EPHESIANS 4:17-32 - OUT WITH THE OLD; IN WITH THE NEW

 

4:17-32

Out With The Old & In With The New

In this passage, Paul returns to the subject of how the believer should live. He is expanding his discussion from verse 1 of chapter 4, where he said they should live a life worthy of their calling. 

He emphasizes the fact that a change should and must occur when one comes to faith in Christ. Therefore, he begins with saying that the Ephesian believers should not continue to walk as the Gentiles do. By “Gentiles”, he means the unbelieving, those who have not come to Christ. Conversion, salvation, should initiate a change in the believer. 

This is a word for believers today, also, because Christians are constantly tempted to show to the world that we really are not different from everyone else. This is an effort to gain the world’s “respect” or approval. It happens to individuals and institutions. 

A good example is the desire of Christian colleges and seminaries to be accepted by other schools as intellectual equals. The school liberalizes its theological stance in exchange for secular respect.

Paul says that believers cannot act like non-believers, not just because of what they do, but what they are. They do what they do because of what they are.

What they are is darkened in understanding and futile in their thinking (17-18). Darkened means they do not think rightly because they do not have the light of God in them. Mankind, because of sin, no longer thinks correctly. Their thinking often becomes the exact opposite of God’s thinking. 

Paul addresses this concept in many of his writings. For example, in Romans 1:21-22, he says the failure of mankind to honor God caused them to become futile in their thinking. Their thinking does not lead them to the correct conclusions. Their hearts are darkened as they hardened themselves agains God. They become alienated from the life of God. They are hostile to him. (Colossians 1:21)  

Once this happens, they give themselves up to sensuality and impurity. They celebrate sin. (19) 

In contrast, believers learn to live a different way in Christ. That is why Paul said “this is not the way you learned Christ”. (2) Upon being saved, believers want to live in a way that pleases and honors the Lord. We learn what that is by studying the Bible and being taught by other believers. 

The metaphor that Paul uses to describe the change that happens with conversion it putting off the old self and putting on the new. The old self represents the sinful life we are content with before we are saved. The new self includes a renewed mind and spirit, once that seeks to be fully a new creation that is the image of God in righteousness and holiness. (24) We must constantly focus on this renewed state of being so that we can resist the old way of thinking and acting as the world does. 

Paul told the Roman christians “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind”. (Romans 12:2) This is not always easy to do in the midst of the constant barrage from the world about the way to think and to live.

In Colossians 3:2, Paul wrote: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

There are two truths to consider here. First, upon conversion, you become a new creation whose old life is put away and replaced by the new that has come (2 Corinthians 5:17) But, we must constantly seek to keep the old self away and to keep the new self in play. 

Paul goes on to give specifics. Interestingly, the first thing he tells us to avoid is lying. Christians are to speak the truth to each other. (25) This is a reflection of Zechariah 8:16, which says “These are the things you are to do: speak the truth to one another…”

Second, we are to avoid letting anger lead us to sin. This seems to be a quote of Psalm 4:4, which says “be angry and do not sin”. It is not necessarily a sin to get angry, but anger can lead you to sin. Jesus told us that anger can make us subject to judgment. (Matthew 5:22) 

Many people have said and done terrible things under the influence of anger. Paul advised that we do not stay angry into the night and that we do not give the devil the opportunity to lead us into sin through our anger. Anger should be replaced with reconciliation. And, if reconciliation is not possible because of the other party, you may have to forgive and consign the person to the Lord to deal with. 

Third, we are not to steal. Rather we are to work and to share with others who are in need. (28) We do not take from others and we do share with others that need it. Stealing is replaced by working and giving. 

Fourth, we are not to engage in corrupting talk. This includes gossip, slander, grumbling, and being harsh with people. Instead, we are to speak in a way that builds up others. (29) Corrupting talk grieves the Holy Spirit, as does any sin, and we must avoid that. (30) He is the one who seals us for our final redemption and we should not grieve him. He is holy and is not pleased by sin. 

The summary of things we are to avoid is in verse 31: bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice. All of these are attitudes which cause us to use corrupting talk, or are themselves corrupting talk. 

The things we are to embrace are in verse 32: kindness toward each other, tenderheartedness (the opposite of bitterness), and forgiveness toward each other, since God forgave us in Christ. 

The grace and love of God toward us is the pattern for us to follow.