THE DIVINE ESCAPE FROM FUTILITY PART 2

Eph 4:20-24

I’m sure we’ve all have heard of the story about the Emperors new cloths?

It’s a story that goes like this…..“Many years ago there was an Emperor so exceedingly fond of new clothes that he spent all his money on being well dressed. He cared nothing about reviewing his soldiers, going to the theatre, or going for a ride in his carriage, except to show off his new clothes. He had a coat for every hour of the day, and instead of saying, as one might, about any other ruler, "The King's in council," here they always said. "The Emperor's in his dressing room." He so obsessed with his wardrobe he was blind to reality…. In the great city where he lived every day many strangers came to town, and among them one day came two tricksters. They let it be known they were weavers, and they said they could weave the most magnificent fabrics imaginable. Not only were their colors and patterns uncommonly fine, but clothes made of this cloth had a wonderful way of becoming invisible to anyone who was unfit for his office. So what does he do? He buys into the bait of the swindlers because in his mind it will make him more powerful….. So the King says “"If I wore them I would be able to discover which men in my empire are unfit for their posts. And I could tell the wise men from the fools. Yes, I certainly must get some of the stuff woven for me right away." He paid the two tricksters a large sum of money to start work at once. So the scoundrels go through the pretense of pretending to put on the emperors clothes and the king marches out before the people under a canopy held up by his servants. And, of course, the crowd cheered for the clothes that weren’t there, to play along with the tricksters until a little child did what little children does best! They open their mouths. He asks “Mother, why does the king have no clothes on?” Word spreads through the crowd and the king is highly embarrassed as he realizes he is not covered up at all and is completely naked in front of his people. Obsessed with self he became blind by his own wicked heart. 

I say all that to say this! There is a similar story in the Bible about people who thought they were covered up but were really naked just as this emperor. In Genesis 3:6-8 we read this truth “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. We also read something similar about a church in the book of Revelation “Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” Rev 3:17

In our humanity and self-righteousness you can put on a million articles of clothing to cover up your sin but in the eyes of God you are still naked. The only way for God the Father to see you as the Emperor hoped to, was and is to be clothed in Christ’s righteousness and holiness through the gospel confession. Remember what Paul said a couple of weeks ago that we are to “no longer walk as the pagans do.” We are to no longer to have daily pursuits of the things the unregenerate man or woman seek; or what our formal selves once lived…..which was a life of darkened mind and heart, that later began to become callous and numb to the things of God’s goodness.

Paul says “Don’t walk like this” so “Put off” your “old self” 

What does Paul mean here? It’s the idea to strip away, or removing dirty soiled clothing. In the Greek “lay aside the old self” indicates a once and forever action done by the believer at salvation. This is why Paul reminds the believers in Ephesus that this previous behavior… was what some of them were going back to. This gospel of Christ is not formal education but transformational education. This is and was not what you’ve learned from Christ and His precious gospel. Look what it says in (v20-v21) What is Paul saying here that we need to pay close attention to?

Let’s go back to chapter 1 and review to chapter 4.

Chapter 1….. 

We have been chosen by God before the foundations of the world. (v3)

We have been adopted as sons and daughters. (v5)

We have forgiveness of sins through His precious blood according to His grace. (v7)

We have been sealed with His Holy Spirit through the truth of the gospel. (v14)

We have a living hope of eternal promises. (v18-v19)

We have Christ, the Son of God, as our headship for ever and ever. (v20-v22)

Chapter 2….. 

We were once dead but now made alive in Christ. (v1-v5)

We have had a spiritual resurrection through the gospel confession. (v6)

We have been saved by sovereign unmerited grace through Christ alone. (v7-v10)

We a peace that passes all understanding from our formal unregenerate selves. (v11-v14)

We have been purchase and brought back and now have access through the Spirit. (v15-v17)

We have the foundation of scripture and more than that Christ is the cornerstone of the church. (v20-v22)

Chapter 3….. 

We have had the mystery of the gospel revealed to our hearts to respond to a glorious message of truth. (v1-v6)

We are the representatives/ambassadors of His holy goodness in Heavenly places. (v9-v13)

We have been given a boldness and confidence through His Son, Jesus Christ. (v13)

We have strength to continue that this world seeks after but cannot find apart from Christ. (v14-v19)

We are lavished with abundant grace. (v20-v21)

  

Chapter 4….. 

We have the resources and ability to walk worth of this calling we have in Christ Jesus. (v1-v3)

We are a church family set apart to love another as Christ loved us. (v4-v6)

We all have received a measure of God’s grace to that very thing as a local body of believers. (v7)

We all play a part in the church to function for the glory of His name inside and outside these walls. (v11-v13)

We have been given His Spirit and His word to guide our doctrine and life, so that we do not fall to doctrines of demons. (v14-v16)

We have the testimony of a man who hated Christ and His people before his life was changed a Damascus Road. (v17-v19)

Paul says to us and them this is not what you’ve learned to fall back into ungodliness and sinful lifestyles. This is not how Jesus wants you to live. Why? His death proves that truth….He died for all forms of evil, sinfilled desire of our previous state and practices. And Paul is saying with urgency “Don’t go back there” This new life we have in Christ is putting to death of who I was. This new life is recognizing that Christ died on behalf of the sins that I called fun or controlled according to my understanding. We say things like “I can handle this; I can tame my sins, so that they don’t get out of hand or out of control. We are as Paul address here in (V20) we are never to entertain the sins we once loved. We are to put to death such behavior! Why? “That is not the way you learned Christ.” (v20) We are to “put to death” the members of our old unrighteousness and wickedness and exchange those nasty dirty clothes for clothing fit for a true king. 1 John 5:19-21 says “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” Paul says in (v22) we are to do something “to put off your old self which belongs to your former manner of life…” What Paul is saying is when we are put off the sin that has keep us in bondage for all these year and put on Christ. We are to daily mortify our sins that so easily likes to poke its ugly heard to say hi from time to time. 

As the reformer John Owen said “Let no man pretend to fear sin that does not fear temptation also! These two are too closely united to be separated. He does not truly hate the fruit who delights in the root.” He also went on to say in his book “Mortification Of Sin”, “Do you mortify? Do you make it your daily work? Be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.”

This is serious business and we are not to take this instruction lightly, just because you might have said a prayer one time in your life. The evidence of our new nature and our new cloths is that we are keenly aware of our past and previous sins that so easily ensnare us. Its daily repenting and seeking God for rest as we await the glorious eternal promises. Paul says put on which indicates something that replaces the old. We are to put on Christ which replaces our previous behavior, because otherwise we will fill our lives with what we previously loved.

(v23-v24) Paul says we are to be “renewed” Salvation brings a renewing through the shedding blood of Christ. When a person becomes a Christian, God initially renews the minds with new thoughts and desire. Its replacing not emptying (not erasing the old) but implanting new desires for the glory of God. He is giving us a completely new spiritual and moral capability. We are to live as image bearers of Christ! Because that’s how God sees us. Gen 9:6 reminds of this truth "Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man. We are to live as image bears of the living God in which we have access through the Spirit because of the gospel confession. 

What is this “new self” Paul describes here? Answer is found in (v24) “Created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. God could create no less. Luke penned these words “To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.” Luke 1:74-75. The old self is dead and no longer exists, but the new self is created in the very likeness of God. 2 Cor 5:15 says “and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

  

We have been renewed with a …Righteousness & Holiness in the likeness of God….

This is in relation to our moral responsibility as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. This is what the Puritans called “vivification” which refers to nourishing or empowering the patterns that God promises will give us fulfillment in the truest, richest sense. When we understand that God created us to be like Him in true righteousness and holiness, we will no longer believe that “almost innocent” is acceptable, or that piety is optional, or that holiness is oppressive. Look what Paul said back in Eph 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” We are to mortify the flesh by destroying the old nature. We are to feed the new man with all the means of grace that God has appointed and at the same time starve the old man by denying him the occasions from sin. Paul said these words to remind of this truth “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Rom 12:2. This righteousness and holiness that Paul talks about here is what we have been clothed with at the point of conversion.

Why? Because righteousness is something that doesn’t come by white knuckled obedience. What do I mean when I say “white knuckled obedience”? It the idea of doing it in your own strength. Gal 2:21 says “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” Romans 10:10 says “For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. And holiness is something that we can’t do either apart from God’s grace through the gospel confession. Paul said this “For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” 1 Thess 4:7-8. The renewed man is made to resemble God in righteousness and holiness of God in the new nature. This is God’s standard and now it’s our standard of life to exemplify this truth to a broken and fallen world. This is to be the character of God’s church universally and corporately. “For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth; yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!" Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” 1 Chron 16:25-34

We have been created after the likeness of God so live knowing this truth. We are new but not yet all new…..We are righteous and holy, but not yet perfectly righteous or holy. The transformation of the gospel makes this all possible each and every day. Many rescue missions in cities have a place where homeless and street people can come in to have food, a bath and get clean and disinfect their bodies and clothing. The unsalvageable old clothing is burned up and the new clothing is given to them by the Mission. The man who once was dirty is clean and the clean man is provided clean cloths without asking, working for it or deserving it.

The same principle applies to us! The only difference is that in salvation the new believer is not simply given a bath but a complete new nature in the image of God. A new nature that takes a man or woman who once was lost, but now is found as Jesus said in the parable of the prodigal son. Luke penned “I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants." "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.' "But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.” Luke 15:18-24

So live this new life clothed in Christ, not clothed with ignorance like the Emperor who was naked and blind. This new lifestyle involves replacing sinful habits with righteous and holy habits. Our new union with Christ should change the way we live in community. Remember! Our sin affects others negatively, just as our righteousness and holiness through Christ will bless others positively. John penned these words “And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.” 1 John 2:28-29