New Clothes

-We all like to get new clothes from time to time

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-There are many reasons we often get new clothes

1. We like to look good

-We desire the newest styles

-We need to look modest

-The fashion industry hates modesty

-We need to base our appearance not on selfishness, but on godliness

2. Our old ones wear out

3. Our old ones do not fit anymore

-Spiritually, there are times we need to get some new clothes

-We get our new spiritual clothes in a number of ways

-Revivals

-Camps

-Retreats

-Conferences

-Personal quiet times

-Actually, we need our clothes to be renewed every day

-In doing so we must remember what Paul teaches us

-<Ephesians 4:17-24>

I. We Are To Be Different From Unbelievers. (vs. 17-19)

-It saddens me when I see a “believer” who is little, if any, different from an unbeliever

-When we are in Christ, we are a new creation

-Old things are passed away

-<II Corinthians 5:17>

-It is these types of people who often cause many to never accept Christ

-Hypocrites

A. They have faulty reasoning

1. Futile thinking

-They cannot think straight

2. Darkened understanding

-Their understanding is based in sin

3. Ignorant

-They have never known the truth

4. Blinded hearts

-Literally means “calloused”

-They have turned away from the truth

-After hearing it many times

B. They have seared consciences

-This explains how so many can seem happy to be living in some of the vilest of sins

-They have walked in sin for so long, they no longer see the evil of their ways

-Lewdness

-Unbridled lust

-Shamelessness

-Outrageousness

-Uncleanness

-Going for the mud puddle instead of the bathtub

-Greed

-Not only referring to money here

-Always desiring more

C. They are alienated from God

-The God who loves them supremely

-Shut out from intimacy with Him

-And the life He brings

-That will be the greatest horror of hell

-Alienated from God for eternity

II. We Are To Learn Christ. (vs. 20-24)

A. Being taught by Christ

-What a thrill it is to be a disciple of Jesus

-He still teaches His disciples today

B. Putting off the old man

-Refusing to return to past sins

-That is the whole idea of repentance

-Godly sorrow should flow out of our realization of the ugliness of our sins

-How much they hurt God

C. Renewing your mind

-<Romans 12:2> “Be not conformed”

-Most sins start in the mind

-That is where the temptation hits

1. Fill your mind with Godly things

a. Through scripture and Biblical teaching

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b. Through the Holy Spirit’s influence

c. Through wholesome input

-What goes in, comes out

2. Starve your mind of evil things

a. From the unholy media

b. From remembrances of past sinfulness

-Satan uses such to draw us back in

-Satan uses such to hold us captive with regret

-But what God forgives, He forgets

c. By thinking on Godly things it has been filled with

D. Putting on the new man

1. Living the life in Christ

a. In righteousness

b. In holiness

2. Exhibiting Christ to a needy world

-Not yourself

-You don’t matter at all

a. In speech

-Do you speak more about yourself, or Christ?

b. In action

-Because the world is watching

CONCLUSION

-Q: What are you wearing today?

-Q: Is it your old sinful rags?

-Active sins

-An unrenewed mind

-Filled with evil things

-Q: Is it Christ?

-Living the life He leads you in

-Exhibiting Him to the world

-Christ wants to be your clothing

-You must submit to Him today

-You put off the old clothing

-In repentance with godly sorrow

-You must put Him on