Sermon

The New Self pt. 1Eph 4:20-27

Introduction

He reasoned that sinners have so many things going against them in this world that we should never be shocked when they fall. Instead, we should be constantly amazed when they don’t!

The first of these huge obstacles that stand between believers and holy lives is the powerful reality of our remaining depravity. It is a sad and heavy thing to know the gospel, to experience the powerful and incredible grace of God, and yet to sin and want to sin against it.

It’s bad enough to sin against the law of God, but so much worse to sin against him in the face of his outrageous love and sacrificial provision for all of our sin. Yet this we do, time and time again. –

Barbara DuGuid Extravagant Grace

[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. (Ephesians 4:20-27 ESV)

The New Man is a reflection of the One who Called us since he is made in the likeness of God.

The behaviors of the new man flow from the new heart; they are Spirit empowered traits.

Becoming a Christian is death to the old way of trying to earn God’s favor and being made alive by God’s grace through Jesus.

WHAT DOES THE NEW SELF LOOK LIKE?

It looks like speaking Truth in Love – v. 25

Four helpful approaches to communication that speaks truth in love…

Ask yourself “What is the goal of this message? What is my motivation?”

Get the log out of your own eye before getting the speck out of the other person’s eye.

Attack the problem not the person.

You have to make it safe for the other person to criticize.

THE NEW SELF MOTIVATION v. 20-21, 25

Hearing Christ, learning of Christ, being taught in Him are phrases that refer to what God has done for us in Christ, and they remind us that we are forgiven, accepted, and loved. That is the foundation of our motivation to put on the New Self.

Paul also relates truth telling to our unity in Christ, as being members of one body. As God’s people we share a common life.

We’ll never grow in putting off the Old Self and putting on the New Self until we get specific about our repentance

Never forget that the context of putting off the Old Self and putting on the New Self is the work of Christ on our behalf.