How To Get Dressed Every Day

Posted on October 21, 2007

 

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Ephesians 4:17-5:2

ONE GREAT TRUTH: Part of developing “everyday Christianity” in our lives is exchanging our old identity and patters for our new identity in Christ.

We talked this morning, based on Isaac’s life, about how our faith ought to be lived out every day with consistency. Ephesians is a great book of the Bible to help us establish consistency. The first three chapters are doctrinal, giving us a great theological foundation for our lives. The second three chapters are practical, and we’re going to focus on the heart of the second half of the book, a passage that tells us how to get dressed every day.

THE GREAT EXCHANGE…

“Put off” speaks of throwing off old clothes and “put on” describes putting on new ones. So living the Christian life consistently is often made up of a series of exchanges of ungodly behaviors for godly ones.

MY RELATIONSHIP WITH PEOPLE…

I. Putt off lying and put on truth. (4:25)
We like to think of lying as just telling an outright, boldface lie. But there is so much more to the meaning of the word. It is any kind of purposeful deceitfulness, which comes of our hearts every time we have selfish motives.

II. Putt off sinful anger and put on righteous indignation. (4:26-27, 31)
Sinful anger can be one of two things: having a short fuse, or holding a long-term grudge. Either one gives an opportunity for Satan to storm the fortress walls of our hearts. We are commanded, however, to be angry, but to be righteous in our anger. Righteous indignation is godly anger over sin and injustice and we are to refuse to become bitter in our righteous indignation.

III. Putt off stealing and put on working and giving. (4:28)
The stealing part may seem obvious, but the implication is that we’re to put off hording and selfishness. Instead, we’re to work hard so that we have resources to share with others. The only antidote to selfishness is to give!

IV. Putt off filthy language and put on encouragement. (4:29)
The goal here is to use words that build one another up. We have to be intentional with our tongues if our words are to do any good to anybody.

V. Put away bitterness and put on love and forgiveness. (4:31-5:2)
Everyday Christianity means putting away resentment, every day. That’s tougher than we think, but we must be intentional about it.

MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD…

Paul says we are to “grieve not the Holy Spirit…,” “be ye followers of God…,” “even as Christ…”