I Insist On These Things

Ephesians 4:17-24

Introduction:  Some things need to be said forcefully, as if there is no other way.  Paul is doing that in these verses.  μαρτύρομαι: to be emphatic in stating an opinion or desire; an emphatic affirmation that something is so; to insist; affirm, implore. There are two things that he is focusing on, that are really just opposites of each other.     

I. Stop living as unbelievers   vs. 17-19, 22

     A. Gentiles   vs. 17     Americans

     B. Walk in the vanity (futility) of their minds (thinking).   Vs. 17

          1. ματαιότης: pertaining to being useless on the basis of being futile and lacking in content; useless, futile, empty, futility; emptiness, folly, and ultimate pointlessness

          2. Their thoughts don’t have any purpose.  NIrV

     C. “They are darkened in their understanding”    vs. 18

          1. The light has gone out in their minds so that they are no longer capable of understanding ultimate truth.

          2. Parallel to B

     D. “Alienated (separated, excluded) from the life of God     vs. 18

          1. They cannot understand truth because of a broken relationship with the source of truth, God

          2. Equivalent to the earlier description of the readers’ former condition as “dead” (2:1, 5) and “without God” (2:12).

          3. Caused by:

              a. Ignorance

              b. Hardness of heart

     E. “They have lost all sensitivity”   vs. 19

          1. ἀπαλγέω: to lose the capacity to feel shame or embarrassment; to lose a feeling of shame, to become calloused

          2. Think nothing of sinning.

          3.  ἀσέλγεια:  behavior completely lacking in moral restraint, usually with the implication of sexual licentiousness; licentious behavior, extreme immorality.  KJV says “lasciviousness”

                        Licentious:  lacking legal or moral restraints, especially disregarding sexual restraints; marked by disregard for strict rules of correctness.

          4. Every kind of impurity or uncleanness

     F. Corrupt   vs. 22

          1. To change from good to bad in morals, manners, or actions; rot

          2. “That old self becomes worse, because people are fooled by the evil things they want to do.”  New Century Version

You do not learn about Jesus from unbelievers who take pleasure in sin. 

Vs. 20-21

II. Put on the new person   vs. 22-24

     A. Put away the old (American) life-style    vs. 22

          1. ἀποτίθημι:  take off (like clothes), put off, lay aside, rid oneself of

          2. πρότερος:  pertaining to a point of time earlier in a sequence; before, former, formerly.

          3. “Conversation” of KJV is behavior or life-style

     B. ἀνανεόω: to cause something to become new and different, with the implication of becoming superior; to make new, renewal.    Vs. 23

                1. The present tense of this infinitive underlines the continuous nature of the renewal that is still required, and the passive voice suggests that this takes place as believers allow themselves to be renewed.[1]

                2. It is done in our mind and we have some control over it.

     C. “Clothe (put on, wear) yourselves with the new self”   vs. 24

          1. Like God

          2. In righteousness

          3. In holiness

          4. In truth

               a. This word modifies righteousness & holiness

               b. No hypocrisy or insincerity in our religion

Conclusion:  How are you doing in putting on the new person?  How much are you like your neighbors?

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[1]Lincoln, A. T. (2002). Vol. 42: Word Biblical Commentary : Ephesians.  Dallas: Word, Incorporated.