UNITED - Week 5

UNITED
Week 5: New Life in Christ

Even when the world is divided, the church of Jesus Christ is called to be United.

Picture: Doppelgänger
1. The Admonition
Ephesians 4:17-18 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.

2 Corinthians 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
Ephesians 4:19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
2. The Argument
Ephesians 4:20-22 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.

Colossians 2:11-14 When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross…

Colossians 3:3, 9-10 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God…for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

“It is because we have already put off our old nature, in the decisive act of repentance called conversion, that we can logically be commanded to put away all these practices which belong to that old, rejected life.” - John Stott
Ephesians 4:23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind (ESV)

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come! (CSB)

3. The Application

> Put off Lying / Put on Truth
Ephesians 4:25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.
> Put off Unrighteous Anger / Put on Righteous Anger
Ephesians 4:26-27 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
> Put off Stealing / Put on Working and Giving
Ephesians 4:28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.
2 Thessalonians 3:11-12 Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living

“Earn all you can, give all you can, save all you can.” - John Wesley
> Put off Bad Language / Put on Encouraging Language
Ephesians 4:29-30 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
> Put off Bitterness / Put on Kindness & Forgiveness
Ephesians 4:31-32 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.