Note: This is a study through the book of Ephesians as done in 1995. One of the main sources I used at the time was Beacon Bible Commentary vol. 9.
Title: The Old and New Life
Text: Eph 4:17-32
Last Sunday Night we talked of Unity in the Spirit. How that God wants his church to be unified. To work together. Understanding there are no big "I's" or little "You's" in the church. All have a part we must find what it is and do it.
Paul in the next verses change the subject a little although it still deals with the church but less from a ministry and gift standpoint and more from a life standpoint. Now I believe that the gifts in the church is very important but they can be useless if the life is not lived. When Paul speaks of a Bishop to be one of good reputation he understood that without this people will not listen. He breaks it down into two areas. The Old Life and the New Life.
I believe that most of here today are not focused on the Old Life. We have already crossed that area now we are working on the New Life. A life that is beyond. So I want to briefly skim over the Old Life and look at the New.
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, (a meaningless life)
18 Having the understanding darkened, (they don't have the illuminating of the Holy Spirit)
being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: {blindness: or, hardness}
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: (They don't know Christ because if they did they they would have been taught by him and lived the life. The importance is to know Christ)
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (Philippians 3:9-10 AV)
I. Put off the Old Man
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
We are told first of all to put off the old man. This is the way of the world. This is the old way. "former converstaion" is manner of life. All the past must be changed.
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6 AV)
So the old man is crucified with Christ. It should be dead.
II. Put on the New man
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness (right conduct in relation to man) and true holiness (conduct distinctivly relating to God). {true...: or, holiness of truth}
New man is the Christian life with a divine life. Full of Christ.
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. (Romans 13:14 AV)
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (Colossians 3:10 AV)
This happens because of a renewed mind as we read in verse 23
Notice that the new man begins in the spirit and in the mind.
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2 AV)
All as a result of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.
III. Put Away all unreality
A) Lying
25 (1) Wherefore putting away lying,(falsehood) speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
We are to put off deceptive lying. This is lying straight up or just putting on a falsehood before others. Not just what we say but what we don't say. Being deceptive in all ways.
Notice the motivation for it is not to look good for the world but in love of the church and fellow believers. This is our motivation to do right.
B) Stealing
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. {to give: or, to distribute}
What is stealing? Tring to get something for nothing. I have seen this still happen in peoples transactions.
Paul carries stealing a step further. Stealing is also not giving. When we don't have anything to give because we may have stolen from God. We must be careful not to steal from.
Wherefore (now that you are a new man in Christ you should) not lie.
Notice in the greek language there is what is called the aorist tense which denotes action that is once and for all. So the one and for all action is to put away falsehood or deception. It is more than what comes out of the mouth but what is done before others. You may be able to lie to other people and deceive them but it is true that you cannot lie to God.
We must becareful of what we want others to perceieve that is not true.
So the ture way is to speak the truth. It holds unity. It shows trust.
IV. Put away useless anger
26 (2)Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Jesus was angry and sin not.
And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. {hardness: or, blindness} (Mark 3:5 AV)
He was angry at the sin and the deceptiveness. But he knew how to control it. It was as James says in.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. (James 1:19-20 AV)
Why be slow to anger? Listen to Jesus words in Mt 5:21-22
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: {by: or, to} But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. {Raca: that is, Vain fellow} (Matthew 5:21-22 AV)
Maybe it deals with getting angry more at the sin and not the person. And being able to justify our anger as not being our cause or excuse.
But with all anger there is a time limit. If it last more than a short period of time then it becomes sin.
If anything it seems to be the wrathful anger. The one that is looking for vengence.
V. Put away impure speech
29 Let no corrupt communication (impure speech) proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. {to...: or, to edify profitably}
This could be anything from curse words to offensive words. It could be a joke or an inuendo. Anything that maybe considered offensive and not edifying. How do we overcome it try to find words that minsiter grace and blessings to others.
What is the old saying,"If you don't have anything good to say then say nothing"
Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, (Colossians 1:4 AV)
Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: (Colossians 1:6 AV)
VI. Don't grieve the Holy Spirit
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Eph 1:13
The thing is if our conduct against our brothers and sister
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. {defile: or, destroy} (1 Corinthians 3:16-17 AV)
How?
1) 31 Let all bitterness,(harboring resentful feelings) and
2) wrath,(out burst of anger)
3) and anger,(resentfulness that lingers )
4) and clamour,(boistrous face to face confrontations)
5) and evil speaking,(abusive slanderous words)
be put away from you,
6) with all malice:(covers about everything)
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
Summed up in these words. To be kind to each other with a soft heart one that is
forgiving and our greatest example is the forgiveness of Christ himself.
32b even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
How did Christ forgive?
20 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. (Matthew 18:21-22 AV)
Most of all!
All summed up in this.
Neither give place to the devil.
Don't give any opportunity to the devil he will take any open door. Although I have said that God is not there ready to pounce on you when you do wrong Satan is.
Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
