Ephesians 4: Shedding the Old Man

Today's verses are Ephesians 4:17-24.  There is much here in these few verses that I want us to look at as it relates to growing up in Christ. Yesterday we looked at the bond of love and unity as it relates to victory and how those things lead us to no longer be children, or babies in Christ.  Today is going to take us to several places in the word, so let's dive right in!

Ephesians 4:17-18  This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,  (18)  having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;

In the scriptures above, I want to take a closer look at some key words:

1. walk = to walk, or to be occupied with
2. darkened = obscured.  The word obscure can function as an adjective and a verb.  As an adjective, it means 'not discovered or known about'.  As a verb it means 'to keep from being seen, to conceal'. 
3. alienated - to estrange away; to be a non-participant
4. blindness = hardness, callousness, or stupidity.

All of those meanings are taken from the original Hebrew meaning of the word.  When we know what the words mean, the scripture comes to life in a different way.  So, here Paul is saying do not be occupied with the things the world (Gentiles) are occupied with.  They are occupied with them because their understanding of the things and life of God are darkened, or concealed so they may not see the things of God.  The world is alienated from the life of God because of the hardness of their hearts.  Remember, we are given a heart of flesh when we receive the salvation of Christ.

Ezekiel 36:26  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

The hard heart of the world, the Gentile, the unbeliever is removed when God calls us to Him and we accept Him.  He replaces the hardened heart of stone and gives us a soft heart of flesh.  Without the new, soft heart:

Ephesians 4:19  who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

BUT:

Ephesians 4:20-24  But you have not so learned Christ,  (21)  if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:  (22)  that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,  (23)  and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,  (24)  and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

What is the "former conduct"?  

Colossians 3:8  But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

2 Timothy 2:22-23  Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.  (23)  But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.

We all know the behavior of children. They are selfish and pursue what they want to pursue.  As a parent, I heard a lot "mine!" and "Am not!"  "Yes, you are!"  and "MOOOOMMMM!!!"  We show childlike behavior when we allow ourselves to get drawn into foolish and ignorant disputes..much like I see on Facebook when many of Facebook are arguing over politics, our current President, and so many other things.  What purpose do those arguments serve?  They fall into the category of foolish and ignorant disputes.  

In an earlier post, we looked at this:

1 Corinthians 13:11  When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

How do we have victory in our lives and in our walks with Christ if we still carry childish behaviors with us?  

Colossians 3:9-10  Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,  (10)  and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

Putting off childish behaviors and putting on the new man both require action on our part. It is like getting dressed after we get out of bed each morning.  As nice as it would be for our clothes to jump off the hangers out of drawers and directly onto our bodies, it just doesn't happen.  We have to go to our closet and decide what we are going to wear.  A maturing, and a mature, Christian makes the same decisions every day.  We decide what we want to put on and what are going to take off every single day. 

Galatians 5:19-23  Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,  (20)  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,  (21)  envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  (22)  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  (23)  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Paul told the church at Galatia exactly what the works of the flesh are that had to be removed from their behaviors.  These same still apply today.  We have to decide to no longer be jealous, argue, hold idols, participate in witchcraft, etc.  We have to make the decision to desire to be like Christ in our behaviors and our actions.  Love is a choice.  We have to choose to put on love.  We have to choose to be patient in that ridiculously long line with the new cashier that is moving so slow because he or she is still learning the job.  We have to choose to be kind and gentle and practice self-control.  To put those fruits of the spirit, those behaviors on, we have to choose to put off selfishness, anger, hatred, malice, and all the qualities Paul mentioned in the scriptures we have looked at so far.  It is a choice and it is our decision.

Paul followed the list of fleshly works with the Fruits of the Spirit (v.22).  As we grow in our walk with Christ, and as we put off and put on, these fruits grow in our hearts.  As they grow, the world begins to see them in us.  Notice how the fruits of the spirit are not childish qualities.  I do not know many children that are patient.  I do not know many adults that are patient.  I do not know many children, or adults, that live their lives or spread the love, joy, and peace of God.  In fact, many Christians I know are always "under the circumstance."  

So, Christians, learn to be victorious!  Learn to put on the behaviors that bring us show the world we are Christ's.  Learn to put off the things that do not separate you from the world.  Remember, we are a city on a hill...a beacon of light to a lost and dying world.  We cannot be that beacon if we do not look, speak, and act differently from the world. 

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