The New Self: Ephesians 4:17-32

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

No longer. The phrase marks transformation. Once you lived that way. Now you must not.

The futility of their thinking. Empty thoughts. Purposeless reasoning. The mind spinning in circles, arriving nowhere. Pagan philosophy was impressive, but it led to futility.

They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

The progression is devastating. Darkened understanding—the mind cannot see. Separated from life—cut off from the source. Ignorance—willful, culpable not-knowing. Hardened hearts—the root cause of it all.

The heart hardens. Ignorance follows. Separation results. Darkness descends.

Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

Lost sensitivity. Calloused. Unable to feel what should be felt. The conscience seared. The moral nerves dead.

Given themselves over. No one forced them. They gave themselves. Voluntarily surrendered to sensuality. And the result: every kind of impurity. Greed that is never satisfied.

This is the life you left behind.

That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

Not the way you learned. Christianity came with teaching. Instruction. A way of life that was learned, not just felt.

In accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. Truth—not opinion, not preference, not cultural convention. Truth that is in Jesus. He embodies it. He teaches it. He is it.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires.

Put off. The clothing image. The old self is like a garment—dirty, worn, corrupted. Take it off. Remove it. Discard it.

The old self is being corrupted. Present tense. Still decaying. Still deteriorating. Deceitful desires promising satisfaction and delivering destruction.

To be made new in the attitude of your minds.

Made new. Renewal. The mind—the attitude of the mind, the orientation, the default settings—renewed. Transformed thinking leading to transformed living.

And to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Put on. The positive command. Not just off with the old but on with the new. Clothing yourself with a new identity.

Created to be like God. The new self is a new creation—made in God's image, reflecting his character. Righteousness and holiness—the family likeness restored.

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

Application begins. Put off falsehood. The old self lied. The new self speaks truth. Why? Because we are members of one body. You don't lie to your own body parts.

"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Anger acknowledged. You will get angry. But in your anger, do not sin. Time-limit your anger—don't carry it overnight. Why? Because lingering anger gives the devil a foothold. A position. A beachhead from which to attack.

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

Stealing stopped. Work begun. Not just for self but for sharing. The transformation is complete: from taking to working to giving.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

The mouth transformed. Unwholesome talk—rotten, corrupted, damaging—out. Helpful speech—building up, meeting needs, benefiting listeners—in.

Speech has power. The old self tore down with words. The new self builds up.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Grieve the Spirit. The Spirit can be grieved. Our sin saddens him. Our falsehood, our anger, our stealing, our corrupting talk—it grieves the one who sealed us.

Sealed for the day of redemption. The Spirit's seal guarantees our future. But that doesn't mean our present doesn't matter to him.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

The list of what must go. Bitterness—the poison swallowed and held. Rage—the explosion. Anger—the simmer. Brawling—the verbal fight. Slander—the attack on reputation. Malice—the wish for harm.

All of it. Every form. Gone.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

The replacement virtues. Kindness. Compassion. Forgiveness.

Just as in Christ God forgave you. The measure. The standard. The motivation. You were forgiven infinitely—now forgive. You received kindness in your rebellion—now be kind.

The old self is put off. The new self is put on.

The transformation is real. The change is commanded.

By grace, in Christ, through the Spirit—become what you already are.