Put On A New Self

Ephesians 4:21-32

Audio Link: Put On A New Self

A minister was making a wooden trellis to support a climbing vine. As he was pounding away, he noticed that a little boy was watching him. The youngster didn’t say a word, so the preacher kept on working, thinking the boy would leave. But he didn’t. Pleased at the thought that his work was being admired, the pastor said, “Well, son, trying to pick up some pointers on gardening?” “No,” replied the boy, “I’m just waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits him thumb with a hammer.”

The boy probably expected a different response from the pastor, even in a painful situation, because he believed that the pastor is a holy man. This story is a good illustration, not only for a pastor, but also for every Christian. Non-believers and un-churched people are always expecting a response, attitude, or behavior from Christians that is different from the rest of the world.

Can the Christian life be distinguished from a non-Christian’s life? Yes, in today’s Scripture, Paul clearly says that the Christian life should stand out to the world differently not only in the church on Sunday mornings, but also in everyday life. Paul gives a concrete illustration with the expression, “clothe yourself with the new self.”

After we meet Christ and we become Christians, our behaviors, attitudes, lifestyles, and even character should change. Christ came to offer each person a new self, but he or she must desire Christ’s help to put off the old self. As a person takes off old, dirty clothes in exchange for something clean and new, so the believer can take off the old, filthy “self” and exchange it for the clean and pure “self” provided by Christ.

While unbelievers live in darkness and sin, believers are taught in Christ a whole new manner of living, which must leave behind the former way of life. The “old self” describes each person before he or she comes to know Christ. Like old clothes, we must shed our identification with our sinful past and live as new people. To “put off” that old self will take conscious, daily decisions to remove anything that supports or feeds the old self’s desires.

The new self is the new relationship we have with Christ that gives us a new orientation to life. The new self is according to the likeness of God with the characteristics of true righteousness and holiness. We have right relationship with God that results in right behavior, creates a desire to avoid sin, and prompts us to devote ourselves to his service. This is totally opposite of the old way of living characterized by sin and corruption. Finally, the new self refers not to a split in one’s personality such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; instead, it pictures the new direction, attitude, and mind-set away from self and toward God and His will.

I believe there are many characteristics, attitude, and behaviors that prove one is now a new person in Christ. There might be a dramatic change… an alcoholic not drinking anymore, gamblers turning away from casinos, changing from a wife-beater to a family man, and etc. However, in everyday life, the general character of the new self will lead to specific ways of speaking and acting. In today’s Scripture Paul used the word corrupt to describe speech that has the power to tear people down, adult and children alike. He also stated that good communication is “necessary edification,” for it has the power to build people up.

Here are examples of corrupt communication we often aim at our children: “Can’t you do anything right?” “What’s wrong with you?” “You’ll never learn.” “You are always breaking something.” “No, let me do it.” The list is endless.

But so are examples of edifying communication. “That’s it!” “Good thinking.” “You’re really working hard today.” “I’m very proud of you.” “Now you’ve figured it out.” “You are very good at that.” “That’s the way!” “Now that’s what I call a fine job.”

Then there is the story of the conscientious wife who tried very hard to please her ultra-critical husband, but failed regularly. He always seemed the most cantankerous at breakfast. If the eggs were scrambled, he wanted them poached; if they were poached, he wanted them scrambled. One morning, with what she thought was a stroke of genius, the wife poached one egg and scrambled the other and placed the plate before him. Anxiously she waited for what surely this time would be his unqualified approval. He peered down at the plate and snorted, “Can’t you do anything right, woman? You’ve scrambled the wrong one!”

This is just a funny story. Our speech should edify and encourage, not tear down. Unless we help the other person, our words will be meaningless. What we say can benefit those who listen. God can work through our words to help others and bring his grace to them. Paul said that when we edify others through our speech, we impart grace, or spiritual benefit, to their lives (v.29). Let’s examine our speech habits for careless words, and then resolve to build up every person we meet. Remember, people need encouragers more than they need critics.

Another characteristic of the old self that has to be put off is bad temper, or a lifestyle characterized by anger. The Bible doesn’t tell us that we shouldn’t feel angry, but it points out that it is important to handle our anger properly. We must not indulge our angry feeling or let them lead to pride, hatred, or self-righteousness.

We ought to reserve our anger for when we see God dishonored or people wronged. If we get angry, we must do so without sinning. To do this, we have to listen to what the Bible says to us. According to Deuteronomy, sunset was the time by which wrongs against God and against others should be made right (Deuteronomy 24:13, 15). We should deal with our anger before the sun goes down.

Satan can use our anger against one another to destroy our unity and our love. It is so much better to deal with the situation immediately; perhaps the previous admonition to lovingly speak the truth can solve the problem. The anger which is selfish and uncontrolled is a sinful and hurtful thing, which must be banished from the Christian life.

Alexander the Great was one of the few men in history who seemed to deserve his descriptive title. He was energetic, brave, and intelligent. Although hatred was not generally part of his nature, several times in his life he was tragically defeated by anger.

A dear friend of Alexander’s, a general in his army, became intoxicated and began to ridicule the emperor in front of his men. Blinded by anger and quick as lightning, Alexander snatched a spear from the hand of a soldier and threw it at his friend. Although he had only intended to scare the drunken general, his aim was true and the spear took the life of his childhood friend. Deep remorse followed his anger.

Overcome with guilt, Alexander attempted to take his own life with the same spear, but his men stopped him. For days he lay sick, calling for his friends and blaming himself as a murderer. Alexander the Great conquered many cities and defeated many countries, but he had failed miserably to control his own spirit.

The sins listed in today’s Scripture picture the former way of life, the old self. None of these attitudes and activities have any place in the believers’ Holy Spirit-filled life; indeed, they foster dissension today and are the opposite of how believers should be characterized.

One day a father was teaching his little boy what manner of man a Christian is. When the lesson was finished, the father got the shock of his life, when the boy asked, “Father, have I ever seen a Christian?”

Can nonbelievers or un-churched people in your work, school, neighborhood, and community recognize you as a Christian? Can they say that you have become a different person since you became a Christian? Did Christ change your old habits, attitudes, or behaviors that you had before you became a Christian?

When we tell ourselves “I can never change,” or “That will never happen,” we presume too much and believe too little. In Jesus Christ God renders all of our final conclusions premature and all of our talk of determinism as simply bad faith. In Christ, God opens closed doors, brings resurrection, reveals possibilities, reclaim the lost, frees the cursed and possessed, and changes the unchangeable.

Have you changed, from the time you became a Christian? When you compare your life before you met Christ as your personal Savior, and after, is there improvement and maturity? Do you believe that Jesus still has the power to change your lifestyle, your old habits, and yourself? In today’s Scripture, Paul explained that believers in Christ must decisively put off the old self. The previous way of life must be put off and the new life put on.

How much of your unkind thoughts, untrue words, and wrong acts have changed since you met Jesus? Just as children imitate their parents, we should be imitators of God. We imitate God by following his example in Christ, imitating his attributes in our lives. Because of our relationship with God through Christ and the power given us through the Spirit, we are to become Godlike in our characteristics and obedient disciples in our lifestyles. Transformation in Jesus Christ begins in the mind and results in renewed behavior.

Put On A New Self

Put On A New Self - Audio Sermon On-line - Reverend KyungMo Koo