things that do not satisfy our deepest desires. In our new self, on the other hand, we have “sensitivity” to the good things God has for us. We revel in the love of our family, we appreciate the beauty of the world, we enjoy every little blessing, and we are secure in the approval of God.

• A new attitude toward life. Our attitude becomes like Jesus: love for people, a servant heart, strength in the face of evil, and a pure desire to please the Father. Think about what a difference that can make as we face the challenges and opportunities of life.

• A new source of righteousness and holiness. The old self tries to justify itself: Am I good enough? How can I make myself good enough? The result is often dishonesty, and trying to hide or deny sin, even from God. The new self accepts the righteousness of Christ as God’s gracious gift, freeing us to be honest about who we are and what we do. Then, as God’s Spirit touches the depths of who we are, we are made over from the inside out.

When we accept Christ, God creates for us a new self, a better version of ourselves. Our new self has new passions, new attitudes toward life, and a new source of righteousness and holiness. That new self is available to us, but we have to make it our own.