Ephesians 4:17-24 (NKJV) 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, 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; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Christians often say their character or personalities would never change because they were born that way or they are too used to them, but if we have this kind of mindset, we will remain carnal Christians. We have been asked to renew our minds with the word of God so that we will know God’s good and perfect will for us (Romans 12:1-2). It is God’s will for us to prosper in our souls by having good interpersonal relationships without any form of striving and bitterness among us. If we do not live in the new creation realities, our “old man” or old lifestyle will destroy our relationships, including our marriage, and our lives will be no different from the people of the world.
The Apostle Paul compared the “old man” and “new man” ’s lifestyles. He advocated for a complete lifestyle change and encouraged us not to continue in our old ways. He said we should live in the “new man” and have an entirely new lifestyle that can only be found in Christ.
| Old man | Result | New Man | Result |
| Futility of mind | Grow corrupt | Renewed mind | Abundant life |
| Understanding darkened | No moral bearing | Created in true righteousness and holiness | Able to walk justly and righteously |
| Blindness of the heart | Deceived by the devil | The gospel shines light into our lives | Walk in the light |
| Speak lie | Distrust | Speak Truth | Earn Trust |
| Lewdness, uncleanness and greediness | Grow in corruption | Hard working | Appreciated by others for being a person of integrity |
| Anger issue | Break relationship | Able to manage anger | Grow in maturity and build strong relationships |
| Unbridled Tongue that brings destruction | Hurt others | Able to speak word of edification that impart grace | Others are blessed to be around you |
| Bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, malice and evil speaking | Self-harm and create toxicity | Gracious, kind, tender-hearted and forgiving | Healthy in our soul |
Eternal life is in heaven, but abundant life begins as soon as we receive Christ, as we are born again spiritually and become new creations. However, to enjoy this life now, we must have faith that we can live a transformed life, embrace the new creation realities Christ has made possible, and die to ourselves so that we can have good relationships with others.
Sermon Series: Faith in the New Creation Realities
活出更新的生命
以弗所书4:17-24 所以我说，且在主里确实的说，你们行事不要再像外邦人存虚妄的心行事。他们心地昏昧，与神所赐的生命隔绝了，都因自己无知，心里刚硬 ；良心既然丧尽，就放纵私欲，贪行种种的污秽。你们学了基督，却不是这样。如果你们听过他的道，领了他的教，学了他的真理，就要脱去你们从前行为上的旧人，这旧人是因私欲的迷惑渐渐变坏的；又要将你们的心志改换一新，并且穿上新人；这新人是照着神的形像造的，有真理的仁义和圣洁。
许多基督徒常说，他们无法改变自己的性格或个性，因为他们天生如此，已经习惯了这种生活方式。然而，如果我们持有这样的心态，就会一直停留在属肉体的基督徒状态中。神吩咐我们用祂的话语更新我们的心思意念，使我们可以明白祂在我们生命中良善、纯全、可喜悦的旨意 （罗马书12:1-2）。神的旨意是让我们的灵魂兴盛，通过与他人建立良好的关系，彼此之间没有纷争和苦毒。如果我们不活在新创造的现实中，我们的旧人或旧有的生活方式将破坏我们与他人的关系，包括我们的婚姻。那时，我们的生活与世人并无太大区别。
使徒保罗给我们展示了旧人和新人的生活方式之间鲜明的对比。他主张一种彻底的生活方式改变，并鼓励我们不要再继续旧人的道路。保罗指出，我们必须在新人里生活，过一种全新的生活方式，这种生活只有在基督里才能找到，并且只有在基督里才能实现。
| 旧人 | 结果 | 新人 | 结果 |
| 心思虚妄 | 污秽 | 心思更新 | 丰盛生命 |
| 悟性昏暗 | 没有道德约束 | 真实公义与圣洁中的新造 | 可以公义正直的行事 |
| 内心瞎眼 | 被魔鬼所欺骗 | 福音照亮我们的生命 | 在光中行事 |
| 说谎 | 失去信任 | 说诚实话 | 赢得信任 |
| 放纵污秽贪婪 | 在败坏中成长 | 勤奋工作 | 被人欣赏为正直的人 |
| 怒气问题 | 破坏关系 | 可以管理怒气 | 在成熟中成长，建立牢固的关系 |
| 放纵的舌头带来毁灭 | 伤害他人 | 说造就人的话，带来恩典 | 让周围的人因你而蒙福 |
| 恼恨、忿怒、嚷闹、毁谤，并一切 的恶毒 | 自我伤害，制造毒素 | 恩慈，良善，心存怜悯，彼此饶恕 | 灵魂健康 |
永恒的生命在天上，但丰盛的生命从我们接受基督、在灵里重生并成为新造的人那一刻就开始了。然而，要在今生享受这丰盛的生命，我们必须凭信心相信自己可以活出一个被更新的生命，拥抱基督为我们成就的新造实况，并舍己，才能与他人建立美好的关系。
讲章系列：信心与新造的现实
Image Source：pixabay.com