“The Just Shall Live By Faith”
New King James Version Written by: David Hicks
Romans 1:17 “ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
Galatians 3:11 “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."
Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."
“Articles of Faith”
The Church of Christ
(A Study in Ephesians)
Lesson 17 - Put on the New Man:
We are in the process of learning how to walk worthy of our vocation. Remember that our walk is our life and how we choose to live it. Paul is speaking to Christians about the importance of the church, thus our vocation is our role as members of the body of Christ. We have spent time on the work of the church; the tools given to her, and our specific role in the production on her behalf.
It is now that we want to begin to appreciate that we are not citizens of earth trying to get to heaven, but citizens of heaven trying to get through life on earth.
Text:
Ephesians 4:17-24
“This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
Testify in the Lord: Paul begins his teaching by summarizing the importance of what he has said preceding this with therefore, and now he announces that he is going to exhort these brethren in the training of the Lord.
Since the majority of the Ephesians' Christians were Gentiles, they are being exhorted not to walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk. The rest of the Gentiles would be those who have not become Christians, thus on the outside of the body of Christ, and not subject to the benefits listed in Chapter one .
Walk of Futility: Here is described for us exactly what it means to be without Christ, and thus without God. When people ask you why it is that they need Christ and the salvation contained within the Gospel's message, this is a good passage to read them. This is a mirror passage to that which Paul taught to the Roman Christians, note: Romans 1:18-24
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,”
I also encourage you to continue to read the rest of this chapter, as included therein is the specific lusts of the flesh. These lusts are the very fleshly lust being practiced in our society today, that we are being told that we must tolerate. Paul would later tell these same brethren that they were to abhor evil (that is to hate with prejudice). Since we are of a spiritual kingdom this does not give us license to physically hurt anyone. However, just as Paul did for the brethren in Ephesus and countless other cities, we are to teach the mind of Christ and in so doing hope to eliminate and expose evil for what it is. This is the greatest form of reaping that can be done, life and brethren created from death and alienation from God.
You Have Not So Learned Christ: The thought of this verse is simply that they did not learn these practices from Christ. There is an apparent concern that these brethren were teetering between these two existences.
Paul would then make a rhetorical statement, “ If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him ”. It is a fact that they had both heard and been taught by Christ. In this instruction was the content that righteous living was in the teaching of Christ.
So, even before we get to the heart of this lesson, we can see that one cannot live with one foot in the world and its enticements and one foot in Christ and His instruction in righteousness. A reckoning must occur and a path chosen.
Put Off: So here is the reckoning that must take place in every Christian. To put off, means to cease doing things. Since it is our former conduct that we have been saved from, we are to cease doing things that alienated us from God (things of this world, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, I John 2:15 -16 ). Paul uses the terms, ‘ deceitful lusts ' regarding these earthly lusts. This is because they deceive one to believe that they are experiencing genuine pleasure, but yet they will be disappointed in the end.
Be Renewed: This thought is given before the point of the lesson. It is here that Paul wants us to be convinced that he is emphasizing spiritual character. To be renewed denotes a change from in their minds from an interest in carnal things, to desire the things that are spiritual. This is the same message that Paul gave to the Christians in Colossi, note:
Colossians 3:1-7
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.”
Put on the New Man: To put on is the opposite of put off. In simple language, we are to cease the practices that cause us to live in the flesh, and begin to reconstruct ourselves in the image of righteousness. This new image is created in God thru Christ Jesus our Lord.
James, in his epistle would describe in detail the differences, note:
James 1:23-24 “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”
If a man is taught the righteousness of Christ and does not practice that which he knows he should do, he cannot remember or chooses to forget the image that he has been trained to see. However, note:
James 1:25 “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”
The man who is taught by the righteousness of Christ and practices that which he has been taught, is blessed. In this we learn that within the contents of the word are instructions that can make you and me (regardless of the unsightly blots that have plagued our pasts) into the image of the most glorious image in the sight of God, Christ Himself.
This is mirrored by the words of Paul as well, note:
1 Corinthians 11:1 “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”
Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,”
Romans 6:17-18 “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”
Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
This brings all of us to a point of reflection! Are we half dressed in our old self and half in our new as perhaps some of the Ephesians were? Or are we fully dressed in our new man, in full devotion and love for what we must recognize has been done for us?
Next: “ The Transformation ”