Removing The Old From Your New Life - Part II
Ephesians 4:17-24
A story is told of an old woman dressed in rags, lived in a rental house filled with mounds of garbage.She spent most of her time rummaging through trash cans. This woman was known in her neighborhood as “Garbage Mary” The authorities took her and her to a psychiatric hospital. Those who had the undesirable task of cleaning out her filthy apartment found stock certificates and bankbooks indicating she was worth at least a million dollars.
We may find it hard to comprehend why someone with so much would not use it. It may be even harder to grasp why she chose to rummage through garbage cans. But this world is full of “wealthy” people who exist on “garbage.” When Christians are controlled by the desires of the flesh, they are choosing to live off the garbage of the world.
This morning we began to look at “Removing The Old From Your New Life”. In Galatians Chapter 5 we have two lists, A list that describes the “Old Man” and one that describes the “New Man” Consider:
1. The Old Life… sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.
2. The New Life - But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Let’s continue with the thought “Removing The Old From Your New Life” I would like to begin with a quick review of what we saw in Part I of this message: We began with:
I. The Condition Of Unbelievers
We examined two areas in the life of the lost man:
A. The Condition Of The Unbeliever’s Mind
Paul tells us that their “understanding is darkened” and that they are “alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them”
B. The Condition Of The Unbeliever’s Heart
1) Their Heart Is Callous - because of the blindness of their heart (are) past feeling…
2) Their Heart Is Corrupt - (they) have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
As we begin Part II there is a transition. Paul goes from describing “The Condition Of The Unbeliever” to “The Counsel For The Believer”
I. The Counsel For Believers
There are 4 things I would like to see in this “Counsel For Believers”. These things are beneficial in “Removing The Old From Your New Life”
1) Receive The Message
2) Remember Christ’s Teaching
3) Reject Sinful Desires
4) Renew Your Mind
Let’s begin with:
A. Receive The Message - v17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk
Paul prefaces his remarks with the fact that he is speaking with the Lord’s authority. Consider his opening statement in the beginning of this epistle - Ephesians 1:1 ¶Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Paul was chosen for the specific purpose of ministering to the Gentiles. Paul is simply carrying out the ministry given to him by Christ Jesus. He is not the originator of the message, merely the orator! What is his message in this text? PUT OFF THE OLD MAN AND PUT ON THE NEW! He is saying …YOU ARE SAVED! ACT LIKE IT!!!!
The same is true today, The message did not originate with me, I am simply the orator sent to tell you that IF YOU ARE SAVED, ACT LIKE IT!! So, if you are ready to put off the old man and out on the new, begin with “Receiving The Message” Next your should:
B. Remember Christ’s Teaching - v20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Unlike the unbeliever who possesses a callous, corrupt heart and a sinful mind, the believer has had a change of heart that results in a changed mind! God puts a new desire in us that makes us want to live differently than before!
One who is saved should:
look different
act different
walk different
talk different
think different
The phrase in verse 20 “learned Christ” refers to being saved. Christ alone is our example. We are not to allow the fleshly desires to control us any longer
We are to walk in holiness and in the newness of life - Peter 1:16 it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. - When a “professing believer” still lives like the world, they are either deceiving themselves, or they are a liar:
1 John 2:3–6 “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked,”
James 4:4. “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God,”
Verse 20 goes on to say - If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him. When Christ came to us, He brought with Him knowledge and truth. We are no longer in the dark, but we now walk in the light!
Jesus has taught us truth - John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
He taught us the truth about: God …Himself …The Holy Spirit …Heaven …Hell… Creation …Sin…Salvation…life …death…grace,…faith ...eternity, judgment … ETC.
The things that Paul is preaching against, the elements in the life of an unbeliever were not taught by Christ! In fact, Christ clearly opposed everything that we examined in the “Condition Of The unbeliever” So, in order for you to “Remove The Old From Your New Life” you must REMEMBER CHRIST’S TEACHING! The 3rd thing we see that is required in putting on the new man is:
C. Reject Sinful Desires - v22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Notice the statement “put off concerning the former conversation the old man” - “put off” means “to strip away.” The old man is dirty, corrupt and filthy. He was “put off,” at salvation, we must ensure that he remains “put off.” Remember, Our souls are saved but the flesh is as lost as it has ever been.
Notice what Paul says in - Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
John Piper says that lust "gets its power by persuading me to believe that I will be more happy if I follow it. The power of all temptation is the prospect that it will make me happier." - E. Lutzer, Putting Your Past Behind You, Here's Life, 1990, p.54.
While my wife and I were shopping at a mall kiosk, a shapely young woman in a short, form-fitting dress strolled by. My eyes followed her. Without looking up from the item she was examining, my wife asked, "Was it worth the trouble you're in?" - Drew Anderson (Tucson, AZ), Reader's Digest.
Isn’t that how temptation works? If seduces you into thinking you will be happier once you give in and never follows through with that promise of happiness… Then you are left with guilt, shame & conviction!
The fleshly desires are still there! You will face temptation….The key is to flee the temptation to sin! “Do not let sin reign in your mortal body, do not obey its wicked lust!”
So, how do you “Remove The Old From Your New Life?” Receive The Message…Remember Christ’s Teaching …Reject Sinful Desires and finally:
D. Renew Your Mind - v23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
As we saw this morning the unbeliever has a mind that is given over to vanity, or futility. But the believer is told to walk with a “renewed mind.”
Our minds must be renewed daily by the Word of God and by the Spirit of God. When a man’s thinking is changed, his life is changed.
We are to have our mind “set on things above and not on the things of this world” When we do this, our lives will follow the direction of our mind. When you “renew your mind” it will lead you closer to God!
Notice verse 24 - we are to “put on” the new man who is “created in righteousness and true holiness.” When we are converted we are given the ability to live a life pleasing to the Lord.
Too many times we have the mindset that it is impossible to live a life pleasing to the Lord, that is not the case! It is possible, but it is a constant battle between the flesh and the spirit!
So, what do we take away from this? REMOVE THE OLD FROM YOUR NEW LIFE!
Put off the old man and put on the new!
Once I was clothed, In the rags of my sin
Wretched and poor, Lost and lonely within
But with wondrous compassion, The King Of All Kings
In Pity And Love Took Me Under His Wings
Oh Yes, Oh Yes, I’m A Child Of The King
His Royal Blood Now Flows In My Veins
And I who Was Wretched, & Poor Now Can Say
Praise God, Praise God, I’m A Child Of The King
