Let's dive into Ephesians 4:17-32, to explore what Paul has to say about the old and new self. The Old and New Self
Let's take a look at what is the old and new self, from within Ephesians 4:17-32. Is this a conscious act, or something that the Holy Spirit performs within the believer automatically? We will look at how the commands given in the Ephesians 4 passages fit into what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 and what it means in verse 24 of Ephesians 4 about the new self being created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. In Ephesians 4:17-32, Paul tells the believers in Ephesus to put off the old self and put on the new self. According to Motyer, this old self was crucified with Christ and the new self is something that must sought after in an attempt to reflect the new man, Christ. This comes from the relation to Christ being the second Adam found in Romans.[1]William MacDonald says that in verse 23, the renewing of the mind of the believer is a work of the Holy Spirit performing a complete turn-around in thinking. This new way of thinking is an influence of the Spirit in the life of the believer, enabling the believer to understand things from God’s perspective.[2] MacDonald also points out further on concerning verse 28 that this shows that Christians are not sinless, but still have to reckon dead every day the old sinful self. [3]In verse 20, Paul says to the believers after describing the Gentiles and what they do is not the way they learned Christ. He says that the Gentiles are futile in their thinking and have a darkened understanding. We as believers have been given purpose in life and have had our mind illuminated through the Holy Spirit. This is part of our sanctification and is something that the Holy Spirit does for us. When the Holy Spirit dwells within us He gives us a purpose that is not vain and illuminates our minds. This not something that the believer can do on his or her own but is a work of the Spirit. The Compact Bible Commentary mentions that if believers would remember the presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling within them they would be more selective about how they acted.[4]This would seem to be a joint effort by both the believer and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s presence leads the believer to be more conscious of their actions and leading to a new way of thinking or renewal of the mind. Warren Wiersbe states that the believer now gives his body to be an instrument of righteousness instead of an instrument of sin like the unbeliever does. [5]The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says that the verses here in Ephesians 4:17-32 show a yielding of the life in its passions and purposes to be ruled by a new spirit. [6]I think that we can say that this process of putting off the old self and putting on the new is something that is done consciously by the believer but is something that is made doable by the work of the Holy Spirit. Since we have concluded that this putting off and putting on is a conscious act powered by the Holy Spirit how does this relate to Paul’s statement made in 2 Corinthians 5:17? According to Clinton Arnold, the new self is not just a renewal of the old self, but a totally new creation.[7]This would go to show that without becoming a new creation in Christ, we could not put on the new self because it is not there. MacDonald explains that this verse can often times be misunderstood to mean that all a persons desires and old habits kind of disappear once someone is saved, but that is not the case. His commentary on this verse ties to the whole process behind Ephesians 4:17-32 in saying that it is something that is a day-to-day process.[8]Dr. Thomas Constable notes that at conversion, God adds many new things to the believer including the Holy Spirit, which enables the believer to put off and put on.[9]So without being a new creation in Christ, we are not able to consciously put off and put on anything. Wayne Barber, in his commentary on the Ephesians passages, says that the Holy Spirit continually teaches us how to wear this new garment of the new self.[10] The final thing to look at is what Ephesians 4:24 is talking about. MacDonald says that the believer is a new kind of man that has been created in Christ’s likeness manifested by true righteousness, which is right conduct toward others, and holiness, which is piety towards God, putting God in His place.[11]Arnold states that, in regards to this verse, the distinguishing characteristics of the new self is righteousness and holiness. He further ties this to the call of God to be Holy because He is Holy in Leviticus 11:44-45 and 19:2. [12]Constable makes note that God has created this new self at regeneration after the image of our spiritual parent, God.[13]So when it says that we are created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness it means that when the Holy Spirit renews us in our mind we are made righteous and holy the way that God is. The responsibility of putting on the new self while putting off the old self found in Ephesians 4:17-32 is a shared responsibility. The only way that a believer can even attempt to put on the new self is by the renewing work of the Holy Spirit. This renewing work is the making of a new creation in Christ, which starts the whole process. While we are putting on the new self, which is made in the likeness of God, meaning that, the believer’s life will be marked by righteousness and holiness. Bibliography: Books: Arnold, Clinton E. Zondervan Exegetical Commentary Series: New Testament. Vol. 10, Ephesians. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, ©2010 Elwell, Walter A., ed. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. 2nd ed. Baker Reference Library. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, ©2001 MacDonald, William. Believer's Bible Commentary: A Complete Bible Commentary in One Volume!homas Nelson Publishers: T, 1995 Radmacher, Earl D. Compact Bible Commentary. Nelson's Compact Series. Nashville, Tenn.: Nelson Reference & Electronic, 2004 Wiersbe, Warren W. Be Rich. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, ©1976 Online: Barber, Wayne. “Ephesians 4:17-27 by Wayne Barber.” Precept Austin. Accessed June 2, 2018. http://www.preceptaustin.org/ephesians_417-27#new3 Thomas Constable, “2 Corinthians,” Sonic light, accessed June 2, 2018, http://soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/2corinthians.pdf. Thomas Constable, “Ephesians,” Sonic light, accessed June 2, 2018, http://soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/ephesians.pdf. [1]Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 2nd ed., Baker Reference Library (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, ©2001), 728 [2]William MacDonald, Believer's Bible Commentary: A Complete Bible Commentary in One Volume!(Thomas Nelson Publishers: T, 1995), 1938 [3]William MacDonald, Believer's Bible Commentary: A Complete Bible Commentary in One Volume!(Thomas Nelson Publishers: T, 1995), 1939 [4]Earl D. Radmacher, Compact Bible Commentary, Nelson's Compact Series (Nashville, Tenn.: Nelson Reference & Electronic, 2004), 839 [5]Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Rich(Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, ©1976), 109 [6]International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, s.v. “Sanctification,” accessed June 2, 2018, http://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/isb/s/sanctification.html. [7]Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary Series: New Testament, vol. 10, Ephesians(Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, ©2010), 290 [8]William MacDonald, Believer's Bible Commentary: A Complete Bible Commentary in One Volume!(Thomas Nelson Publishers: T, 1995), 1841 [9]Thomas Constable, “2 Corinthians,” Sonic light, accessed June 2, 2018, http://soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/2corinthians.pdf. [10]Wayne Barber, “Ephesians 4:17-27 by Wayne Barber,” Precept Austin, accessed June 2, 2018, http://www.preceptaustin.org/ephesians_417-27#new3 [11]William MacDonald, Believer's Bible Commentary: A Complete Bible Commentary in One Volume!(Thomas Nelson Publishers: T, 1995), 1938 [12]Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary Series: New Testament, vol. 10, Ephesians(Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, ©2010), 290 [13]Thomas Constable, “Ephesians,” Sonic light, accessed June 2, 2018, http://soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/ephesians.pdf.
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