Put On the New Self (Ephesians 4:17-32)

Well, three weeks ago we moved into our new home. It was a stressful day for me. I felt bad for our truck driver who had problem after problem the entire day. I felt bad for our church members who had to deal with the arrival time being delayed and delayed and delayed, then finally hearing about the truck arriving at 8:30pm. I also knew that our truck driver was going to head back home. So, when I arrived, I jumped into action and started unloading the truck. I wasn’t planning on waiting for everyone else to show up. I wanted to get that truck unloaded as fast as I could.

By the time the church crew got there, the trucker and I had already been unloading the trailer for almost an hour. It was hot and I was really sweaty already. Mark and Joanne Verhage came to help and Joanne made the mistake of “slapping” me on the back and saying, “Hey Pastor!,” which was immediately followed by and “Ewwwww!” Then after that, we kept working for another two-and-a-half hours. So, by the time we were actually finished unloading the trailer, I was pretty gross and so were my clothes. I couldn’t wait to take a shower and get cleaned up. One I was finished with my shower, I couldn’t wait to put on some comfortable, clean clothes and get to bed.

Now, I can tell you want didn’t go through my mind. I didn’t get out of the shower, look at the pile of nasty, sweaty clothes sitting on the floor of our bathroom, and think, “I should put that back on again.” Didn’t cross my mind. I was done with that nasty stuff. Now I was clean and ready to put on some new clothes. Event thinking about getting out of a clean shower and putting on that nasty clothes makes me cringe.

Yet, Paul says we do this all the time. When we believe in Christ, and turn from our old life to our new lives in Christ, we are often tempted to “put on” our old lives--to put on the nasty stinky clothes. Paul is flabbergasted--he cringes at the thought--that anyone would be tempted to put that nasty stuff back on. Let’s look at our passage. [Read Ephesians 4:17-32]

Paul starts off with a very firm statement--a statement that sets up the entire passage. He says, “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do...” (Ephesians 4:17, NIV).  You must no longer live as the Gentiles do. Period. It’s important to recognize that, in this passage, Paul is using the word in a different way. He is not talking about ethnic Gentiles, but he us using the word “gentiles” to refer to everyone who is not a part of God’s people--everyone apart from Christ. He says we should not live like them. Those who have put their faith in Christ, those who have turned from their sin and trusted in Christ, should not live like those who haven’t done that. We are called to be different. People should look at our lives and our decisions and notice that we are different. Some may look at say, “I want that.” Yet, not everyone will respond that way. Peter says, “They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.” (1 Peter 4:4, NIV). Some will be shocked that you are unwilling to follow them into their poor decisions. Not only will they be shocked, but they will heap abuse on you. They will spit fire at you with cursing and condemnation because you will not join them in their sin. Even so, Paul says, “...you must no longer live as the Gentiles do...”

He explains why we must no longer live like them. He says, “...in the futility of their thinking. 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. 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.” (Ephesians 4:17–19, NIV). That’s quite a list isn’t it? Futile in their thinking. Darkened in their understanding. Separated from the life of God because of the hardness of their own hearts. Lost all sensitivity--seared consciences. Given over to sensuality. Indulging in every impurity. Full of greed. It’s a stinky, sweaty, nasty pile of clothes. Why are we tempted to put it on?

Yet we are, aren’t we? There are times when we look at what the world is doing around us and we want to taste it. There are times when the world is calling us foolish, stupid, disconnected from the times, out of touch, bigots, judgemental, etc... We can start to believe them. The world looks at what we believe and places themselves over us as more intelligent and more evolved. Yet, Paul says they are futile in their thinking. They say that they have a better understanding of the world around us. Yet, Paul says they are darkened in their understanding because they reject God’s truth, which surrounds them, and find their hearts hardened. The world claims that we are too rigid and strict, while they have freedom. Yet, Paul says their freedom is only bondage to sin. Like an addiction, they are never satisfied by their sin, they only increase deeper into sin, until they are completely given over to it. Why are we tempted to listen to them? Why are we tempted to put this life back on? It’s nothing but a stinky, sweaty, nasty pile of clothes.

Paul can’t believe it. You can almost hear him scream, “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.” (Ephesians 4:20–21, NIV). That’s not the way you learned Christ! When you learned about Christ, you learned something different from the world. Your eyes were opened to a better, a truer, reality. He has something better for you than this world has to offer. Christ calls us OUT OF that life and to life IN HIM. The old life--the old self--only lead to greater slavery and death. Yet, Christ offers us freedom and life in Him. He offers to form us into the image of God--the way we were created.

Paul tells the Ephesians, “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; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22–24, NIV). He doesn’t tell us to clean up our old life--our old self. He tells us to take it off and throw it to the curb. Then, put on the new self which was earned for and given to us by Jesus Christ. It’s a complete change. Putting off the old and putting on the new. You are no longer that person, with that lifestyle. You have put on your new self AND you are being made new in your mind.

I want to remind you of what we read toward the beginning of the service from the Heidelberg Catechism. I find these questions very helpful and very challenging. “Q 88. What is involved in genuine repentance or conversion? A. Two things: the dying-away of the old self, and the rising-to-life of the new.” Sounds a lot like our passage, doesn’t it? This is what it means to follow Jesus. The next question naturally follows, “Q 89. What is the dying-away of the old self? A. To be genuinely sorry for sin and more and more to hate and run away from it.” Got that? Practically, what does it look like to “put off the old self”? It means that you are genuinely sorry for your sin. That you hate your sin more and more. That you run away from it. That last one is the one that gets everyone. You must hate your sin so much that you run away from it, not dance on the line. Don’t be like a child who is always trying to see how “close to the line” they can be before stepping over it. Don’t be like a teenager who is always asking the question, “How far is too far?” Hate your sin and run away from it. Don’t put yourself in positions where you are being tempted to sin.

Here’s what that looks like. If you are someone who has struggled with abusing alcohol, hate it and run away from it. Don’t go to the bar “just to hang out.” That’s not running away. If you find yourself in a relationship with someone where you are constantly being tempted to go too far, too quickly, hate the sin and run away from it. Stop putting yourself in a position where you are tempted. I could list a hundred other sins that we like to “flirt” with on a regular basis: pride, greed, lust, envy, jealousy, etc... Whatever sin that clings to you, hate it and run from it. That’s what it looks like to “put off” the old self.  

The last question and answer is just as important: “Q 90. What is the rising-to-life of the new self? A. Wholehearted joy in God through Christ and a love and delight to live according to the will of God by doing every kind of good work.” It’s not simply about taking things off, but it’s about putting things on. It’s not simply about running away from something. It’s about running toward something. This is what we’re running toward. Wholehearted joy in God through Christ. Loving and delighting to live according to the will of God. Doing every kind of good work. That’s what we’re running toward.

It’s important to recognize that we’re not simply running away from sin. That’s important, but it’s not enough. If we are only running away from something, we will stop running the moment our guilt goes away. Then, as our guilt creeps up again, we’ll start running away again. However, if we’re running toward something--toward Christ--we won’t stop running until we’ve reached it. We’re not just hating sin and running away from it, we’re loving and delighting in the will of God and running toward wholehearted joy in God through Christ. That’s what we’re running toward.

When we’re running toward that, it no longer matters what the world has to say about us. They may look at us and call us stupid and out of touch. Doesn’t matter. We’re running toward Christ. They may call us hateful, judgemental bigots. Doesn’t matter what they call us. We’re running toward Christ.

As we run toward Christ, our lives must change--our lives must look different from those who are not running toward Christ. There’s only two ways to run. You can run away from Christ OR you can run toward Christ and they look different. Paul gives a long list of how this should look in our lives. He contrasts what we are putting off with what we are putting on. He says, “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “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. 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. 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. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:25–32, NIV). I hope you noticed the reversals throughout this passage. Put off falsehood and put on truth. Put off stealing and Put on working and generosity. Put off unwholesome talk that tears down and Put on words that build up and benefit others. Put off bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, and slander and Put on kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. This is the difference between running to Christ and running away from Christ. If you are running away from Christ, you will Put on falsehood, steal, unwholesome talk will come from your mouth, you will have bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, and slander. If you are running away from that and running toward Christ, that will all be reversed. Through the strength of the Spirit, you will put it off and put on truth, work, generosity, build others up, benefit them, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.

I don’t remember all of the details from this story, but I still find it very helpful. There’s a monastery somewhere out east where they accept new monks on a regular basis. As these men show up, desiring to become a monk, they show up in their own robe. After going through the process of becoming a monk, they are given an new robe to represent their new life, yet their old robe is not taken from them. It hangs right next to the new one each night. Each morning the monk wakes up and has to make a decision, “Do I put on the old robe and the old life that goes with it? OR, do I put on the new robe and the new life that goes with it?”

In many ways that’s what Paul is placing in front of us. There are two robes hanging in front of you, one representing your old life and one representing your new life in Christ. The old robe is corrupted, deceitful, and stinks to high heaven. The new robe leads to wholehearted joy in God through Christ. Which one do you choose? If you’re a Christian, you’ve already made your choice. You’ve chosen the new robe that leads to wholehearted joy. Put it on, wear it proudly, and don’t be ashamed of it. Remember, those who are mocking you are mocking you while wearing a corrupted, deceitful, nasty robe. So, wear it proudly, don’t be ashamed, and don’t be tempted to put on the old robe again. Remember, the old robe stinks but the new robe leads to wholehearted joy. It shouldn’t be a difficult decision.

If you’re not a Christian, look at those two robes hanging in front of you and choose joy. Turn from your old life and run to Christ with all of your might. You will find fullness and joy. Turn to Him and Trust Him.