Walk As a New Person in Christ
March 15, 2020
Commentary
The Ephesian believers were Gentiles. Paul tells them to make a clean break with their old ways of life and stop living by the standards of the unsaved people around them (v. 17). These pagan Gentiles had given themselves to a lifestyle without any personal standards. Their minds have been clouded by all types of impurity to the point that they are unable to distinguish between right and wrong (v. 18). Their conscience is not functioning, and there is no hatred of sin and no love for Christ (v. 19).
In contrast to this pagan life, Christ teaches men to renounce sin and cultivate holiness and virtue. The phrase, “But ye have not so learned Christ” (v. 20) does not say “learned about Christ.” It is possible to learn about Christ and still not be saved. To “learn Christ” means to have a personal relationship with Christ so that you get to know Him better each day. I can learn about Abraham Lincoln because I can secure many books about his life. But I can never “learn him” because he is dead.
Christ is alive so I can “learn Christ” through a personal relationship with Him. This relationship is based on Bible study (II Tim. 2:15) and prayer. The better we understand the Word of God, the better we will know the Son of God. He is the truth, and you heard about him and learned about him (v. 21). You were told that your foolish desires will destroy you and that you must give up your old way of life with all its bad habits (v. 22).
Application
My old way of life before I was saved should be completely in the past. I should put it behind me like old clothes to be thrown away. I am not to be driven by desire and impulse.
Ephesians 4:17– 22 (NET)
17 So I say this, and insist in the Lord, that you no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. 19 Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn about Christ like this, 21 if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus. 22 You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires,