“Now this I affirm and insist on in the Lord: you must no longer walk as the[f] gentiles walk, in the futility of their minds; 18 they are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart. 19 They have lost all sensitivity and have abandoned themselves to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 That is not the way you learned Christ! 21 For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus, 22 to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4.17-24
Before I met Christ I lived as I wanted to live. I was only out for myself. Especially in my teenage years. But when I met Jesus and surrendered my heart to him, his Spirit came to live inside of me. And since that time, I am being conformed to his image. I am working out my salvation with fear and trembling, as Paul says, and being made anew each and every day.
This is Paul’s encouragement to the Ephesians in this portion of the letter — be like Christ! Put away the old self and be “renewed in the spirt of your minds.” Put to death the old way of living, do not be like the gentiles (representing sin, death and destruction), and live like Christ. For we have been created “according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”
It’s the goal of the Christian to live like Christ. Sometimes this looks opposite to how the world is living. The world tells us to gain all, seek all, grab all for ourselves. The world tells us this is temporary and therefore we should strive to live it up, feeding the flesh and give in to our desires. But Christ’s way is different, other and better.
It’s not that we accomplish this conformity over night, but the process of sanctification if the journey. We are being transformed more and more like him each and every day as we continue to die to the flesh and live for Christ.
Are you dying to self? Are you living for Christ? Have you surrendered to Jesus and allowed his Spirit to fill you? Commit your ways to him this day and allow him to live through you.
“O Lord God, it is good to dwell in your presence. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for saving me and allowing me to walk as you have walked. I trust in you and desire to know you more. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen