Who would want to take off a clean shirt and put on an old, dirty, soiled, stinky shirt? Normally no one would want to do this. Likewise, someone who is new, clean, and redeemed by Christ should not want to go back and "put on" their old, dirty, stinky life. Yet, some do and never notice the difference. In this week's Explore the Bible Study: Walking Differently, Paul seeks to help the believers in Ephesus as well as all believers to understand that, if we know Christ, we should and will actually desire to avoid putting on the dirty clothes of culture over our new clean clothes of salvation.
Paul contrasts the life of someone who lives by society's social norms versus someone who lives for Christ. He emphasizes that there should be a difference. He uses the analogy of "taking off" the worlds view of life and "putting on" the view we should have as believers. This is a process as well. While we immediately become new in Christ when we receive Christ as Savior, we continually have to "wash off" and "put on" the influences of sin that still chase and dog us daily.
Contrast & Comparison Chart
I have suggested in the supplemental teaching ideas the use of a chart while studying Ephesians 4:17-19 and Ephesians 4:25-32.
Old Clothes - Ephesians 4:17-19
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New Clothes - Ephesians 4:25-32
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Darkened in understanding
Excluded from the life of God
Ignorance (Lack of knowledge of God)
Hardness of heart
Callous
Given over to promiscuity and impurity
Desire more and more
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Put away lying
Speak the truth
Be angry but don’t sin
Don’t steal
Don’t use foul language
Build up others
Let go of harmful attitudes and actions
Be kind
Be compassionate
Be forgiving
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Our actions, our behavior, our view of life, our language, our choices should all be different. We can’t live as our culture does if we claim to be believers. We should wear the clean clothes of the gospel!
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