May it please God to bless us
together this evening as we continue our meditation in the Epistle
of Paul to the Ephesians. This evening we'll turn to chapter
4 and read verses 24 and 25. The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians,
chapter 4, and reading verses 24 and 25. And that you put on
the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and
true holiness. Wherefore, putting away lying,
speak every man truth with his neighbour, for we are members
one of another." Some of you may remember, of
course, that last Friday we took the previous verses which spoke
to us about not the new man, but the old man. And we thought
on these verses that you put off concerning the former conversation,
the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lust,
and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Now we come to
the new man, and that you put on the new man, which after God
is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore, putting
away lying, speak every man truth, with his neighbour, for we are
members one of another." Well, it's clear that the Apostle Paul
was not only concerned to address the Ephesians with this particular
requirement, but also, as we read together in that chapter
in the Colossians, which in actual fact I think is a very good commentary
on these verses. And what it tells us is that
there is a conflict A conflict between our old nature, our old
man, and our new nature, the new man. And that conflict really
begins when the Holy Spirit comes and grants that great blessing
of the new birth, that conversion, so that we do possess then the
new man. The new man of grace and that
which is upon us, directs us to do that which is right and
God honouring, whereas our old nature is corrupt. Of course,
we don't get rid of the old nature. Some of us, I'm sure, wish we
did, but we don't. We still possess that old nature,
but we're thankful when, by the grace of God, that is subdued,
and therefore the new nature is the one which we hope truly
reigns in our life. So we have this conflict. The
Apostle, when he wrote this epistle to the Colossians, he tells us
so clearly, if he then be risen with Christ, that means if you
and I possess the new birth, we are risen from the dead. It's not naturally, it is spiritually. Spiritually we were dead, and
bless God tonight, if we have the wonderful evidence that we
are risen with Christ, And if such, he says, seek those things
which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of
God. Set your affection on things
above and not on things on the earth. So that's a very clear
and wonderful exhortation for those who possess this great
blessing of the new man. And so he says, for ye are dead
and your life is hid with Christ in God. when Christ who is our
life shall appear, then shall he also appear with him in glory. And that's a wonderful promise
and a wonderful truth to look forward to as we journey through
life, to believe that when we finish our course on this earth,
we shall indeed be with Christ and we shall appear with him
in glory. Because by his grace, we possess
that new man. And so he then speaks about the
old man, he tells us, mortify, that means put to death your
members, wherefore your members which are upon the earth. And
he gives a list, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection,
evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry, for which
things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience."
Well, that's a very straight statement, isn't it? And then
he makes this point, in the which he also walked sometime when
he lived in them. Well, all of us by nature walked
in those things, perhaps not physically, but no doubt in our
minds, and therefore we are all guilty before God. And so he
says, in the which he also walked sometime when you lived in them,
but now you also put off all these, anger, wrath, malice,
blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. And then he
comes on to say, lie not one to another, saying that you have
put off the old man with his deeds. And you see, in this 24th
and 25th verses, we read in that she put on the new man, which
after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, where for
putting away lying, he picks out that point specifically,
speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members
one of another. There is that unity in Christ
We've already considered in this fourth chapter of the Ephesians
there is but one body, one church. What a blessing if we are all
part of that one body. So we read and have put on the
new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created
him. You see that the new nature is
pure. Our new nature is sinless. It's a wonderful thought, isn't
it? That God has granted that to all of his people, that new
nature. And so what a mercy it is to
have the evidence of it in our hearts. And if we do, we shall
understand the conflict between that, between our two natures. where he says, where there is
neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian,
Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all. What a mercy that is to realize
that Christ is all and in all. What a mercy it is in our life
if Christ is our all. And we desire that he is our
all. The poor things in this world
fade then into relative insignificance as we consider the greatness
and the beauty and the preciousness of the Lord Jesus Christ who
so gloriously came into this world to deliver us and to save
us from our sins, to cleanse us from all our sins. And it
is of course through the shedding of his most glorious and precious
blood. And therefore he says, put on
therefore as the elect of God And all those who possess this
new man, this wonderful blessing, are those who are elect, those
whom God has chosen, not for any good in ourselves, but because
he looked upon us in eternity past and loved us with an everlasting
love. It's a great truth which is beyond
our natural comprehension. But what a blessing if God gives
us faith to believe the wonderful truth of it. And therefore he
gives us then a list. Put on therefore as the elect
of God, holy and beloved. It's very humbling, isn't it?
Bows of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering. forbearing one another and forgiving
one another. If any man have a quarrel against
any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. This is the fruit
of the Spirit. This is the evidence that you
and I possess this new man within, which influences us with these
true desires to walk in this way. And if we fail, which we
often do, we won't be proud, we won't be pleased, we'll be
sorry, we'll become before God and repent to the things that
we do and say and pray earnestly that we might be better people,
better Christians and walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we
are called. And then he says, and above all
these things put on charity, that of course means love, and
above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule
in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body. Be thankful. Well, we will have
much cause to be thankful if God has given us, created in
us, this new man. Wonderful privilege, so necessary,
so essential, if we are to go to heaven at last, all of us
will possess this great and glorious favour of being blessed with
this new man. And so here the apostle goes
on, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom,
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."
That means to praise God for what he's done. The Church of
God, the elect of God, have great cause to praise him for the wonderful
favour and blessing of possessing this new man. And whatsoever
ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God and the Father by Him." Well, I'm sure
that's a very wonderful commentary really on these verses in this
fourth chapter of the Ephesians from 22 to 25. And so tonight,
let us thank God that we have these words of gracious instruction
and pray the Lord will help us and give us that real desire
to walk as a new man. A born again Christian should,
in this evil world in which we live, and realise the great truth
of these words, and that you put on the new man, which after
God is created in righteousness, no unrighteousness, righteousness
and true holiness, wherefore putting away lying. Speak every
man truth with his neighbour, but we are members one of another. We'll leave it there. May God
bless these comments for his honour and glory and for our
soul's good.