Ephesians
Pastor Gordon Crook
Chapter 4
“From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” Ephesians 4:16-28.
Notice here that Jesus is the one that “fits” the parts of the body together correctly, and only by His effectual working is any part of the body useful. I cannot try to do something in the body that Jesus did not call me to and expect it to be useful.
Every part of the body is useful in its proper place. When God’s people are willing to let Him use them in the place He wants, then there will be real edification of the body. This is always Paul’s concern. He reminds us over and over again about the body of Christ so that we don’t forget that, although we are in an individual relationship with Jesus, we are part of a body that needs one another. And so, we strive to let Jesus use us to edify others as ourselves.
It follows then that we must allow the life of Christ to be formed in us. Not just a little, but fully formed into a mature child of His. This brings a change that is noticeable. He says our “walk” (manner of life) should not be as unbelieves who live in the vanity of their minds. We cannot expect unbelievers to behave in a Christian manner since they do not have the power of the Life of Christ to enable them.
He mentions a couple of things the we see in the world today, and we should understand that this is not an exhaustive list. It is simply to remind us that we have been delivered from that mindset.
We have not learned this mindset from Jesus. On the contrary, He has taught us love which is the antithesis of the worldly mindset. And, not just taught us, but by giving us His life, He makes it possible for us to live a life that shows, not just some morality, but actually Jesus.
Put off the “old man” which is our old nature that we are born with. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20. Paul is clear that the old nature must be accounted as crucified with Christ so that the life that people see is the life of Christ.
As we account the old creation to be crucified, we will be renewed in our minds. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2. “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:” Colossians 3:10.
We are renewed as we spend time in God’s Word learning more about our Lord. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16. “Let” is the key word here. We must allow the Word to dwell (have root) in our lives.
It is the Holy Spirit that works the Word in our lives effectually renewing our mind and making us more like Jesus. “Putting on the new man” That “new man” is created in righteousness and true holiness, because it is the life of Jesus. Not because we have willed ourselves to be righteous or holy.
Now we have a list of some things that are part of the old man that need to be “put off”. He is not trying to create an exhaustive list, but really letting us know that if these things still are part of your life, you might not be yielding to the Christ life in you. These things cannot come from that righteous life. As we yield to the Christ life in us we will see these things being “put away”.
Paul never tries to get us to figure out how to make ourselves more like Jesus. This is the problem in much of Christianity today. They are trying to create some plan for how they will be “better” people. Paul only points us in one direction. YIELD.
