THE NEW LIFE CHRISTIAN
Those of us who live in New England await the Spring
season eagerly and cherish it as long as it lasts. Spring is a beautiful season
of new beginnings and transformations. We see beautiful blossoms, fresh green
leaves, and green lawns. The barren landscape transforms into a lush green
surrounding. The trees must let go of the old leaves to have new, fresh green
leaves.
Spring also symbolizes starting fresh and moving over. After
months of cold temperatures that often result in many of us feeling the winter
blues, spring reawakens us and our surrounding environment, bringing everything
back to life. It is time for us to reconnect and do life together. Nature’s law is that new growth cannot occur
without shedding the old. Similarly, there are spiritual laws for “The New Life
Christian” that Paul describes in Ephesians 4:17-32. We will examine who
a new-life Christian is and how we can live that life effectively.
I. God has promised New
Life to all who believe in Jesus.
Picture an ugly caterpillar that crawls around, eating
leaves and perhaps hated by many. There will come a time it goes through a
process called metamorphosis. After a while, it enters a cocoon stage, sheds
the cocoon, and emerges as a beautiful butterfly that brings joy to many. When
people look at this colorful butterfly, they no longer see its past ugliness.
This analogy of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly
symbolizes Jesus’s transforming work in the life of everyone who believes in
Him. A new beginning of
transformation awaits anyone who is willing to make Jesus Christ the Lord of
their life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, Therefore if anyone is in
Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
As per the metamorphosis analogy,
those in Christ don’t have to crawl into sin like a caterpillar but, like a
butterfly, rise to new heights, enjoying the newfound freedom in Christ. New Life
in Christ is effectively lived only when we let go of the old and embrace the
new. In Ephesians 4:17-32, the Apostle Paul explains to believers what to let
go of and what to embrace.
II. Do we swim against
the cultural current or go with the flow?
You may have heard this quote, “Remember, a dead fish can
float downstream, but it takes a live one to swim upstream,” by W. C. Fields. A
dead fish has no resistance against the current, but a live fish swims against
the current. Unfortunately, many Christians these days lack resistance to the
currents of our culture. They float downstream. Paul called such Christians
“immature like children.” They are tossed by the waves and blown here and there
by every wind of teaching and the cunning and craftiness of people.
The Apostle Paul warned the Ephesian believers against
such a lifeless existence and encouraged them to live differently from their
surrounding Gentile culture. Vs.17, “I insist on it in the Lord, that you must
no longer live as the Gentiles do in the futility of their thinking.”
The Gentiles of Paul’s time were confused, and their
minds were full of darkness. They moved far away from God, who is the giver of
life. They hardened their hearts by giving themselves to sensuality, indulged
in all forms of impurity, and full of greed. Paul was writing to the believers
who now were the new creation because of their faith in Christ by His grace. He
insisted they live differently from the Gentiles and the rest of the
world.
How does this apply to Hope Church members and the
followers of Christ worldwide? Every follower of Christ must live differently
from the rest of their culture. In “Christians in the Age of Outrage, “Ed
Stetzer states three types of Christians live in the USA: 1. Cultural
Christians. They self-identify as Christian because they were born in a
historically Christian country. They are Christians in their minds because that
is part of their heritage.
2. Congregational Christians: They are
people at church on Christmas Eve and Easter Sunday and maybe there for the
occasional wedding or funeral. They may not have a vibrant faith, but retain
some connection and affinity to a local congregation.
3. Convictional Christians: People who identify as Christians and are decidedly more
religious. They are more likely to attend church regularly, live values that
align with Christianity, and choose their spouses based on their faith. Despite
this country’s cultural shifts, this group has remained relatively studied over
the last few decades.
About 25 percent of Americans identify themselves as
“non-Christians,” either because they are secular (atheists, agnostics, Jewish,
Hindu, Muslim, etc).[1] If
you claim yourself a Christian, which one of the Christian types are you? How
is your life reflected if you identify as a Convictional Christian like myself?
Are you full of Christ’s nature or still being led by the old sinful nature? If
the Apostle Paul were to visit our churches today, what old ways would he let
us let go of so that our New Life in Christ would shine brightly?
III. Put off your old
self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires.
The
culture in Ephesus during Paul’s time is somewhat similar to our culture in the
USA. Ephesus was the capital city of a Roman province in Asia and a significant
trade center. It is known for its arts, entertainment, and sports. There was
idolatry, greed, and sexual immorality. In the Ephesians Church, Jewish and
Gentile converts brought their cultural practices.
Into that racially and culturally divergent context, Paul
urged Christ’s followers to let go of their old sinful nature with all its
corrupted and deceitful desires. Here is a list of our old attitudes and
actions that we must put off: lying, anger, sensuality, all forms of impurity,
stealing, laziness, greed, filthy speech, bitterness, rage, brawling, slander,
and every form of malice.
What are some of these old ways do you see in your life?
What do you need to let go of? You can not claim to be a follower of Christ and
yet let your sinful nature dominate you. The Holy Spirit is convicting you of
your sins. It is time you repent and put off your sinful nature.
IV. Put on the new self,
created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians
chapter four begins with the discussion of the Christian walk or live a life
worthy of the calling we have received. To do that, Paul uses two action verbs,
“Put off and Put on.” Or, as it says in NASB, “Lay aside and Put on.” It shows the idea of doing away with
something, taking it off and putting it down. A proper image may be when one
changes clothes in the morning. One puts off or lays aside the old clothes and
puts on the new clothes.
Once
we have laid aside our old selves through repentance and receiving the
forgiveness of Jesus, we are now called to put on the new selves that are
created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Paul commands the
church in Rome, saying, “Do not
conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:1-2.
Our walk as new
creation Christians starts with the renewal of our minds. By doing so, we keep
ourselves from conforming to the patterns or ways of this world. In other words,
the New Way of Living is counter-cultural and can upset those whose lives are
not transformed. This is how a Christian who puts on a new self walks or
behaves in this world.
A new creation Christian does not remain angry beyond sunset.
By doing so, he doesn’t give a foothold to the devil. He is diligent and works
with his hands so that they may have something to share with those in need. He
controls his speech and speaks what is helpful for building others according to
their needs. He remembers that he is sealed for redemption, so he lives not to
grieve the Holy Spirit. He forgives as Christ forgave his sins. He is
compassionate and kind to others. These are some of the visible marks of a New
Creation Christian.
How are we living our lives as New Life Christians in
this crooked generation? When people look at us, do they say we are a bunch of
hypocrites, Or by looking at our good works that are empowered by the Holy
Spirit and give glory to God, our heavenly Father?
