The Transformed Life: Walking Like Christ (Part 1)
Ephesians: Growth In Christ • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Ephesians 4:17–24 (CSB)
Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts.
They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts.
They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more.
But that is not how you came to know Christ,
assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus,
to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires,
to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.
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Sermon Title: The Transformed Life: Walking Like Christ (Part 1)
Sermon Title: The Transformed Life: Walking Like Christ (Part 1)
Series: Ephesians: Growing in Christ
Text: Ephesians 4:17-24
Main Point:A New Man Walks Like Christ, With Renewed Mind.
Introduction
Introduction
Last week, we celebrated how Christ has uniquely equipped each of us with spiritual gifts to serve and build up His body, the church. We learned that we are all called to use these gifts in unity and love, working in the ministry God has uniquely called us to, so that we might grow in spiritual maturity and reflect the fullness of Christ.
Transition: But here's the key: using our gifts effectively requires more than just knowing what they are. It demands a life transformed by Christ—a life that is not conformed to the patterns of this world but renewed in mind and spirit.
This brings us to the next step in our journey through Ephesians: what it means to live as a new creation in Christ. Paul now shifts his focus to challenge us to leave behind the old way of living and embrace the renewal that comes from walking in the truth of God's Word.
I. The Old Self: Walking in Darkness (vv. 17-19)
I. The Old Self: Walking in Darkness (vv. 17-19)
Paul describes the futility and emptiness of life apart from God.
A. The Ungodly Mind
Futility of Thought
Their thinking is empty, purposeless, and without lasting eternal impact. They lack knowledge of the ways of God and they are Ignorant of sin & righteousness, right & wrong, etc. They vainly believe they are walking a path of life, but their worldview is leading them closer to spiritual death.
Example: Worldviews In Conflict with the Gospel:
Christian Theism:
Beliefs: God is infinite, personal, and sovereign. The universe is God’s creation, and human beings are made in God’s image but fallen due to sin.
Reality: Reality is both material and spiritual, with meaning and purpose grounded in God.
Implications: Morality is objective, based on God’s character. History has a meaningful direction toward the fulfillment of God’s purposes.
Deism:
Beliefs: God exists as a transcendent Creator but is uninvolved in the world. The universe operates by natural laws.
Reality: The universe is a closed system, and miracles or divine intervention are rejected.
Implications: Ethics are derived from human reason, and history has no overarching divine purpose.
Naturalism:
Beliefs: God does not exist, and the universe is self-existent. Reality is purely physical.
Reality: The cosmos operates by chance and necessity, with no overarching purpose or meaning.
Implications: Morality is subjective and grounded in human constructs. Death is the end of existence.
Nihilism:
Beliefs: Extends naturalism to its logical end: life has no inherent meaning, value, or purpose.
Reality: Reality is chaotic and absurd, with no objective truths or morals.
Implications: Nihilism fosters despair, as it denies the possibility of significance, ethics, or coherent thought.
Existentialism:
Beliefs: Arises from naturalism or nihilism, emphasizing personal meaning in an absurd universe.
Reality: Reality is subjective, and individuals must create their own meaning and purpose.
Implications: Freedom and authenticity are central, but morality and truth are relative.
Eastern Pantheistic Monism:
Beliefs: All reality is one, and the self is an illusion. God is impersonal and synonymous with the universe.
Reality: The material world is an illusion (maya), and spiritual enlightenment involves realizing unity with the divine.
Implications: Morality and individuality are de-emphasized; the goal is to escape the cycle of reincarnation and merge with the divine.
New Age:
Beliefs: Combines elements of Eastern spirituality, Western individualism, and mystical experiences. The self is divine.
Reality: Reality is a blend of visible and invisible realms, with emphasis on spiritual evolution and personal transformation.
Implications: Truth is subjective, found through mystical experiences. Ethics are fluid, focused on self-realization.
Postmodernism:
Beliefs: Rejects absolute truths, emphasizing the social construction of reality and the relativity of knowledge.
Reality: Reality is shaped by language, culture, and power dynamics, with no universal metanarrative.
Implications: Morality and truth are subjective, determined by communities or individuals. Distrust of authority and grand narratives is central.
Darkened Understanding
Sin and the enemy blind the mind, blocking out God’s truth. They are unable to comprehend or reason with the truth, they reject it as such, and because of the darkness before them they have no ability or desire to repent and turn towards the light/truth.
διάνοια- mind, understanding
μετάνοια- repentance is a changing of mind
Illustration: Smoke blotting out the sun (e.g., natural disasters like 9/11).
Excluded from Life
Because of sin they no longer reflect the image of God, and like Adam they are Alienated from the source of true life (God).
B. The Ungodly Lifestyle
Hardened Hearts & Calloused Conscience
Their ignorance and futility of mind leads to spiritual apathy, insensitivity, blindness, and stubbornness against God.
Mark 3:5 “After looking around at them with anger, he was grieved at the hardness of their hearts and told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.”
Romans 11:25 “I don’t want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you will not be conceited: A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”
1 Timothy 4:2 “through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared.”
They are dead to all feelings of shame and Godly moral conviction, and their consciences are branded and seared to no longer experience right and wrong.
Unrestrained Lives
These sinners are given up by God to the choice of their own flavor of sin (idols); they selfishly pursue fleeting pleasures that betray them and lead them deeper into unrestrained & unsatisfied lifestyles. they are always seeking, never satisfied…constantly emptied but never filled.
II. The Renewed Man: Walking In Christ (vv. 20-24)
II. The Renewed Man: Walking In Christ (vv. 20-24)
The turning point is knowing and following Christ, which leads to a transformed mind and life.
A. Knowing Christ
We cannot reason our ways to God, and even if we could we could never rescue ourselves from sin and darkness.
The new man is not created by human works or knowledge, but by the Spirit of God who opens our eyes/mind/heart to the good news of Christ. He rolls back the clouds of darkness giving us eyes to see the truth, allowing us to fix our eyes on Christ. The Spirit chisels the truth of the gospel into our stones of heart, chipping away at the hard and calloused parts, forming in us a heart of beating flesh that imitates Christ.
Christ is the source of all truth and he came so that the truth might set us free. When we hear and believe the divine message of the gospel (descension, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ) we devote our lives to Christ as disciples.
B. Following Christ (Discipleship)
Discipleship is more than intellectual knowledge; it is relational and transformative. In three steps, Paul describes how a believer becomes more than an intellectual follower, and begins to live out the truth of the gospel.
Step #1: Take Off the Old Self
Lay aside the old nature, corrupted and deceitful and let it rest where all dead things belong, in the grave. Be what you now are in Christ, forgiven & free, softened by grace, and forever changed by the truth.
Challenge: Are we still clinging to "grave clothes"?
Step #2: Be Renewed in Mind
A renewed mind is now aligned with God’s will, softened and molded by the creator to reflect and act upon the things God has planned, those that are “good, pleasing, and perfect.”
Romans 12:1–2 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”
A renewed mind is a transformative work of the Spirit, where he renews our thoughts, habits, choices, worldview, etc. This transformation removes the blinders of the enemy and allows us to set our minds on Christ and His kingdom work both now and in the future.
Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
Transformation is more than just avoiding the world, or behavior modification. The Spirit begins a work that starts internally, working to shape our outward actions. A renewed mind will always lead to a renewed man, observable to all people. Renewed mind leads to Renewed Action.
Step #3: Put On the New Self
As Born again believers, we are no longer bound to the corruption of Adam. The new self is a reflection of Christ’s righteousness and holiness. He is our model for walking the transformed life.
Romans 13:14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.”
Colossians 3:10 “and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.”
We are called not to just comprehend/think about Christ, but we must daily strive to be Christlike in all of our thoughts, words, and deeds so that we might influence others to believe the truth and live the Transformed life.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Walking in the truth of Christ transforms every part of who we are—our thoughts, our choices, and our lifestyle. We’ve been called out of the darkness of futility and sin and into the light of His truth. As the Spirit renew our minds through His Word, we are empowered to take off the old self and live as a new creation in Christ.
The old self is no longer our identity. We are not who we were—we are redeemed, renewed, and equipped to reflect Christ’s righteousness and holiness. This isn’t just about a change in behavior; it’s about becoming who God has made us to be in Him.
Invitation: Are you walking like Christ? Are you clinging to any “grave clothes” of the old self—habits, thoughts, or desires that no longer align with your identity in Christ?