For the past few weeks, our pastor has been preaching in Colossians 3. The theme of those sermons has been our need to put to death the old man–the desires and passions of the flesh that wage war against our spirit. I find that particular message a difficult one to both hear and receive. It is true, as Peter commands us in his first letter, that we are to be holy as He is holy. But if I am being honest with myself, the more and deeper I know God’s word, the more and deeper I know myself. That revelation teaches me both the goodness and mercy of God and the depths of the wickedness that still remain in this sinful flesh. The tension of the call to be holy, to be conformed to the image of Christ, while living in this fallen body is real. For, on one hand, I know that I am saved, forgiven, and set free from slavery to sin by the death of my savior. On the other hand, I know that God’s word calls me to live in a manner worthy of that calling. Paul writes, “For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life” (Romans 6:20-22).
In this tension I can only echo with Paul, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24-25)! It is important for the Christian to understand the difference between justification and sanctification. Justification is the work of salvation in which we stand before God justified in the legal sense. We stood guilty before God of our sin and rebellion. Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin debt. We now stand in Christ’s righteousness and are seen by God as justified (free from sin) and forgiven! Sanctification is the continuing process of being made into the image of Christ. It is the process by which God conforms us into the image of His son. This is not instantaneous. It is a process with ebbs and flows, peaks and valleys. God uses various trials to break us of our sin and pride and to teach us to rely on Him. In so doing, through the enablement of the Spirit that resides in us, we are day by day made like Christ.
Since that old man has been put to death, this week's message is about putting on the new self. With that in mind, this week’s scripture reading will set the stage for that sermon by reading the words of Paul in Ephesians chapter four where he calls us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. What does it mean to walk in such a way as a Christian? What is this fruit that leads to sanctification according to Paul that leads to eternal life?
Scripture Reading for Sunday, March 30, 2025
Ephesians 4 (ESV)
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says,
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”
9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Reflections on Scripture Reference
Unity through Humility and Love
One of the key points of Paul in both Colossians 3 and here in Ephesians 4 is an emphasis on unity among believers. As the bride of Christ, we are called to unity with our fellow believers. This should be a hallmark of our walk as Christians. If you have lived for any time in this world, even among the people of God in church, you will, like me, find unity difficult to attain. There are so many differences between us and others. So, how does Paul expect us to attain this unity? It begins here: “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love”. We must learn to put our own interest aside, humble ourselves, and to seek the interest of God first and others second. Humility is one of the fruits that we should see as we become like our savior. For He did not seek His own glory and good, but he humbled himself to the point of death. Even though He was God, Jesus did not assert His will here on earth, but humbled himself to do God the Father’s will. In doing so, He set His path to the cross. Listen to the writer of Hebrews:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. Hebrews 1:1-3
This unity is not some feeling of togetherness or some other personal feeling that we generate in ourselves. It is the outworking of the process of sanctification as we are taught to be like Christ. Read Paul’s explanation again here:
until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Our unity begins and ends in Christ–in a right understanding of Him. We are not to be like children who are deceived by the craftiness of men in our theology and doctrine, but as mature men and women, we are to hold fast to what we are taught in God’s word as we grow together in Him as a body of believers whose head is Christ. As we do, He equips His body so that it works as He intended.
Put on the New Self Through the Renewing of Your Mind
In order to attain this unity, we must put to death the old self and put on the new self. Paul explains that this is done through the renewing of our minds which will lead to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. But what exactly should this look like? In order to help us understand this, Paul gives us a list of do’s and don'ts. Let us look at the Don’ts first.
Don’t
Sin in our anger
Let the sun go down on our anger
Give opportunity to the devil
Steal
Use corrupting speech
Grieve the Holy Spirit
Do’s
Be angry and do not sin
Labor, doing honest work, so that we may share with someone in need
Speak only what is good for building up and gives grace to those who hear
Put away bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander and malice
Be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving
Here we can see the fruit of the old man contrasted with that of the new man. As we walk in the Spirit, as we are sanctified, we should begin to see a change in our way of life. That change should begin in humility as we, with Paul, see how very much we have been forgiven in Christ. As the word of God reveals the depth of our sinfulness, we come to the realization of just how much God has actually forgiven us in Christ. With that in mind, we should begin every interaction with others from a state of humility and prepared to forgive as our first impulse rather than to be angry, speak in a way that would tear people down, or seek to slander them. When we begin from this place of forgiveness, we find that we can put those things away. We can pick up the fruit of the new self empowered by the Spirit of God: working for others so that we may bless them, speaking in love so that we build up and give grace, acting in kindness, showing tenderheartedness and mercy, and forgiving others. These are the marks of the walk that is worthy of our calling in Christ.
Song Selection for Sunday, March 30, 2025
Song 1
I Surrender All (596)
As we lift our praises to Him, may we gladly affirm that we have given all of ourselves to Him. As we surrender ourselves, we put to death the old self and put on the new.
Song 2
Jesus, Lord to Me (47)
We proclaim the three offices of Christ: prophet, priest, and king. As we consider the manner in which we walk, as we consider becoming like Him as we are commanded to be holy, we must know Him as Lord of our lives.
Song 3
More Love to Thee (634)
As those who know Him and the fulness of forgiveness that is found in him, may we together cry out from a tender heart “More love to thee!”. My prayer is that the longer we know Him the more we will love Him.
Song 4
All I have is Christ
I chose this last song as a reflection on today’s message. While we seek to walk in a manner worthy of Christ, it can seem like we will never truly reach that mark. We must embrace the reality of our situation–that whether in justification or sanctification or glorification, all we have is Christ. And He is all that we need!
Song for Consideration
My Worth is Not in What I Own
Song by Keith & Kristyn Getty ‧ 2014
Lyrics:
My worth is not in what I own
Not in the strength of flesh and bone
But in the costly wounds of love
At the cross
My worth is not in skill or name
In win or lose, in pride or shame
But in the blood of Christ that flowed
At the cross
I rejoice in my Redeemer
Greatest treasure, wellspring of my soul
I will trust in Him, no other
My soul is satisfied in Him alone
As summer flowers, we fade and die
Fame, youth, and beauty hurry by
But life eternal calls to us
At the cross
I will not boast in wealth or might
Or human wisdom's fleeting light
But I will boast in knowing Christ
At the cross
I rejoice in my Redeemer
Greatest treasure, wellspring of my soul
I will trust in Him, no other
My soul is satisfied in Him alone
Two wonders here that I confess
My worth and my unworthiness
My value fixed, my ransom paid
At the cross
I rejoice in my Redeemer
Greatest treasure, wellspring of my soul
I will trust in Him, no other
My soul is satisfied in Him alone
I rejoice in my Redeemer
Greatest treasure, wellspring of my soul
I will trust in Him, no other
My soul is satisfied in Him alone
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