This segment focuses on Ephesians 4:22-24, where Paul instructs believers to ”put off concerning your former conduct the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness.” Paul elaborates on the ”old man”—our pre-Christian self—characterized by corruption fueled by ”deceitful lusts.” Sin deceives by promising fulfillment it cannot deliver and minimizing its consequences. This former way of life, influenced by worldly patterns and Satan (as mentioned in Ephesians 2), leads to increasing corruption.

Crucially, Paul presents Christian transformation as a two-part process. It's not enough to simply ”put off” the old, sinful ways (resisting temptation). Believers must also actively ”put on the new man”—embracing righteous living. Simply ceasing sinful actions without pursuing righteousness is incomplete. Jesus illustrated this concept in Matthew 7:13-14 with the imagery of two paths: the broad way leading to destruction and the narrow, difficult way leading to life. Leaving the broad path necessitates actively walking the narrow one.

Central to this transformation is being ”renewed in the spirit of your mind.” Christian living originates internally; righteous behavior flows from righteous thinking and feeling. This inner renewal is not solely a human effort but is empowered by the Holy Spirit, as Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:16 for believers to be strengthened ”with might through His Spirit in the inner man.” God works with us in our transformation (Philippians 2:12-13).

Paul then provides practical examples of this ”putting off” and ”putting on”:

1. Lying vs. Truthfulness (v. 25): Believers must stop lying and instead speak truth with their neighbors. The reason transcends simple morality; it's because ”we are members of one another.” Truthfulness fosters trust, accountability, transparency, conflict resolution, and mutual support within the church body, helping everyone mature in Christ.
2. Anger Management (v. 26-27): ”Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” Anger itself is an emotion, often an involuntary physiological response (adrenaline, cortisol, increased heart rate). While we can't always control feeling angry, we can control our response. Jesus exemplified righteous anger without sinning (Mark 3:5). Paul advises dealing with anger promptly (”do not let the sun go down”) to prevent unresolved issues from festering, which increases stress, strains relationships, leads to poor decisions, and gives Satan an opportunity (”place”) to tempt us further.
3. Stealing vs. Working & Generosity (v. 28): ”Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.” Again, the pattern is clear: put off stealing, put on honest labor. Paul elevates this further: the purpose of working isn't just self-sufficiency but also generosity. Stealing is often rooted in selfishness (except perhaps in dire need), whereas Christianity calls for self-denial and service. Working hard to provide for oneself and to share with others actively combats the selfish impulse behind theft and cultivates a Christ-like, generous spirit.

This process of putting off the old self and putting on the new, renewed in mind and empowered by the Spirit, is the path to practical holiness and transformation outlined by Paul in Ephesians.

Join us @TheGospelSaves for more discussion about Christianity. Or visit https://www.thegospelsaves.me for hundreds of blogs, articles, podcasts, and Bible studies covering the Christian faith. And don't forget to subscribe to this channel to receive the latest updates.