[17] This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
[18] Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
[19] Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
The emphasis throughout the remainder of the epistle is on how we ought to walk in our daily life. On the basis of our position in Christ (“therefore,” v.17), we need to “work out” our own salvation by faith (Phil. 2:12-13). There is no excuse for the Body of Christ to walk as “other Gentiles walk.” When Paul tells us how to live, he is careful to say that he is doing so “in the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:1-2). In other words, he is not merely speaking as a man to other men, but the Lord is speaking through him to us. The word “henceforth” means from this time forward (Rom. 6:6; 2 Cor. 5:15). Paul challenges us to live differently on the basis of who we are in Christ.
The lost Gentile world walks in the vanity of their mind (Rom. 1:21). The root reason that they walk with a seared conscience (without feeling) and have given themselves over to to unrestrained lust, uncleanness, and greediness is that they have a darkened understanding because they are separated from the life of God (dead in sins, Eph. 2:1-3). They are spiritually blind and do not have the knowledge of God. The Body of Christ is in the light and has the knowledge of God. Therefore we should certainly walk differently than the lost world. What we are in our heart will show up in our walk.
[20] But ye have not so learned Christ;
[21] If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Have you heard the voice of Christ speaking to your heart? I’m not talking about an audible voice. His voice is heard today by His Spirit making His word real to our heart. That is why the scripture is called “the word of Christ” (Col. 3:17). Paul referred to his own inspired writing as “wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Tim. 6:3). The words of Christ are not only found in the Gospel records. There is a difference between His earthly ministry to Israel and His heavenly ministry to the Body of Christ. So much for red letter Bibles! Christ gave the church pastors and teachers, but every Christian is personally taught of God (1 Thess. 4:9). I am concerned about those who can’t seem to live right without someone else always prodding them.
[22] That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
[23] And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
[24] And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
The old man is the flesh and the new man is who we are in Christ. In the KJB the word conversation refers to the whole manner of life and is not limited to our words. Actions speak louder than words (1 Pet. 3:1-4, "BEHOLD your chaste converstaion"). We are not exhorted to improve the old man because it cannot be changed from carnal to spiritual (Rom 8:8). When we got saved our flesh didn't. It is corrupt and will be until death or the rapture. Christ defeated the flesh for us (Rom. 6:6). We were put in the new man (the Body of Christ, new creature) upon salvation (Col. 3:9-11). In this passage Paul is exhorting us to put off and put on in a practical sense. This is done by being renewed in the spirit of our MIND (Rom. 6:17; 12:1-2). We are to learn the doctrine, believe it with all of our heart, and live it out through our body (1 Thess. 5:23). The walk of the new man is in righteousness and TRUE holiness. We are His “workmanship, CREATED unto good works” (Eph. 2:10). If there is true holiness, there must be false holiness. The unbelieving Pharisees appeared holy but were corrupt in heart (Matt. 23:27).
[25] Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
[26] Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
[27] Neither give place to the devil.
[28] Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
[29] Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
[30] And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. [31] Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
[32] And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
This passages shows us what it looks like practically to put off the old man and put on the new man.
OLD MAN NEW MAN
Lying Truth
Sinful anger Righteous anger
Giving place to the devil Giving place to God
Stealing Honest labor
Corrupt communication Words of grace that edify
Bitterness, wrath, etc… Kindness, forgiveness
That the Spirit of God can be “grieved” proves that He is a person of the Godhead and not some kind of force. We grieve Him when we give place to the flesh and the devil. Thank God we cannot grieve Him away because He has sealed us until the rapture when we will get a glorified body! Verse 30 is a great verse on eternal security. The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul (1 Sam. 16:14), but He will not depart from a member of the Body of Christ.
Christ conducted His earthly ministry under the law (Matt. 5:17). He taught His disciples that God would not forgive them if they did not first forgive others (Matt. 6:14-15). He taught the Body of Christ something different through Paul (v.32)! We are to forgive because we have been forgiven. That is the difference between law and grace (Rom. 6:14). The fact that all of ours sins were forgiven the moment we trusted Christ (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Col. 2:13) also means that we don’t have to continually confess our sins TO BE forgiven. How should we deal with sin in our lives as Christians? We should repent of our sins because we love the Lord (2 Cor. 7:10) and thank God that we ARE forgiven. Many misuse 1 Jn. 1:9 to teach that believers must confess their sins to be forgiven, but John wrote that to lost Jews in the tribulation period. The apostle John was an apostle to the circumcision (Gal. 2:9) and did not write to the Body of Christ. If we had to confess sins in order to be forgiven, what would happen if we died with unconfessed sins? Think it through.
No comments:
Post a Comment