Ephesians 4:11-15, 17-27, 29 (NIV) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. 20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
To “put off your old self” and “put on the new self” is to live a life learned from Jesus Christ. To “put on” is not a must, a try hard, or a have to, but is experienced as a gift. To “put on” is to grasp a vision of the life Jesus wants for us and then to make our way in the world according to His direction, continually adjusting our life to His will. To “put on” means that the specific person of Jesus the Living Christ is, in all situations, the ultimate authority on whom we rely.
Put off holding to anger, allowing anger to take hold, dwelling in our hearts until it erupts in a rage. Be angry if you are angry, but do not hold on to it, and be kind to one another. Put away all falsehood. No more lies, no more pretense. Speak the truth in love. Speak with clear, caring honesty. Speak from a pure heart.
Walk worthy. Live a life learned from Christ. Put off unwholesome talk, foul-mouthed talk, and use speech to impart grace. Speak in a way that respects the dignity and feelings of others. Speak the right word at the right time in the right way that gives help and hope to one another.
Put off … put on. Do you get the picture of the kind of life God wants for us?
From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope July 16, 2000
© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell
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