The Diaper Change (Put Off/Put On) (Ephesians 4:17-24)

Ephesians 4:17–24 NIV

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. 20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 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; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

The Diaper Changing Dad

At district assembly/family camp a dad changed his child’s diaper (not during the service, but before it) on an extra alter at the side of the tent...

I thought, what an ODD use for an alter (but, that was substantially better than using one of the dinner tables - and, it was better than trying to figure out how to change the child’s diaper in a port-a-john).

But, then it occured to me… that is what an alter is for! We go to the alter and let the Father change us.

We all have dirty diapers from time to time (maybe not actual diapers…) but we have things in our life that the Father needs to change within us.

He needs to wipe us clean, freshen us up, and change our old selves and renew us into what HE desires for us.

We all need a diaper change!

This is what Paul says in Ephesians.

There are ways of living and thinking that are NOT compatible with the way God has called us to live and to think.

We must PUT OFF the old ways and PUT ON the new ways.

Put Off

New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries: Updated Edition 659 ἀποτίθημι (apotithēmi)

ἀποτίθημι apotithēmi; from 575 and 5087; to put off, lay aside:—laid aside(1), lay aside(3), laying aside(1), put(1), put … aside(1), putting aside(2).

New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries: Updated Edition 5087 τίθημι (tithēmi)

τίθημι tithēmi; from a prim. root θε- the-; to place, lay, set:—appointed(6), assign(2), committed(1), conceived(1), destined(1), down*(4), falling(1), fixed(1), kept(1), kneeling*(2), knelt*(3), laid(22), laid aside(1), laid down(1), lay(4), lay … down(2), lay down(8), laying(2), lays down(1), made(4), make(4), offer(1), placed(4), present(1), purposed(1), put(15), puts(2), puts … away(1), putting(1), reached(1), serves(1), set … down(1), set down(1), sink(1).

Put On

New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries: Updated Edition 1746a ἐνδύω (enduō)

ἐνδύω enduō; from 1722 and the same as 1416; to clothe or be clothed with (in the sense of sinking into a garment):—clothed(6), dressed(1), enter(1), put(21).

New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries: Updated Edition 1416 δύνω (dunō)

δύνω dunō; a form of δύω duō (to sink); to enter, to sink into:—set(1), setting(1).

Putting on clothes...

In order for the new to be real, the old has to come off!

The action Paul addresses is a CONTINUAL action

It is not simply a one time wardrobe change - it is a CONTINUAL wardrobe adjustment all the time as we are being renewed into the likeness of Jesus Christ! It is a continual turning to the Father and allowing the Father to address us and change us!

This image of putting off the old and putting on the new is an image Paul uses A LOT! So, let’s look at some of them to get an understanding of the change God desires in our life...

Galatians 3:26–27 NIV

26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Colossians 3:5–14 NIV

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Romans 13:12–14 NIV

12 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. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

Speaking of the day and being ready for Christ’s return Paul again reminds us that to be ready is to cloth ourselves with Christ!

1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 NIV

1 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

We all need a diaper change from time to time...

You might think, yeah, but it’s just a little character flaw

It’s just a little bad habit

It’s just a little sin

It’s just a little anger

It’s just a little boastfulness, or lack of charity (love) or a little lack of kindness and compassion...

It’s just a little selfishness...

But, what we have learned from children and diapers - a little something in the diaper still stinks - a little something in the diaper still soils the area around it. A little something in the diaper still irritates. A little something in the diaper means it’s time for a diaper change!

But Pastor, I have been saved and sanctified… I don’t need to worry about that anymore. My sinful nature has been dealt with and I’m all good...

Introduction to Christian Theology (F. Progressive Sanctification)

While entire sanctification is a definite, instantaneously complete act, it is also a completed and continuous act. We mean by this that we are cleansed from all sin, only as through faith, we are brought into a right relation to the atoning blood of Jesus Christ; and only as there is a continuous relation to atoning blood by faith, will there be a continuous cleansing, in the sense of a preservation in purity and holiness.

Introduction to Christian Theology (F. Progressive Sanctification)

Dr. Adam Clarke asserted that “It requires the same merit and energy to preserve holiness in the soul of man, as to produce it.”

Introduction to Christian Theology (F. Progressive Sanctification)

It is important to remember that we are cleansed by the atoning blood only as we are brought into right relation to Jesus Christ; and that we are continuously cleansed, or kept clean, only as these right relations are continued… If this connection be severed, spiritual life ceases immediately.

So, we must go to the father and let the father change us!

We must bare it all before the father

We must lay it on the altar and let the father do His changing, cleansing work within us!

How’s your diaper? How’s your soul?

Is it a little soiled, dirty, less clean than it should be?

Let us kneel before the Father and allow the Father to cleanse us, change us, make us more pure and holy as we reflect Him to our world!

Soiled diapers do not reflect the Father. But, as we allow the Father to cleanse us and change us we can reflect Him to our world. And, in so doing we can attract the world to His sweet aroma in our lives!