Walk Worthy / Week 4 / Live Consistent with Who You Are

Live Consistent With Who You Are

Ephesians 4:20ff February 7, 2021

Introduction:

A. For some when they came to Christ they were unaware of any changes at that

moment but changes came gradually over time.

1. For me my world was turned upside down and everything changed in the

moment. I changed instantly from a beer drinker who swore constantly and

lived for no one but myself to a person who in the 48 years since then has

sworn only one time and has not had a one drink since then. The whole

direction of my life changed from living for myself to living to help others!

2. None of this came because I tried hard to stop or I knew I should not do it,

but God did something deep within me and just took those things away!

B. But I had no idea what happened. Now I know what happened to me and we find

the answer in Ephesians 4. Turn in your Bibles to Ephesians 4.

1. We learned last week that we are to stop walking just like those who do not

know Jesus because their lifestyle is driven by a mind that lacks the

knowledge of God and His Word.

2. Today we pick up in v20 where we see a second reason we should not walk

just like those who do not know Jesus.

C. One thing we see in this whole section of Scripture is that truth is the foundation,

at the center of and the driver of our lifestyle, walk and behavior. The truth we

learned from Jesus and His Word should drive our lifestyles!

1. The structure of this text is simple:

a) Remember that this whole section is talking about our lifestyle from v 17

to end of chapter. This section v22 on is talking about the lifestyle we

learned and were taught when we came to Jesus

b) V22-24 – what we learned in Christ about our former manner of life

(content, truth, facts, knowledge)

c) V25 - 32 – “therefore” the “so what’s” the practical outcomes from what

we learned. (commands, exhortations, specific applications of the truths

we learned)

2. What we learn in v22-24 is that our old self has died and we have put on a

brand new self

3. When you put the two sections together we see this:

a) Stated negatively – we put away our old lifestyle because our old self has

been put away

b) Stated positively – we put on a new lifestyle because we have put on a

new self

c) Summarized - live consistent with who you are

D. Watch for all of this as I read this whole section v20-32

• Today we will look at what we learned from Jesus and in the next three weeks we

will look at three of these specifics: anger, our words and the Holy Spirit. Let’s start

with

I. What we learned in Jesus

A. Again simply what we learned in Jesus is that our old self, our old man has been

laid aside and we have put on a new self, new man. Read v22, 23

B. Wait a minute, that sounds like a command rather than the stating of a fact! That

is a very important distinction because

1. Either we are being told to put off the old self, old man or we are being told

he has already been put off!

2. One says it is a work I need to do now, the other says it is a work Jesus has

already done.

3. One causes me to strive harder, the other to praise Jesus

4. All of this is important because as we saw already – truth drives the way we

live!

5. So today, we are going to be diving into the deep end of the Word. I try not

to sound like a classroom at Moody Bible Institute too often but today is one

of the days it is necessary to know just what is the truth.

C. I am going to tell you why I believe this is a fact already done rather than

something you need to do. By the way, I do not stand alone in my interpretation

of this being this way. John MacArthur agrees, Lewis Sperry Chafer – the

founder of Dallas Seminary agrees. A Greek scholar Charles Moule agrees, and

so does David Needham, the author of Birthright. So here we go

1. The words lay aside and put on are both aorist infinitives.

a) Aorist means it is something that happened in the past

b) Being an infinitive, it has two possible interpretations – either a

command or a result.

c) Obviously I take it as a result for the following reasons

2. First context –

a) We learn from the verses before 20-21 he is talking about something that

we learned in the past not something we are supposed to do.

b) We see in verses following starting in v25 the therefore – the specific

applications of what we do with what we learned, is followed by

numerous straight out imperatives. That is when the commands start!

c) V22 tells us the old self was already laid aside and v25 says “therefore”

laying aside falsehood, speak truth…

(1) It perfectly illustrates we put away our old lifestyle because our old

self has been put away

3. Secondly, this interpretation is consistent with and in harmony with the rest

of Scripture about the old and new self/man.

a) Read Colossians 3:8-10 – already done – live consistent with who you

are – do not live that way because you already have laid aside the old

self and already have put on the new self/man!

b) Turn to Romans 6:6. Read

(1) Our old self was crucified with Jesus!

(2) Why – so this body where sin dwells and operates might be

rendered powerless over me. I am no longer sin’s slave.

(3) Read v7

D. Many are saying wait a minute when did I die, this old man this old self?

1. Remember our chart as three part people

2. We are talking now at the level of our spirits – the old man I was at the core

of my being, that part of me that relates to God has died,

3. God included me in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Listen as I read and

note again it starts with the inconsistency of living like the Gentiles – living

in sin!

a) Before I read, you need to know the word baptized means to be

immersed into something, placed into something or someone. Read

Romans 6:1-5

E. Bottom line, when Jesus died He not only died for you to forgive your sins, but

you died with Him, the old self, that spiritual part of you, to provide for you the

deliverance from your sins. According to the cross, you – the old self died with

Jesus!

F. In the resurrection, you were included in that as well so you now share in the

newness of life that He has. Read Romans 6:8-12

G. So bottom line – Ephesians 4, Colossians 3 and Romans 6 all teach us it is

inconsistent to live life in sin because that is not who we are now. The old self

who was at its heart a sinner (Romans 5) is dead and you are a brand new creature

in Christ created in the righteousness and holiness of the truth

II. Communion

A. So consider and reflect during this communion time. How consistent is your

lifestyle with the new creature you are?

1. Are you still living in sin or are you walking in the newness of life?

2. Consider – confess – realign your mind and your lifestyle with the truth!