Dr. Ben Merkle

No Longer Walking as the Gentiles Walk (v. 17-19)

Because of what Christ has done for you, there is no longer any good reason for you to act like the unsaved Gentile. This is a life characterized by the futile mind, darkened understanding, alienated from God, ignorant, blind, past feeling, lewd, unclean, and greedy. But you are these things “no longer” (v. 14, 17).

As Peter tells us, you’ve spent enough time there (1 Pet. 4:1-3). Now it’s time to be done with the lusts of the world and to give ourselves to the will of God.

Put Off, Put On v. 20-24

The Christian motivation for obedience is the result of understanding who you are (1 Pet. 4:1, Rom. 6:4-7). The lusts that want to rob you of Christ are deceitful. They enslave you by telling you lies. Remembering who you are in Christ will always be one of the most powerful weapons for putting to death the works of the flesh.

But we are called to put off that old, dead man. Put him off and put on the new man in true righteousness and holiness.

The New Man v. 25-32

Remember that we have been seeing Paul continually bring up this image of a “man” or a “body” throughout Ephesians. At one moment this man is Jesus, the incarnate Son of God. But at other moments, the “man” or “body” being described is the church.

When we think of putting on the “new man,” we tend to think of private, spiritual disciplines that happen in the secret places of our hearts. But it is interesting to note the disciplines that Paul lists when we are putting on the “new man.”

Don’t lie to one another. Don’t get angry at one another. Don’t steal from one another. Instead, look for ways to give to each other. Speak with edification to one another. Get rid of bitterness and anger. Forgive one another.

These are all disciplines for living within the corporate body of Christ. The new man that we are putting on is simultaneously Christ and the Church. We shouldn’t pit the individual renewal against the corporate manifestation of this renewal.

For This Reason (v. 14-16)

Paul is entering into a conclusion for the first half of the book of Ephesians. The preceding three chapters have taught us about the new family to which we, through the Son, now belong. And Paul concludes form this that we ought to be doing two things. The first is that we ought to be worshipping God. The second is that we ought to receive the strengthening of the inner man from the Holy Spirit.

Rooted (v. 16-17)

Now Paul expands on the nature of this strengthening. First, we must constantly remind ourselves that the strengthening of the inner man is revealed in a way that only the eye of faith will see (2 Cor. 4:16-18). Second, we should note that this is a gift from God, not something that we strive to create in ourselves. Third, we should realize what the revelation of God’s glory looks like. The fear is always that God’s concern for his glory makes him a self-centered megalomaniac. But, here we see that God’s glory is revealed in his goodness to us.

That You Might Know (v. 18-19)

The aim of giving this gift is to see us have two things – a knowledge of what it is that God has done for us and, by that knowledge, a deep confidence in our salvation. God desires that we have confidence that establishes us like a try rooted deep into the earth and able to withstand great storms.

This is what happens when you meditate on God’s word daily as the man in Psalm 1 does. You become rooted, established, founded, convinced. Your meditating on the promises of God is a chance for God to argue daily your doubts out of you.

Glory (v. 20-21)

All of this is the work of God, “. . . to him who is able to do.” He is the power that works in us. This has all been a description of the work which God works. So what is left for us to do? We worship.