“The New Man in Christ”

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:24)

“This I say and testify in the Lord” is how the apostle begins this section of the letter.  Not Paul, but the Lord is demanding a new walk, a new man, a new kind of life.

The appeal for this new life is based on the assumption that they have “learned Jesus”. This does not mean they have just learned about him, but they have reached an intimate knowledge of him.  This truth provokes them to put off the old man and put on the new man.

This new way of life is not learned by religious professors or religious institutions. The new man is found in Christ.  We must be taught by him, for the truth is only in Jesus.
This new walk is patterned after God. God, not man, is the mentor.

The new man as a reflection of God's image, manifests his character of righteousness and holiness. A moral change must take place. Whereas, the former life was corrupt, the new life is guided by integrity, uprightness, and a high respect for God's purity.

As one reads the rest of the Ephesian letter he sees that Christ affects every phase of his life. He has a gentle, forgiving demeanor.  His speech edifies the hearer.  His family is well ordered.  And, he is respectful on the job. 

No professing Christian is exempted from this new way of living. Christ is our head. He is the source of truth, and our example. We must yield to his lead and allow him to change our life.

George Slover

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