Ephesians 4:22-24 “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
The other Sunday ago, Pastor Herk continued in his sermon series through the Pauline Epistle of Ephesians stating that there is an old saying that goes: Clothes make the man. Yet, our clothes are merely a reflection of who we already are, and dress the part. I could put on some medical and a white lab coat, but that doesn’t make me a doctor. Professionals go through extensive education and training to become what they are in their profession. The Apostle talks about taking off something that we no longer want to characterize our life and putting on something new that is consistent with our new life in Jesus Christ.
Romans 12:1-2 the Apostle writes: “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” The word “transformed” is the Greek word “Metamorphoō”, like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly, to change into another form, to transform, to transfigure. Not simply adding or putting on something over the top over the existing. The 1828 Webster’s dictionary defines the word “transform as: To change the form of; to change the shape or appearance; to metamorphose; In theology, to change the natural disposition and temper of man from a state of enmity to God and his law, into the image of God, or into a disposition and temper conformed to the will of God. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
The Apostle Paul uses similar words in Romans 13:12 saying, “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” And affirms the point inColossians 3:7-10 saying, “You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Paul asks, “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
Using Scripture to explain Scripture, Galatians 5:16-25 tells us, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
The three enemies of God are (a) the sin nature and associated sinful desires of the fallen flesh, (b) the malicious and rebellious God-rejecting world system, and (c) the devil and his demonic ideology, lies, temptations and actions in this world. Jesus said in John 3:3-7, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’” This “born again transformation is only accomplished through believe in God, repentance of sin, belief that by the love and mercy of God He sent His Son Jesus Christ as the substitutionary and atoning sacrifice for the just penalty, that Jesus died on the Cross for the sins of the world and those who accept the free gift of this redemption receive salvation and forgiveness, regeneration of the spirit, a new heart that discerns the things of God and a transformed life with the indwelling Holy Spirit to direct their path forward. But, we remain in the fallen flesh on this side of eternity. Paul affirms this to us in Romans 7:18, “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”
Consciously living in the Spirit, walking in the Spirit, led by the Spirit and keeping our hearts eye upon the Lord, then though the temptations are there, you purposefully will not gratify the desires of the flesh. That is whyHebrews 12:1-2 says, Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.1 Peter 2:1 states, “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”
2 Corinthians 5:14-17 explains, “For the love of Christ controls and compels us, because we have concluded this, that One died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that all those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and was raised for their sake. So from now on we regard no one from a human point of view [according to worldly standards and values]. Though we have known Christ from a human point of view, now we no longer know Him in this way. Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].
Let's continue Pastor Herk's message on the "new you".
In Christ, Brian
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