Ephesians 4:17-5:2 - Off With the Old, On With the New

Intro - Memory Verse Ephesians 4:22-23

Only People Made Alive in Christ can put on the New Self

Ephesians 2:4–5 ESV

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

If you believe that Jesus is real and you have faith in Him. You are saved but be careful with comparing belief with acknowledgment. Acknowledging God is different than truly believing that He is your lord. Because even the demons know that Jesus is God, but they don’t believe that He is their Lord. They won’t follow Him. Those that follow Jesus are made alive and you will see in how they walk.

A good test is this, if you sin and know the bible tells you not to do it and you have no remorse, then you might be trying to force something that you truly don’t believe in.

If you feel a conviction, then you know you are made alive and God wants you to follow that conviction and do what is right.

The Old Self (Verses 17-22)

Ephesians 4:17–22 ESV

17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,

The Old self is our sinful behavior. We are sinners and God has restored us through His son so we can walk in a sense of of this new self. The Old self is messed up:

Futility of Minds (Ephesians 4:17): The old self follows a way of thinking that leads nowhere, lacking purpose and spiritual insight.

Dark in Their Understanding (Ephesians 4:18): Those with the old mindset live in spiritual darkness, unable to comprehend the truth.

Separated from the Life of God (Ephesians 4:18): A hardened heart leads to alienation from God and His life-giving presence.

Ignorant and Stubborn (Ephesians 4:18): The old self remains obstinate, ignoring the call to repentance and wisdom.

Indulgence in Sensuality (Ephesians 4:19): The old self indulges in unchecked physical desires, often at the cost of moral boundaries.

Greediness for Impurity (Ephesians 4:19): A driving force in the old self is a relentless pursuit of impure and self-serving gains.

Deceitful Desires (Ephesians 4:22): The old self is fueled by desires that are deceptive, leading away from the truth and righteousness.

Sometimes we think that the world we live in now is bad, back in the day it was just as bad.

What are some old self behaviors that you can relate to today?

Futility of Mind: Spending hours on screens without learning or engaging in anything meaningful. This might include mindless gaming or scrolling through social media.

Darkened Understanding: Ignoring advice or refusing to consider the impact of actions on others. This might involve disregarding parents' or teachers' guidance.

Separation from the Life of God: Skipping church, neglecting prayer, or avoiding discussions about faith. This could manifest as avoiding spiritual activities or feeling indifferent about church.

Ignorance and Hardening of Heart: Refusing to apologize or admit mistakes. Middle schoolers might show this through stubbornness or rejecting feedback.

Indulgence in Sensuality: Overindulging in things like junk food or video games, focusing on immediate gratification rather than long-term well-being.

Greediness: Being overly focused on having the latest gadgets, fashion, or money. This might show as jealousy or excessive competition among peers.

Deceitful Desires: Lying or cheating to get what they want. This could be seen in cheating on tests, stealing, or spreading rumors to gain popularity.

The New Self (Verses 23-32)

Those that are made alive in Christ Jesus have a different self. A New Self. We need to put off these old clothes of garbage and sin and put on these new clothes that represent Christ.

Genesis 1:27 ESV

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

We are made in the image of Christ to represent Him. We do a bad job from time to time, especially those that aren't Christian. But I love this connection to verse 24.

Let’s read verses 23 and 24

Ephesians 4:23–24 ESV

23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Humble yourself. Humble yourself and let God transform you. Do the little things, do the spiritual disciplines like we mentioned to you. If you are made alive in Christ, then there should be some conviction to do what is right. Renew Your Spirit, Recite Verses over and over again. Let the word of God renew your mind.

We are created for this very reason to represent God. Now lets look at how we can do that.

Ephesians 4:25–32 ESV

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Speaking Truthfully (Ephesians 4:25): In the new self, we put away falsehood and speak the truth to one another, acknowledging our shared identity in Christ.

Managing Anger (Ephesians 4:26-27): The new self is slow to anger and avoids sin, not letting anger persist to prevent giving the devil a foothold.

Working Honestly (Ephesians 4:28): Instead of stealing or dishonest gain, the new self works hard to have something to share with those in need.

Building Others Up (Ephesians 4:29): The new self uses words that build up, encourage, and benefit others, avoiding corrupt talk or harmful language.

Showing Kindness and Compassion (Ephesians 4:31-32): The new self is characterized by kindness, tender-heartedness, and forgiveness, reflecting the forgiveness we have received from God.

Avoiding Bitterness and Malice (Ephesians 4:31): The new self puts away bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and malice, choosing a path of peace and reconciliation.

Forgiving Others (Ephesians 4:32): As the new self, we forgive one another just as God in Christ has forgiven us, focusing on healing and restoration in relationships.

God Forgives us of Our Sins, but we still can grieve him with our sins

Memory Verse Challenge

Ephesians 4:22–23 ESV

22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,