Creationfest 2010 - Ephesians 4:17-32
Putting off the Old Man - Ephesians 4:17-32
For these notes, Ephesians 2:1-10 notes, and Jesus and Evolution notes, please go to:
www.thesngroup.net and click on blog/news.
v17 - no longer walk as the Gentiles walk…
why?
because you were:
1:4 - chosen
1:5 - adopted
1:7 - redeemed
1:7 - forgiven
1:11 - have obtained an inheritance
1:13 - sealed
2:1 - made alive
2:4 - loved
2:6 - raised up
3:20 - empowered
4:12 - equipped
So the #1 way to put off the old man = remember the cross
observation - time spent memorizing promises and other verses that remind you that Jesus cares will never be w/o value
The #2 way to put off the old man was in v14 - do not be like children (in terms of doctrine) = maintain orthodoxy (aka - right doctrine)
observation 1 - notice v20-21 - “…but you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus”
observation 2 - personally study the scriptures; ensure you are in a bible teaching church; join a small group; listen to tapes, cds, podcasts; read edifying books
The #3 way to put off the old man is alluded to in v12 (equipping the saints), v16 (by which ev. part does its share) and v17 (do not walk as the Gentiles walk) = maintain orthoproxy (aka - right practice)
observation - it is easy to think that exhortations to “do good” are just optional for certain kinds of Christians - this is completely unbiblical - we are all called and created “to do good works” (Eph. 2:10)
James 1:27 - Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
Micah 6:8 - He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Jeremiah 22:3 - Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.
Ezekiel 16:49-50 - Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it.
Zechariah 7:9-10 - Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.
Luke 10:37- The parable of the Good Samaritan
The #4 way to put off the old man is in v.18 - not being alienated from the life of God = aka - maintain relationship
observation 1 - any effective, real expression of our faith in Jesus (works, obedience, love, fruit, etc.) must be hinged to our relationship with Jesus.
observation 2 - Jesus stressed the importance of relationship in the garden prior to His death -
John 14:7-14 = relationship and works
John 15:1-17 = relationship and fruitfulness
John 15:18-25 - relationship and opposition (John 5:44)
John 15:26-27 - relationship and evangelism
John 16:16-19 = relationship and confusing times
John 16:20-22 = relationship and the ups and downs of life
John 16:23-24 = relationship and prayer
John 16:25-33 = relationship and spiritual failure
So, the main point we can draw from Jesus’ “pre-garden” teaching is that a relationship with Him is foundational to living effectively and to putting on the new man - remembering, orthodoxy, and orthoproxy all stem from relationship.
things to avoid -
v25 - lying - God doesn’t and the devil does - enough said.
Pro. 12:22 - Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal truthfully are His delight.
Exo. 20:16 - You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor
Numbers 23:19 - “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
Jo. 8:44 - You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
Ephesians 5:15 - Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
v26 - anger - is not necessarily sinful. It may, however, become sinful when causeless, or excessive, or protracted (Matt. 5:22; Eph. 4:26; Col. 3:8)
Matt. 5:22 - But I say to you that awhoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.
Col. 3:9 - Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge raccording to the image of Him who created him,
v27 - nor give place to the devil - the sins prior and after all give him room to work and should be avoided at all costs.
v28 - stealing - the goal is to be a giver, if one steals he is only a taker.
Ex. 20:15 - You shall not steal
John 10:10 - The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
v29 - corrupt word = rotten or worthless - changes culturally
Col. 3:8 - But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
v30 - do not grieve the Holy Spirit… - if you are convicted by something “grey”, don’t do it.
Rom. 14:23 - But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
v31 - Let all bitterness (Heb.12:13-14), wrath (with wine), anger, clamor (an outcry), and evil speaking (slander), be put away from you, with all malice (depravity - like “futility” in v.17)
v32 - instead, be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving - basically be…
Romans 13:9 - For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, i“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
conclusion 1 -
Putting on the new man and dropping the old one is purposeful b/c the world is watching -
1 Cor. 15:34 - Awake to righteousness and do not sin for some do not have the knowledge of God.
conclusion 2 -
Putting on the new man and dropping the old one is easy if you are simply in relationship with Jesus!
