Ephesians 4:20-25, ‘But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth’.
25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another’.
Let us lay aside whatever is of the old self, corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit. Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth’. When we are born-again, God gives us new life – His Spirit in our inner man; we need to nurture and cherish the inner-man, so that it grows. Yet our lusts are still there, we need to fight it, let our old-self die. Let us not entertain the lusts of the flesh.
2 Corinthians 4:16, ‘Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,’
Let us learn to discipline ourselves by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 4:25 -27, ’Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.’
Learning is a slow process. Let us depend on the power of the Holy Spirit. Be renewed in the spirit of our mind. Put on the new self.
Romans 12:2, ‘And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.’
Be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Our minds need to be washed by the power of God’s Word, so that we can receive and understand what the will of God is. Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Colossians 3:8-12, ‘But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— 11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;’
V13, ‘bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you’.
We need to conquer anger and all sins; by living in faith that God will help us to conquer it completely, as we seek to obey Him. Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Galatians 3:27, ‘For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.’
When we are baptized into Christ, we are clothed with Christ.
Luke 24:49, ‘And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.’
When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are again clothed with power from on high. But, it does not end there. We need to again and again put away the old self and put on the new self; it is an ongoing process.
Ephesians 5:18-21, ‘And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.’
Be filled with the Holy Spirit. ‘Filled’ – is continuous present tense; being filled, in Greek. Keep being filled with the Holy Spirit. We need to be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit so that we can be able to continuously put on and live by the righteousness and holiness of the truth.
V21, ‘and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.’
V22-V33, ‘Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. 28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members of His body. 31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.’
Ephesians 6:1-3, ‘Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3 so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.’
V11, ‘Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.’
Lay aside the old self and put on the likeness of God. We need to exhibit and live out the holy life that God wants us to live.
V18, ‘With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.’
Apostle Paul also emphasizes to pray at all times in the Spirit. So, always be prayerful and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 12:1-2, ‘Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.’
Let us run fixing our eyes on Jesus. May God bless us.
