Ephesians 4.17-32 (3)
Pray Psalm 42.1-3.
As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?”
Sing Psalm 42.1-3.
(Nettleton: Come Thou Fount)
As the deer pants for fresh water let my soul, LORD, pant for You!
Let my soul thirst as it ought to for the Savior, ever true!
Tears by day have been my portion, tears by night have been my food,
while my foes add to my sorrow, saying, “Where now is your God?”
Read Ephesians 4.17-32; meditate on verses 22-24.
What does being renewed entail?
Preparation
1. What are we to “put off”? To “put on”?
2. What stands between these two actions?
Meditation
Sounds like a daily discipline, no? Put off, be renewed, put on. It’s what we do most mornings: put off the pajamas, take a shower, put on some fresh clothes. This is how Paul wants us to think about the work of being sanctified. It’s a daily, ongoing discipline that allows us to become less like our old selves and more like Jesus, so that we follow as He leads. And we’re not left alone to accomplish this by ourselves.
All the translations I have checked render the Greek τῷ πνεύματι, to pneumatic, as a locative dative: “in the spirit of your mind”. Honestly, I can’t make any sense of that. There is no preposition here requiring that translation; the dative form of the noun and article are doing all the work. That being so, this phrase could easily be translated as an instrumental rather than a locative dative, “bythe Spirit of your mind”. And that makes more sense to me, given that the Spirit of God is the one Who is at work within us to will and do of God’s good pleasure.
But we must yield our mind to Him—our plans, thoughts, likely actions, opportunities, chosen courses of action, and so forth. Every day and all day long. Put off everything in your mind that can lead you off the Jesus path and, submitting to the Spirit of God speaking in His Word, put on the new person in righteousness and holiness, and head out to follow Jesus for another day of sanctification and service.
Hence the importance, to Paul at least, of seeing Jesus (cf. Eph. 1.15-23; Col. 3.1-3). To see Him is to be renewed in Him and to become an increasingly new person in Him. And it all starts in your mind.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
As it does start there, in our mind, becoming the new person by the Spirit, it would behoove one greatly to “keep your heart with all diligence, for [indeed] out of it spring the issues of life” (Prov. 4.23).
Jesus told this story: “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first” (Lk. 11.24-26).
We can put off the old, we can wash up a bit, and we can even put on new “Christian accoutrements”; but if we do not fill ourselves with all things holy (by the Spirit) then we will merely be a vulnerable shell of a person ready to host more of the old self, by and by.
As Jesus pointed out, worse off than we were before.
Hypocrisy never works.
We must strive, with all our energy and will, to put on—and in—true righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4.24).
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12.1, 2).
It seems to be the modus operandi of the church today to tell us how to be saved (most pew-sitters already are) and then send us out to witness.
That is not exactly what Jesus told us to do.
He said: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I AM with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28.19, 20).
Since witnessing is a lifestyle and not an event per se, and since salvation results are totally in the hands of The One Who Saves, and since Jesus uttered the words “make disciples”, “teaching” and “observing” the Law—all that Jesus has commanded us—we might rethink what it is we are supposed to be doing with our lives.
In order to disciple, teach, and help others observe the Word, we first need to be, and do, all those things.
Our very lives, filled up with, and by, the Holy Spirit are a testimony that is always speaking to those in our Personal Mission Field. And yes, of course, we cannot keep silent about The One we love so dearly. But we must be busy about filling our hearts with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We cannot make people be saved; but we can work to renew, by the Spirit, our own minds and hearts.
This is a daily discipline. Not a simple calling, nor easy. But it is ours to embrace to the full.
Reflection
1. What does it mean to be renewed in your mind? Renewed unto what? How should you be renewed? From what?
2. Can we be renewed in our mind without putting off old, sinful ways? Explain.
3. Can we be truly renewed without also evidencing the work of the Spirit in us? Explain.
[I]t is not enough to shake off corrupt principles; we must have gracious ones. By the new man, is meant the new nature, the new creature, directed by a new principle, even regenerating grace, enabling a man to lead a new life of righteousness and holiness. This is created, or brought forth by God’s almighty power. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Ephesians 4.22-24
Pray Psalm 42.4-11.
Spread your day out before the Lord in prayer. Bring to Him whatever tasks, temptations, or trials you might be facing, and call on Him to keep you in the Jesus path all the way.
Sing Psalm 42.4-11.
(Nettleton: Come Thou Fount)
Now I pour my soul out in me as these thoughts come to my mind.
And I long to once again be where true worship I might find.
Oh my soul, be not despairing! Hope in God, and praise His Name!
For the LORD, your burden bearing, will restore your peace again.
Oh my God, my soul is weary, therefore I remember You.
Let Your grace and goodness near be, and Your promise, firm and true.
LORD, when trials and fears surround me, Your commands will be my song!
When distresses sore confound me, Your great love will keep me strong.
LORD, forget me not in mourning ’neath my foes’ oppressing hand.
See their mocking, hear their scorning; help my weary soul to stand.
Hope in God, praise Him forever when despair on you has trod.
Look to Jesus; never, never doubt your gracious, saving God.
T. M. and Susie Moore
Want to learn more about growing stronger in your soul? Check out our ReVision series, “Strong Souls”. Click here to download all the installments in this important study.
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: In our ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” we wrap-up our discussion of the Biblical teaching on justice. Our Read Moore podcast is working through The Gospel of the Kingdom, looking for the true Gospel of the Lord. The Crosfigell teaching letter continues our study of the life of Brigit, a contemporary of Brendan. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
