Ephesians 4:17-24 The Worthy Walk: Putting Off, Putting On

Review

Paul’s Purpose in 1st Three Chapters:

God’s Greatness, Power and Love: Throughout this letter Paul has pointed the thoughts of the Ephesians to the greatness, power and love of God.

Full & Correct Understanding of Salvation: All of the truth that Paul has set forth in these first three chapters was meant to give the Ephesians a correct understanding of their salvation and their standing in the church.

The first three chapters should have led us to a deeper understanding of our salvation, of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Those truths that we covered are a great comfort and encouragement and should lead us to stand in awe of God, to praise Him for Who He is and thank Him for what he has done.

Chapter 4

Paul transitioned from teaching the great truths of God and Salvation to the admonition to live in a way that is worthy of the calling with which the Ephesians had been called. Paul called them to work toward unity in the Church.

Unity based upon foundational attitudes of:

humility; gentleness; patience; love

Unity based upon truths of:

one body; one Spirit; one hope; one Lord; one Faith; one baptism; one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

Unity that is not Uniformity:

Although all believers were one in Christ, not all believers had the same roles in the Church. We saw that just briefly last week in verses 7-10.

Unity Achieved through Diversity of Leadership

Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers

Unity Through Maturity

Leaders equip the Church for Ministry

Church is Strengthened in Ministry and Unity

Church is protected and rejects false teaching, holding firm to the truth.

Church speaks truths to each other in Love

Foundations of a Worthy Walk include:

a right attitude

a right goal (unity)

a right understanding of that unity. (unity through diversity)

Introduction

Turn in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 4. We will cover verses 17-24 today.

Ephesians 4:17–24 NASB95

So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Pray

Worthy Walk Continued: How Not to Walk Vs 17-19

Here he tells the Ephesians how NOT to walk. Throughout the rest of the chapter Paul will contrast their former life, which is the same as the life of the world around them, with their New life in Christ.

Don’t Walk Like Gentiles

Instruction from Paul and the Lord

They are no longer to walk, to behave and live like the Gentiles do. And to add weight to his statement, Paul tells them that it is not just him that is calling for this change. He is affirming this together with the Lord. He is testifying with the Lord that this is a change they are to make in their lives. It is not simply Paul’s will but the Lord’s will for their lives.

Futility of their Mind

And as we consider that they were not to live like the Gentiles, we should note that throughout our text, even in our text last time we met, the focus is first and foremost on inward knowledge, understanding, not simply the outward actions.

In our text from last time the leaders were to equip the church which had to do with teaching truth. The Ephesians were to attain to the unity of the faith and the Knowledge of the Son of God. They were to grow up and not be carried about by every wind of doctrine (teaching). They were instead to speak the truth in Love. Knowledge, truth, winds of doctrine.

In relation to the daily life of the Gentiles, Paul speaks of the futility of their Mind and their darkened understanding. Then he goes on to speak of their actions. So the worthy walk begins within, with a right attitude that comes from a right understanding of truth.

And it is because the world at large, represented in our text by Gentiles, it is because the world at large does not have a correct understanding of reality that they live in a rebellion, in sin against God. So Paul calls the Ephesians to forsake the way of life of the Gentiles.

They way they live is in the “futility of their mind”.

MacArthur defines futility as “that which fails to produce the desired results, that which never succeeds.” I would add that not only does it not succeed, but it is that which is unable to succeed.

The thinking of the Gentiles which leads them to behave in they way they do, never accomplishes what they think it will. Their thinking is futile.

All their striving after happiness leads to disappointment.

Reason for the Futility

Ephesians 4:18 NASB95

being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;

Darkened Understanding

The Gentiles live in a way that is futile because their understanding is clouded, there is darkness as opposed to light and therefore they do not think rightly about God.

Excluded from the Life of God

And because of that ignorance that is in them, because they reject the truth about God, they are excluded from the life of God.

Hardness of Heart

They are excluded from eternal life because they reject the truth because they are unable to see it because their heart is hard, they are unwilling to see it.

Outcome of the Futile Mind

Ephesians 4:19 NASB95

and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

And as we continue on to verse 19, we must recognize that because of their darkened understanding, they live in sin which leads to a further hardening against the truth.

Callous

Unfeeling, Insensitive:

Paul says that the Gentiles had become callous. They have become unfeeling, insensitive. At one time their conscience may have accused them, for right and wrong is written on every persons heart, as they continued in their darkened understanding and life of sin, their conscience was seared.

Unrestrained - Gave themselves over...

They no longer were restrained by their conscience and increased in their sin. That is what Paul means when he says that they “gave themselves over”.

Sensuality for Practice of Impurity

Because they were no longer sensitive to sin, they had become calloused, their thinking was not sensitive to the evil of their sin, because of that they did whatever they desired.

Greediness

And their desire could never be satisfied. That is what is meant by the word greediness. Because their thinking was futile, they could never be satisfied. And so they would seek to fulfill their sinful desires greedily with no concern for others but only for self.

Application:

Let this be a reminder and a warning to each of us. As we will see, this old way of life is to be put off and not practiced any longer. Paul has made it clear that this kind of self-centered, sinful thinking only leads to a further sin and darkness.

Unbelievers: The reality is that not all unbelievers are as bad as they could be. But if you are without Christ, and continue to allow sin in your life, continue to seek to pleasure and happiness at all costs according to your way and not God’s, you will continue to become calloused and your sin will increase.

Some of you have seen this in the lives of unbelievers close to you.

Some of you may even be on this path. Sins that at one time would have shamed you, which you would have hidden from the world, you no longer care to hide. Be warned, as you give yourself over to sin, God will also remove his restraint and allow you to follow the dangerous and deadly course of your sin.

Believers: And for believers, it is obvious that we should not let sin continue in our lives. Do not become calloused even to the seemingly insignificant sins, but instead turn from them because that this the way of the World not the way of Jesus Christ.

Getting back to the text, these statements by Paul, these truths about the Gentiles, should have resounded with those to whom Paul was writing. They had been Gentiles themselves. As Paul already made clear back in chapter two, before salvation, the Ephesians were separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel...”

Here Paul reminds them that the Gentiles were not just excluded from the nation of Israel but from the Life of God.

Turning Point vs 20-21

All that Paul has said is just what they were at one time. But as Paul makes clear in the coming verses, that is not what the Ephesians were now. And in verses 20-21, Paul reminds them of the Turning Point in their lives. Look at

Ephesians 4:20–21 NASB95

But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,

Did not Learn Christ this Way

The turning point for the Ephesians, the dividing line, the difference between them and those who were still Gentiles is Jesus Christ.

Why were they not to live like the Gentiles? Because they did not learn Christ in that way.

They had learned of the Messiah and there was nothing that they learned that would have called them to continue to live like the Gentiles.

If...Heard Him / Taught in Him

If they believed that they could continue to live that way, then there was a question of whether or not they had they really heard Him and been taught in Him.

If they had heard Christ and been taught in Him, then it would be obvious to them that Paul’s teaching was correct.

Paul states in verse 20 that they had “heard Him”. Now, since they were Gentiles and Jesus’ limited His ministry on earth to the Jews, it is clear that they were not taught directly by Jesus. They did not hear his audible voice. However, the truth that they heard from Paul was the same as hearing from Christ. The word that Paul taught was the Word of Christ Himself.

And the truth that was the turning point, that differentiated the Ephesian believers from the Unbelieving Gentile world was Jesus Himself. He is the embodiment of truth. The Gentiles no doubt were very intelligent and able to understand many things that were true.

But any truth that is without Christ at the center only leads to futility.

How to Walk: Renew their minds. Vs 22-24

And so, because the Ephesians had indeed been taught the truth which is found in Christ, Paul calls them to Renew their minds.

Ephesians 4:22–24 NASB95

that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

The transformation of the life of the Christians is two-fold. On one hand, we are not to live like we used to live. Instead we are to live how we are supposed to. That is what Paul expresses in these verses.

What they Were - Ephesians 4:17-19

How they Changed - Ephesians 4:20-21

What to Do Now - Ephesians 4:22-24

Put Off the Old

The reason that Paul brings up the life of the Gentiles in verses 17-19 is because that is what the Ephesians once were. Paul makes that clear in verse 22 when he says, “in reference to your former manner of life”. They were no long to live like they used to live, like the Gentiles now live.

Paul calls them to “put off” the Old self. He describes the “Old Self” as that which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit. The Old Self was not getting better but worse, it was being corrupted. That which the Old Self lusted after was deceitful. That way of thinking as Paul has already stated was futility. It would end in emptiness even though it may have promised happiness and hope.

Put On the New

Rather than continuing in the thinking and daily living that had previously characterized their lives, they were to put off the Old man and put on the New man. The Image that Paul was calling to mind was the image of taking off an old piece of clothing and putting on a new piece of clothing. Taking off the old, worn and tattered rags and putting on Christ instead.

Renew Your Mind

However, it is not as simple as just changing outward behavior. For there to be real transformation there needed to be a change of thinking.

In verse 23 Paul calls the Ephesians to be renewed in the spirit of their mind.

Their minds were no longer darkened.

They had heard and been taught the Truth in Christ.

Therefore the way they perceived the world around them had to change. They needed inward transformation so that they would be transformed outwardly.

Continual Renewing: This renewing of their mind was to be a continual process.

New Self

And that renewing of the mind is what would give the ability to put off the Old and put on the New. The Old was characterized by corruption and deceit, the New is made in the likeness of God and has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth, Paul says in verse 24.

Salvation, faith in Christ is not something that is merely added to someone’s life. On the contrary,

2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB95

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

As we have in our text, the new self is “created”, it is created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

It is the opposite of the Old. Rather than selfishly seeking to satisfy every deceitful lusts of the flesh, the New self has been created to be like God.

The new self strives to do what is right and to be holy to God.

Paul is calling for radical transformation that begins on the inside and therefore affects the outward life of the believer.

And next week as we finish Chapter 4, Paul will contrast the actions that characterized the Old self with the actions that should characterize the New self. We will see very practical implications of having received Christ.

Summary & Application

Battle of the Mind

But as we consider the call to put off the old and put on the new, as we consider the call to live differently from the world, we must first and foremost realize that the battle is a battle of the mind.

The mind that is renewed daily is a mind that desires to live a righteous and holy life.

The mind that has not been renewed is a mind consumed with self.

It is a mind that does not seek to please God but to please self.

It is a mind that seeks pleasure and satisfaction, happiness and hope in sin and self fulfillment instead of in Christ.

And as believers, we know that we have been made alive together with Christ. We have, in the likeness of God, been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. If anyone is in Christ he is a new creature. At the moment of salvation we are no longer what we used to be.

I remember that very moment in my life. I remember that at the moment that I was born again, at that moment that God made me alive together with Christ, I remember thinking, “My life will never be the same.” But I had no idea what that meant.

Continuing Battle

Because at the moment of salvation we are still not what we will be. There is still a battle that must be fought if we are to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which we have been called. That is why God gave the leaders to the church as we saw last week. There is work to be done if we are no longer to be children. We must put off the old and put on the new as our minds are renewed daily.

Hendriksen states, “In a sense, they had already put off the old man and put on the new man, namely, when they had given their hearts to Christ, and had professed him openly at the time of their baptism. But basic conversion must be followed by daily conversion.”

If you desire to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, the calling that Paul expressed in the first three chapters, then you must put off the old and put on the new.

You must change your thinking, you must be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

That means you must begin to examine your outward actions and consider what thinking leads to them. Some you will find are in line with Biblical teaching and come from a mind that has been renewed.

But you may find that your thinking that leads to other actions come from worldly thinking, thinking that has not changed since you became a believer.

And as you begin to question your thinking, your motives behind your actions you will find that you can no longer hold onto the past, that you need to leave behind negative thinking and dramatic reactions to life’s difficulties.

As you are renewed in your thinking you will realize that you can not evaluate your circumstances and the world around you according to what you see but instead but through the eyes of faith. As your mind is renewed your thoughts will turn away from self and be focused all the more on God.

It is not enough to believe that God is sovereign. It is not enough to believe that you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. It is not enough to know that God is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we can ask or think.

All that we believe must go beyond just mere knowledge of facts. The truths that we believe must cause us to be renewed in the spirit of our mind.

Those truths must affect our thoughts, feelings and desires.

Those truths must affect the way that we perceive the world around us.

Those truths must lead us to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which we have been called. Lets pray.