JUNE 22 / JUNE 29, 2014
THE CHRISTIAN’S GREAT TRANSFORMATION
INTRODUCTION:
1. The Apostle stated the theme of this practical section in Verse 1. “…walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.”
2. In the previous exhortation we see what walking worthy entails as it pertains to the practical means of attaining to perfect Christian manhood, which is perfect conformity to Christ.
3. In our present passage we see that walking worthy of the Christian vocation means that the believer in Christ lives separate from the world with which he was formerly aligned.
4. In these verses we see The Christian’s Great Transformation. Every aspect of his life is undergoing a complete change. He is being instructed by a different Teacher, (Verse 20), so that his mind is being renewed, and his character is being transformed after the likeness of his new Teacher.
5. Notice, as we endeavor to walk worthy of our high and holy calling, let us keep the following in mind.
I. THE LINES OF DEMARCATION AND SEPARATION MUST BE CLEARLY DRAWN BETWEEN THE CHRISTIAN AND HIS FORMER LIFE. (VERSES 17-19)
A. THIS IS A MATTER OF GREAT SOLEMNITY AND CONSEQUENCE. “This I say…and testify in the Lord.”
1. The Apostle here intends to give the strongest possible emphasis to this exhortation.
a) To testify is to solemnly enjoin; the equivalent of “I adjure you;” to call for the witness of God (For a similar charge see Rom. 12:1ff)
b) It is in the Lord, i.e. in communion with and having access to the mind of Christ, that he adjures them.
2. He is urging on their conscience in the strongest of terms their duty as Christians.
B. THE CHRISTIAN IS BOUND BY CONSCIENCE TO ABANDON HIS FORMER WAYS. “That ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk.”
1. “Henceforth,” i.e. from this time forth. This draws a line between before and after conversion.(I Pet. 4:3)
2. To walk in Scripture language includes all manifestations of life; it includes the inward as well as the outward, both seen and unseen. (Gen. 5:22a; Heb. 11:5c)
C. THE CHRISTIAN MUST REPUDIATE THE INWARD CORRUPTION OF THE MIND WHICH IS MANIFESTED IN OUTWARD ACTIONS. “…in the vanity of their mind.”
1. The mind includes one’s reason, understanding, conscience, affections.
2. Scripture speaks of “the desire of the understanding,” and of “the understanding of the heart.”
3. “Vanity of the mind” includes moral as well as intellectual worthlessness.
4. Christians must now repudiate the moral and intellectual vanity of the world.
D. THE CHRISTIAN MUST RENOUNCE THE WICKEDNESS THAT FLOWS FROM THE INWARD CORRUPTION OF THE UNGODLY. (VERSES 18-20)
1. The natural man is void of spiritual understanding, and thus without saving knowledge. (Verse 18)
a) He is still an alien from the life of God. These believing Ephesians were themselves in that state before they came to Christ. (Ch. 2:12)
b) Having the understanding darkened, they remained in ignorance. This is the spiritual state of all lost men. (II Cor. 4:4)
c) They are blind in their hearts. This heart-blindness is the great problem. They reject the light because they love darkness. (John 3:19, 20)
d) From this condition, Christians have been delivered. Why would we ever want to return to it?
2. These, in their blindness, literally hardness of heart, sear the conscience through obstinance, thus debauching themselves in their efforts to satisfy an insatiable appetite for sin. (Verse 19; II Pet. 2:14)
a) This is the sinner’s self-inflicted curse. In his effort to free himself form the natural restraints, (Rom. 2:15; Psa. 2:3) he pursues his freedom until he is past feeling (guilty). To be past feeling is the ante-room to hell.
b) When the sinner reaches this state, then it’s no holds barred. He from there give himself over to all manner of sin and vile affections. (Verse 9b; compare Rom. 1:24-28)
c) Christians have been saved from this awful curse, yet we are admonished to mortify these sins. (Col. 3:1, 2, 5-7)
II. THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST IS THAT BY WHICH THE CHRISTIAN IS INSTRUCTED AND GUIDED IN HIS SEPARATION FROM HIS FORMER LIFE. (VERSES 20-24)
A. THOSE WHO HAVE COME TO KNOW THE LORD HAVE LEARNED WHAT TRUE LIFE IS.
1. He has brought us out of our former darkness and ignorance, and introduced us into the life of God.
2. Christ is become our Teacher, and thus we learn not only His doctrine, but we learn Him. In learning of Him we learn Him. (Matt. 11:29) Our life-long pursuit of knowledge has one main goal, “that I might know Him.” (Phil. 3:10)
3. Of Christ alone can it be said that He is our doctrine and our teacher. The doctrine we learn is “as the truth is in Jesus.” (Verse 21c)
B. THE TRUTH WHICH WE LEARN OF CHRIST INVOLVES OUR SANCTIFICATION. (VERSES 22-24)
1. This sanctification consists of a putting off and a putting on.
a) The old man and his deeds must be put off. (Verse 22) All of the old sinful garments of the flesh must be taken off and laid aside. (Col. 3:9)
b) The new man must be put on. This is the new creation which is in fact restoration. (Verse 24)
c) Col. 3:10; II Pet. 1:4
2. This sanctification involves a renewing of the mind. (Verse 23)
a) The renewed mind is the stimulus for this great transformation. (Rom. 12:2)
b) This renewing of the mind begins with God’s regenerating work in us. (Tit. 3:19) It continues as part of His sanctifying work in us. It is part of our learning Christ. (Phil. 2:5)
c) Let us pray with David, “Renew a right spirit within me.” (Psa. 51:10)
d) II Cor. 4:16
III. THE NEW MAN AND HIS RENEWED MIND IS SET IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE OLD MAN AND THE VANITY OF HIS MIND.(VERSES 25-32) In these verses the Apostle exhorts to five duties of the Christian, each of which gives evidence of a transformation of the character, and a renewing of the mind. They show that the old man, like a dirty garment, has been put on. In each of these exhortations the Christian duty is contrasted with, and set against what would have been our former conduct or action. He first gives the negative and then the positive, followed by the motive.
A. THE FORMER HABIT OF LYING IS TO BE PUT AWAY FOR SAKE OF SPEAKING TRUTH. (VERSE 25)
1. Lying is the cloak of the old man. (Tit. 1:12) A lying spirit is part of the fallen nature. (Psa. 58:3) Deception is the device of the Serpent; (I Tim. 2:14) it is his essential nature (John 8:44). Thus, lying and deception are the way of the world, because it is under the sway of the god of this world.
2. Truth, on the other hand, is a defining characteristic of a Christian. He has learned Christ, who is Truth itself. (Jn.14:6) Truth is light, and believers are children of light. Truth defines Christian character (Rom. 13:13a); and truth is the ethical and moral principle within the church. “Let every man speak truth with his neighbor.” (Verse 25b)
3. Note the motive: Believers are untied together with Christ in one body. “Ye are members one of another.” Would we deceive our own members!? “If the eye spots a serpent, will it lie to the foot?” Chrysostom.
B. SINFUL ANGER IS A GARMENT OF THE OLD MAN, BUT OURS IS TO BE RIGHTEOUS ANGER. (VERSES 26, 27)
1. All anger is not forbidden. “Be ye angry and sin not.”
a) Feelings and expressions of displeasure are not in themselves sin.
b) Holy anger at wickedness and injustice is actually God-like.
c) However, we must ever be cautioned not to allow righteous indignation to become an occasion for sin.
2. Anger must be kept in check; what are its checkpoints?
a) There must be a just cause for anger.
b) It must be clear of bitterness.
c) It must not survive the day. (Verse 26b)
3. Note the motive: (Verse 27; See II Cor. 2:7-11)
C. THE FORMER PRACTICE OF STEALING MUST CEASE, AND HONEST LABOR TAKE ITS PLACE. (VS. 28)
1. Theft had been a way of life for some of these Gentiles, but now they had become Christian.
2. All kinds of dishonest gain are forbidden, including not giving due labor for a day’s pay.
3. The godly person will put his hand not to theft, but rather to honest labor.
4. Note the motive: “That he may have to give to him that needeth.”
a) Two sins are here condemned, theft and laziness.
b) Two virtues are here encouraged, honest work and Christian charity.
c) It is “blessed to give,” and our labor is a means to have the blessing.
D. ALL FORMS OF FOUL SPEECH ARE NOT ALLOWED BUT WHOLESOME SPEECH IS ENJOINED. (VERSES 29, 30)
1. This word corrupt means putrid; used of rotting fruit (Matt. 7:17) rotting meat (Matt. 13:48). This describes quite well what comes out of the mouths of ungodly men and women.
2. Good speech, on the other hand is useful for edifying. It is like good food for nourishing the body to make it grow strong – not rotten or contaminated.
3. Good speech ministers grace to the hearers. What a blessed use for our tongues! (Col. 3:16; 4:6)
4. Note the motive: That we grieve not the Holy Spirit.
a) What profanes the temple grieves the Holy Spirit. (I Cor. 3:16, 17; 6:19)
b) Not only does our sin offend His holiness, it wounds His love. “Whereby ye are sealed.” (See Ch. 1:13)
E. THE MALICIOUS, VENGEFUL SPIRIT IS PUT OFF WITH THE OLD MAN, WHILE THE NEW NATURE BRINGS A VERY DIFFERENT SPIRIT. (VERSES 31, 32)
1. These must be done away: Bitterness, that is, a harsh, poisonous spirit; wrath, that is a stewing, plotting, vengeful spirit; anger, that is, an impassioned rageful spirit; clamour, that is, a loud shouting spirit, malice, that is, a desire to injure.
2. Christ gives a quite different spirit which exercises itself in being kind, that is disposed to good (See Luke 6:35); tender-hearted, that is, having “bowels of compassion” (Col. 3:12); forgiving, that is, freely pardoning.
3. Note the motive: We have been freely pardoned. “As God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (See also
Col. 3:12, 13)
IV. THE CHRISTIAN IN ALL THAT HE DOES IS TO BE AN IMITATOR OF GOD. (CH. 5:1, 2) The chapter division in this instance is unfortunate, because it breaks up a passage which in its sense is indivisible. It severs the all-important conclusion. “Be ye therefore followers (mimetai, imitators) of God.” As God for Christ’s sake has forgiven (freely pardoned) us, let us therefore follow His example.
A. THE DUTY OF EVERY CHRISTIAN IS TO STRIVE TO BE GOD-LIKE. “Be ye therefore followers of God.”
1. As God is Spirit, there is no outward example to follow, only the spiritual disposition of kindness, tenderness, and forgiveness.
2. As God is perfectly manifested in the Son, we may, as we follow Christ’s example, be followers of God. (I John 2:6)
B. OUR IMITATION OF GOD IS FILIAL IN NATURE. “…as dear children.”
1. It is natural for children to imitate their parents. (I Pet. 1:14, 15)
2. As children, we are suited to be imitators, for we see not ourselves as originals, but as copies.
C. OUR IMITATION OF GOD AS HIS CHILDREN IS MOTIVATED BY LOVE. “…and walk in love.”
1. We love our Father.
2. We love His law.
D. IN FULFILLING THIS DUTY, THE CHRISTIAN FINDS IN CHRIST HIS ALL IN ALL. (VERSE 2)
1. Christ is our example in love. “As Christ hath also loved us.”
2. Our standing as God’s children we own to Him Who died for us. (Heb. 2:13-18)
3. It is the abiding efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice, as it is a sweet savor that sanctifies our striving.
a) How many of the foregoing list of duties do we perform perfectly without sin?
b) We cannot be accepted apart from Christ, and neither can anything we do be acceptable except He sanctify it.
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