Be Imitators of God
"Put on the new self"
I find it easier to write in the winter than in the summer. 😂 When it’s warm I spend all of my free time outside in the yard or the garden or running or working in the garage. When it’s cold I just read and write and record podcasts. So I apologize for the lack of content, but at the same time I haven’t wanted to just write for the sake of writing and have it be something that’s of low quality. I’ve tried to wait for inspiration and write things that I feel good about instead of just trying to get a post out…which is why I still have 3 posts in my drafts that I just don’t feel like they say what I want them to…so they’ll sit there until God speaks to me on a more clear direction for them. But in the meantime, I found some scripture in Ephesians that did move me to write.
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. 20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. - Ephesians 4: 17-24
We have been called to put aside our old selves, the corruption and deceitfulness, the sin and anger, and be renewed in Christ. And this language is used repeatedly though Paul’s letters. We see it in Colossians (9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. - Colossians 3: 9-10) and Corinthians (17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! - 2 Corinthians 5: 17) as well as in Ephesians. It’s not an accident that Paul uses this same language over and over again when speaking to the early churches. This is a fundamental, foundational element that needed to be embraced by these new Christians. When we have accepted God’s love and Jesus’s sacrifice, we are now a new creation. We have been washed by the blood and cleansed of our impurities. Then we have our next step, as given by Jesus to those he healed and cleansed, “Go. From now on sin no more.” - John 8: 11
This stands at odds with the modern prosperity gospel and progressive teachings of "woke” pastors and social justice ministries. Today’s church does not preach repentance and change. It focuses on love and inclusion. Not that there is anything wrong with either of those things, but without taking the steps of putting aside that old self, putting on the new, and not continuing to live in that old sin; it’s all hollow and without value. To not make a conscious change and cast aside those old ways is to actively reject God’s love and salvation; the new self that He has given you. And a church that preaches acceptance without transformation is teaching empty words.
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”
15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, [l]for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. - Ephesians 5: 1-21
There has to be a revival of repentance and transformation. We see that many claiming acceptance under the guise of Christianity will accuse anyone who talks about repentance of being “unloving, unforgiving, and un-Christlike.” But Christ himself said “sin no more” on more than one occasion when performing miracles and changing lives. That change is necessary! We must put on the new self, or those words of confession ring hollow and empty.
It’s an easy enough thing to reach out to those who are perceived as “oppressed” and welcome them to attend Sunday services. It’s easy to tell them that God loves them just the way they are and there’s no reason to change anything about their lifestyle or their choices. But it is disingenuous and scripturally wrong. Yes, God loves each and every one of us as we stand here today, and Jesus called us to come to Him just as we are. But once we have heard that call, now we are to “BE IMITATORS OF GOD.” We come to Him as we are, but we leave from Him as something better!
“But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you.” It is not enough for us to simply come, we must also put aside the old, embrace the new, and CHANGE! That’s the hard part. That’s the uncomfortable part. That’s the part this squishy, modern form of “Christianity” doesn’t want to talk about or deal with. Because it’s ugly and it takes work and sacrifice. The modern church doesn’t want people to feel uncomfortable. We have to be ready to have the uncomfortable conversations…in our homes and in our churches and in our communities. We have to be prepared to sacrifice the old, easy, comfortable life and to walk out in to the world as a new creation that God has blessed as His own. Not a thing of the world, not walking as the unwise; but living in God’s light and presence and showing that to the world. Because we have been changed. Because He has changed us. And that old sinful self is gone!
