More Than Just New Clothes

Ephesians 4: 17-24

We saw last time that the body of Christ is to grow up into the full stature of a mature man. We are all members of that body, we're the body parts. So each of us needs to pay attention to how we're cooperating with God to function in the body in a healthy way. 

So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, 

So we are not to live like we used to, like the rest of the Gentiles still do. 

in the futility of their mind, 
being darkened in their understanding, 

Thoughts of the mind are always the root of our attitudes, which produces our life. And their thoughts were useless, because they were in the dark and don't understand. 

excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 
and they, having become callous, 

They have ignored God, so they have excluded themselves from Him who is life, because of their hard hearts; and the hardness has produced callouses from the constant rubbing of pushing God away.

have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 

They are trying to fill the hole with sensual experiences, greedily pursuing more and more forbidden pleasures. But it's never enough.  

But you did not learn Christ in this way, 

We learned that Christ does satisfy, He fills that hole that worldly pleasures never can. 

if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 

If you heard God's call to come to Christ, and received the teaching of His truth, then you found that He did fill that emptiness.

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, 

When you were saved from sin, then you didn't need that old lifestyle any more, and threw it off like a tattered garment. That outfit was wearing out, being used up by all the lies we were deceived by.

and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 

The thoughts of our mind are to be new ideas to replace those old ones. 

and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

We have new clothes to put on, beautiful, well-fitting, dressy, suitable for God's royal children, made with the cloth of righteousness and holiness and truth. 

We're not in the dark any more, we've been rescued from the gutter of the world, we've been cleaned up and given new clothes to wear that are just like our Father's, and are now in school learning how to be His royal children. 

And it all starts in our mind. We need to change how we think, to see things clearly, so we can educate our thinking processes to know and practice the truth. 

We are to wash out all the deceptions that we used to believe, by overflowing them with God's Word: His Son and His scriptures. 

How are we to do this? Tomorrow we will see. 

O my Father, You have provided the redemption we need to survive. We were slaves to our own fleshly desires, killing ourselves in living our lives in rebellion against all that is good and healthy. 

You saw us and had compassion on us, lifting us up out of the dirt and grime and washing us in the blood of Christ, pristine clean. Then You forgave us of all the rebellion and defectiveness in our DNA, and put Your own Spirit of Life in our spirit, clothing us in new garments of light and truth as Your own children. 

Now You are teaching us and training us up to learn how to live our lives according to Your goodness and righteousness; Your truth. 

Father, help us to wash out all the wrong ideas that have led us astray in the past. Let them flow away in the dirty "bath water" that is thrown out, and let us think Your thoughts, according to Your ways. Teach us how to do all the things You planned for us to accomplish as Your hands and feet, to grow Your family, and to grow up Your children to maturity. 

We need You, Father! We cannot do any of this without You! Keep us in Your hand, keep our feet walking straight on Your narrow path that leads to Light. Continually lead us, not letting us stray to the right or to the left, or wander away, or slip into a ditch, or run ahead of You, or lag behind. Keep our feet stepping in Your steps, until we reach that eternal Day! 

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, Lord God Almighty, King of all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!