Ephesians 4:17-24
Old Man/New Man, Part 2
Pastor Martin turns to Ephesians 4:17-24 as a third key passage on definitive sanctification. After establishing both the larger and immediate context, he defends the indicative translation of verses 22-24 (ye have put off... and have put on...) against imperative renderings, then shows the same vivid imagery, profound analogy, and decisive tenses he exposited in Colossians 3. He draws four conclusions: the saving instruction of Christ always results in definitive sanctification, definitive sanctification forms the basis and reference point for progressive sanctification, definitive sanctification places us in a position to become what we were originally created to be, and this work is an exercise of gracious omnipotence.
Primary Texts
Topics
Outline 12 sections · 47 min
- Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:17-24 0:02
- Review: Definitive Sanctification So Far 1:28
- Larger Setting: The Two Halves of Ephesians 5:20
- Immediate Setting: The Gentile Walk and Learning Christ 8:59
- The Translation Question of Verses 22-24 13:20
- Vivid Imagery, Profound Analogy, Emphatic Tenses 15:44
- Plea for Attentive Thought Over the Passage 20:25
- Conclusion One: Saving Instruction of Christ Always Results in Definitive Sanctification 21:49
- Conclusion Two: Definitive Sanctification as Basis for Progressive Sanctification with Practical Examples 27:51
- Conclusion Three: Becoming What We Were Created to Be 32:36
- Conclusion Four: A Work of Creative Gracious Omnipotence 38:07
- Application and Closing Prayer 43:15
Key Quotes
“Ye have not so learned Christ, if so be that ye heard him and were taught in him - that ye have put off... and have put on...”
“The putting off and putting on as decisive and done, but the renewing as a continual process.”
“The watershed of all the exhortations to progressive sanctification is the statement of definitive sanctification.”
“That's the tragedy of sin. It promises what it cannot give and gives what it never promised.”
“No one begins to be what God made him to be until he experiences definitive sanctification.”
“The new man that after God has been created - definitive sanctification is nothing less than a creative work of God.”
“We do not take a flight into mysticism waiting for some divine zapping. We apply ourselves to the truth of the Gospel.”
Applications
Parents & families
- Single believers should fight self-pity with the truth that union with Christ is the new identity that defines them, not their relational status.
All listeners
- Gird up the loins of your mind to think hard about Ephesians 4 in its context - careless reading leaves you vulnerable to manipulation.
- Render Christ the full, unreserved, wholehearted obedience He deserves from those who have learned Him in saving truth.
- Reframe every sin you fight as something inconsistent with the new man you have become - then put it away.
- Remember that sin promises life and gives death - never trust its promises again.
- Apply yourself to the truth of the Gospel rather than waiting passively for some mystical experience to make you holy.
- Live and press on in progressive sanctification while attributing all the glory of definitive sanctification to omnipotent grace.
A full transcript is available on the tab. 77 paragraphs, roughly 47 minutes.
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:17-24
Will you turn with me, please, to Paul's letter to the Ephesian church, Ephesians chapter 4, and follow as I read verses 17 through 24, Ephesians 4, verses 17 through 24. This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, being alienated, sorry, being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart, who, being past healing, gave themselves up to lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye did not so learn Christ,
If so be that ye heard him and were taught in him, even as the truth is in Jesus, that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit, and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
Review: Definitive Sanctification So Far
In our Lord's Day morning expositions of the Word of God, we are currently engaged in an examination of what I have entitled the Cardinal Blessings of Salvation in Jesus Christ. Having considered the blessings of calling and regeneration, those mighty works of God by which He brings sinners out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of His dear Son, we are now engaged in in a study of those blessings which come to all those who are called and regenerated. We've examined in some detail the blessing of justification, the blessing of adoption, two great blessings which come immediately upon a sinner's entrance into the kingdom, immediately upon the establishment of vital union with Christ by the indwelling of the Spirit,
and by the bond of faith. And now we are examining the third of these great blessings that comes to everyone who is called and regenerated, the blessing of sanctification. And I've suggested that it's helpful to think of this great blessing of grace in terms of a massive mountain with three major peaks. The first peak being sanctification begun, or definitive sanctification, and Sanctification continued, the second peak, or what we may call progressive sanctification, and sanctification completed, or climactic sanctification. Now for two Lord's Days we have concentrated our attention upon the first of these three peaks, namely definitive sanctification, that is, sanctification begun in a radical cleavage with the dominion
the power, and the service of sin. For one Lord's Day morning, we concentrated exclusively upon Romans chapter 6, which is the most strategic passage in all of Scripture concerning this aspect of God's work of sanctification. And the basic teaching of Romans 6 is found in verse 2, in which Paul describes Christians as those who who have died to sin and therefore no longer live therein. Then last Lord's Day we began to consider several other passages which we may justly and rightly call key passages with respect to the doctrine of definitive sanctification. And so we concentrated our attention upon Colossians chapter 3 and verses 9 and 10,
in which Paul writes concerning every Colossian Christian in these terms, Lie not one to another, seeing ye have put off the old man with his doings, and have put on the new man that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him. Now this morning we come to the second of these key passages in having looked at Romans 6 as the strategic or central passage, Colossians 3, 9, and 10 as the first of other key passages, now the second of those key passages, the portion of the Word of God that was read in your hearing this morning. Ephesians chapter 4, and in particular, verses 22 through 24.
Larger Setting: The Two Halves of Ephesians
Now, as we must do in coming to a passage that is buried in the midst of a thread of argument, we must begin by establishing the larger setting or context of that passage. And as we turn to our text this morning, we must remind ourselves of its larger setting in the Ephesian letter. Most of you, I'm sure, are aware of the fact that that this letter breaks itself down very naturally into two major divisions, chapters 1 to 3, chapters 4 to 6. Now in the first three chapters we have what could be called a marvelous display of salvation by grace. In chapter 1, beginning with verse 3, all the way through to chapter 2 and verse 10, we have a description
of the grace of God in salvation particularly concentrated in its vertical dimensions. That is, salvation by grace in terms of the individual sinner's relationship to God within that salvation. And so you have this rich teaching concerning salvation by grace in its vertical dimensions.
But then beginning with verse 11 of chapter 2 and through the end of chapter 3, you have this display of salvation by grace in its horizontal glory and dimensions. And so Paul picks up that theme concerning Jew and Gentile who were once separated but now are made one in Christ, indicating this great biblical principle that there is no such thing as individualistic salvation taught in the Bible. There is individual salvation, but individual salvation always is joined to the corporate salvation of the whole body of Christ. And so in these three chapters, the apostle gives us by the direction of the Spirit this marvelous display of salvation by grace in its vertical glory and its horizontal glory as well. Then in chapter 4 and verse 1,
He begins to draw out by means of an extended exhortation the implications of salvation by grace in the life of every recipient of that salvation. I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called. And so we have that pattern again of the indicative and the imperative. God says this is what you are.
Now in the light of that, this is what you must be and do. Because of the privileges conferred upon you, these are the demands made of you. And that's always the pattern in Holy Scripture. God does not say, be that you may possess. God says, you possess, therefore be or become.
And so, beginning with chapter 4 and verse 1, we have what we might call the setting forth of the duties and obligations incumbent upon the recipients of the grace of God. The general exhortation is in the language of verse 1 of chapter 4, we are to walk worthily of our calling. Then he breaks it down in chapter 4 into a positive exhortation, verses 2 and 3.
Immediate Setting: The Gentile Walk and Learning Christ
We're to walk worthily of our calling. Now notice the positive emphasis. With lowliness, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. And then he opens up that subject, verses 4 through 16, a positive exhortation with respect to how to walk worthily of our calling. But as we have so often in Scripture, the positive is followed by the negative beginning in verse 17.
This I say therefore and testify in the Lord that ye no longer walk. You see the contrast? Verse 2 says, I'm sorry, verse 1, walk worthily of the calling, and then we are given a positive direction. Walk worthily with these graces of long-suffering and forbearing, endeavoring to keep unity. Walk worthily, that is...
Walk in a manner that is in direct contrast with the Gentiles, verse 17. Now, I hope you sense something of the overall structure and content of the book of Ephesians, or the letter to the Ephesians, so that you'll feel the force of the text. Now, having looked at the larger setting, concentrate with me upon the more immediate setting. The exhortation is found in verse 17.
No longer walk as the Gentiles walk. Now that's the heart of the exhortation. If you are to walk worthily of your calling, you must walk in a manner that is in direct and vivid contrast with the lifestyle of those who are yet outside the pale of God's grace in Jesus Christ. Then he describes what that walk of the Gentiles is
In verses 17c through verse 19. They walk in the vanity of their mind. Their understanding is darkened. They are alienated from the life of God. Because of the ignorance that is in them. Because of the hardening of the heart. They are past feeling. They give themselves up to lasciviousness. To work uncleanness with greediness. Now that's not a very pleasant description. But it is an accurate description.
When Paul says, don't walk as the Gentiles walk, he is not content with the mere generality. He says, I mean by that specifically, the lifestyle that is characterized by vanity, darkness, alienation, ignorance, lasciviousness, and uncleanness. When I tell you, don't walk as the Gentiles walk, I mean precisely that.
That walk that is characterized by these things in the description. Now, what reason does he give for this? The reason he gives for this exhortation is bound up in verse number 20. He says, do not walk as the Gentiles walk. Then he describes the Gentiles walk.
And then he says in verse 20, here is my reason for admonishing you no longer to walk in that pattern. For or but ye did not so learn Christ. If so be ye have heard him and were taught of him even as the truth is in Jesus. In other words, he says this, and this is just a summary of the teaching. To become a Christian is to learn Christ.
And to learn Christ is to hear Him and to be taught by Him. And whoever has learned Christ by hearing Him and being taught of Him would never walk as the Gentiles walk. Whatever Christ teaches those whom He savingly instructs, He never teaches them to walk by the pattern of Gentile moral existence and Gentile moral conduct.
The Translation Question of Verses 22-24
Now that brings us to the heart of our text itself, verses 22 through 24. We've looked at the larger setting, the more immediate setting. Now our text, verses 22 through 24. And the first thing we encounter is a translation problem. When we look at our Bibles, we ask the question, is verse 22 in the form of a command?
that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, verse 24, and that ye put on the new man? Well, it's a problem, I say, of translation. How should these verses be rendered? Because without going into the technicalities of grammar, which has no place in preaching, the fruits of it do, but not the thing itself, suffice it to say that there is no grammatical warrant that
for translating these as imperatives, as though Paul is giving a command. Now, they could be translated as imperatives and not do violence to the language, but there is no linguistic necessity to translate them as imperatives. Furthermore, the immediate context and the parallel passage in Colossians really forbids their being translated as imperatives, and the overall teaching of the Bible also underscores the
the fact that we should not regard them as imperatives. But rather, the translation should be something like this. And here I quote the translation of another. Ye have not so learned Christ, if so be you have heard Him, and have been taught by Him as the truth is in Jesus, so that ye have put off, according to the former manner of life, the old man who is corrupted according to the lust of deceit, and are being renewed in the spirit of your mind, and have put on the new man, who after God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Now for those of you who have either the inclination, or the inclination plus the ability to track what I've said down to its technicalities, I commend to you Professor Murray's Principles of Conduct, pages 214 and 15. Now assuming that that's the proper translation,
Vivid Imagery, Profound Analogy, Emphatic Tenses
and assuming it not carelessly or lightly, but on the basis of all the considerations mentioned, notice now what we have then in these verses. We have, first of all, the same vivid imagery as we had in Colossians 3, 9 and 10. The imagery of Colossians 3, 9 and 10 was the imagery of undressing, putting off, and of dressing, putting on.
And though you have a different word in the original for putting off, you have exactly the same word for putting on in both passages. And the word for putting off, though different, is a synonym. When I say I took my clothes off or I undressed or I disrobed, those are all synonyms. There is no great technical difference between them. And so the apostle uses synonyms freely. And woe be unto the exegete who always wants to find all kinds of astute insights and profound theological significance...
in the shades of difference between synonyms. It's really playing carelessly with the Word of God. So the same vivid imagery is found here as in Colossians 3, 9 and 10. It is the imagery of undressing and of dressing. Secondly, the same profound analogy is here. And it's even more powerful. You have this undressing, verse 22, of the old man,
And you have this dressing of oneself with the new man. In Colossians, the word man was understood. Here it is actually used. So you have this same profound analogy. You have undressed the old man. You have dressed yourselves with the new man. And the point we made last week with regard to Colossians needs to be made again with regard to this passage.
A man is a total entity. If you are a man or woman and came to this place today, you came here as a total integrated entity. You didn't leave your soul out in your car and order your body in here. Nor did you order your soul in here and leave your body out in the car. If you're a man or woman, a boy or girl, and you are here, all of you is here. And so the apostle is very careful.
Not to use such terminology, he had put off the old nature and put on the new nature. That might refer to some principle that doesn't incorporate within itself the totality of what we are. No, he uses the same profound analogy. You have put off the old man. That is, your former self under the dominion and power of sin. You have put off the old man.
You have put on the new man, that is your new self, in union with Jesus Christ. And thirdly, you not only have the same vivid imagery, the same profound analogy, but the same emphatic tenses employed. The putting off of verse 22 and the putting on of verse 24 employ that tense which speaks of a decisive once-for-all action.
You have put off decisively. You have put on. And it's underscored all the more vividly because sandwiched in between those two is a word which uses the present tense. You are being renewed in the spirit of your mind. Verse 23. Paul was very careful to use a form of the verb which spoke of the putting off as decisive and done.
the putting on as decisive and done, but the renewing as a continual process. And so in language that cannot be mistaken, in verb forms that cannot be mistaken, the apostle is underscoring in this text as in the Colossians 3 text, that whatever to put off the old man, it is not a process in which we are continually engaged. Either we have put off the old man in the putting on of the new, or we are yet nothing but old men in Adam, under condemnation, under the dominion and power of sin. Now, this has been rather difficult to follow, I know.
Plea for Attentive Thought Over the Passage
And as I labored in my preparation in trying to reduce it to its simplest elements, I came away again with that conviction. There are some things that can't be made any more simple than they can be made simple. And if we are not willing for the labor of seeking to ascertain the mind of God in any passage of Scripture, we insult the Holy Ghost who has given it to us and we leave ourselves open to
to being manipulated by those who mishandle the Scriptures. So let me urge you to gird up the loins of your mind as you think of this passage in relationship to its larger setting, its more immediate setting, the precise meaning of the words, now the part that I hope will be less tedious as to the mind and more edifying as to the heart. Having looked at the larger context or setting, the more immediate setting, the meaning of the words themselves, now consider with me what conclusions are we warranted to draw from this text? Well, the first one is this. The saving instruction of Christ always results in definitive sanctification. Look at the text. When Paul says to these believers, no longer walk as the Gentiles, then describes their walk, he gives as his reason,
Conclusion One: Saving Instruction of Christ Always Results in Definitive Sanctification
Verse 20, Ye did not so learn Christ, if so be that ye heard Him and were taught in Him as the truth is in Jesus. And what is it that Jesus teaches whenever He speaks His saving word to a sinner? He teaches the sinner to put off the old man and to put on the new.
Now there is so much in this passage that is rich in teaching. And I don't have time to enlarge upon it. Suffice it to say the language in this passage is unique. Not totally unique. But it's not the general pattern that we find. He says ye did not so learn. Not of Christ. But Christ is the direct object of the learning. Ye did not so learn Christ.
Now it explains what it means to learn Christ. To be taught Christ in a saving way is to do what? Is to hear Him and to be taught in Him. That is, to hear the voice of the Son of God in the Gospel, such as we read in John 10, 16, Other sheep I have that are not of this fold, they also shall hear My voice.
Or Romans 10 in verse 14, How shall they call on Him whom they have not heard? Paul had previously said in chapter 2 that Christ came to these Ephesians and preached peace to them. Verse 17,
Why, they were saved after Christ had gone back to heaven. It was Paul who preached the gospel. But Paul says, when I came and preached the gospel, the reason you are Christians is Christ preached in me and through me. The great shepherd was seeking his sheep through the proclamation of the gospel. It's a wonderful affirmation of that glorious truth that preaching is not just one mortal standing in the presence of fellow mortals giving forth his own notions
When it is an opening up of the Scriptures, it is Christ by the Spirit through the Word addressing Himself to men, both to sinners who are without the pale of His saving mercy, calling them in and speaking to those who are His own, that they may be nourished by His own Word. And so, as Paul describes the saving instruction of Christ, that came through the Gospel to the Ephesians. He says, among the many things it taught you, this it taught you, not as a notional concept, but with power to effect the very thing it taught you. It taught you to put off the old man and to put on the new. So we rightly deduce from this text the saving instruction of Christ always results...
In definitive sanctification. Now am I saying that a person is not a Christian. Unless they heard with their ears. The gospel presented in such a way. As in its demands. The words put off the old man. And put on the new were used. Of course not. There is no record that Paul ever used that terminology. In his own proclamation of the gospel. But what he is saying is this. If in the proclamation of human sinfulness.
if in the proclamation of divine grace and mercy in the Lord Jesus, if in the proclamation of Christ in His life of obedience even unto death, the death of the cross, if in the proclamation of repentance and faith you have truly learned Christ and been taught of Christ, this is your experience. You have put off the old man. You have Put on the new. Whether you ever heard the language or not is not the issue. You've experienced definitive sanctification. And if Christ has never taught you with power, resulting in your putting off the old man, resulting in a radical break with the dominion and power and service of sin, and the putting on of the new man in the dynamism of union with Christ, you've never been taught of Christ.
You've never known the truth in Christ. But thank God, and here's where comfort ought to be derived, that regardless of how poor the teaching may have been in which we were drawn to the Savior, if the Savior was out to get us and He got us, He got us in such a way that though we may have known very little as we ought to have known, this much we knew, that Savior who summons me to Himself,
who holds before me a blood-sealed pardon, who stands before me in the gospel in the plenitude of saving mercy and power, that Savior is worthy the full, the unreserved, the whole-souled allegiance of my entire being. And there was in your heart a principle of divorce from sin and marriage to the Son of God in a life of righteousness. And if that's not true, then you've never heard him and been taught of him as the truth is in Jesus. Another very strange phrase in the Apostle Paul. Seldom does he use the word Jesus in isolation. And I believe he uses it purposely. Because the name Jesus focuses on what? You immediately think of Matthew 1.21. Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. And he starts by delivering us from the dominion
Conclusion Two: Definitive Sanctification as Basis for Progressive Sanctification with Practical Examples
and the power and the service of sin. Second thing that we see in our text is this. First of all now, the saving instruction of Christ always results in definitive sanctification. Secondly, this definitive sanctification forms the basis and the reference point for progressive sanctification. This definitive sanctification, putting off the old man, putting on the new, forms the basis and the reference point for progressive sanctification. Look at the text. Sandwiched in between the statement of having put off the old man, verse 22, and putting on the new man, verse 24, is the statement of verse 23, and that ye be continually renewed in the spirit of your mind. Any renewal
which is the part of process, must be carried on within the framework and upon the basis of the definitive sanctification. And that's why this whole statement is introduced. Verse 17, along with what precedes it in verses 2 and 3 of chapter 4, is a call to progress in sanctification. Then he goes on in verse 25.
And he gives further details with respect to progressive sanctification. Wherefore, putting away falsehoods, speak truth, everyone with his neighbor. He goes on in chapter 5. Be imitators of God and walk in love. One exhortation after another which has to do with what? Progressive sanctification. But what I want you to see is this. Everything in verse 17 and following leads up to verses 22 to 24.
And the exhortations from verse 25 on flow out of verses 22 to 24. And the watershed of the exhortations to progressive sanctification is the statement of definitive sanctification. You are no longer to walk as the Gentiles. Why? Because you've put off the old man. You've put on the new. Well, what then do I do in the light of that? Verse 25. Therefore...
Since you have experienced definitive sanctification, put away. And then he mentions specific sins that need to be dealt with. And so we learn from the passage that definitive sanctification forms the basis and the reference point for progressive sanctification. Now you say, I don't quite bring that all together in the practical. How do I do it? Well, let's descend to the concrete, all right? You're on the phone tomorrow.
with your friend, man or woman. And in the course of conversation, that person begins to say something that is unkind or untrue. You begin to pick it up and to parrot falsehood. And you remember, no, no, the Word of God says, wherefore, putting away falsehood, I have in Jesus Christ put off the old man with his deeds. I have put off new man. I'm talking on this phone as a new man, a new woman in Christ. By the grace of God, my speech will reflect what I am. Lord Jesus, give me grace to be in this telephone conversation, what I am, a new man, a new woman, in union with yourself. Maybe you're a single person who feels the loneliness and the pinch and the pressure of singleness.
in a couple's family-oriented church and society. And there are times you're tempted to sit and, as it were, spill out the bile of self-pity and bitterness. And when you begin to see that framing in your mind and heart, you stop and say, wait a minute, I have put off the old man, the old woman with its deeds. I have put on the new man in union with Christ. This has no place.
for one who is in union with Christ and under the reign of the Spirit, then you deal with that vicious, wicked attitude in the light of the reality that you are a new man, a new woman. In Christ, you remember the illustration of Augustine when his paramour said, Do you not recognize me? It is I! And his classic answer, Yes, I recognize you, but it is no longer I!
Conclusion Three: Becoming What We Were Created to Be
Here was a man who had begun to learn at least that definitive sanctification forms the basis and the reference point for progressive sanctification. Then the third thing we see in the text is this. This definitive sanctification places us in a position to become what we were originally created to be. Definitive sanctification places us in a position to become...
What we were originally created to be. Look at the text. You have put on the new man that after God or according to God, that is, with reference to God as the pattern, have been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
The new man is described in this passage as that which after God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Now it's obvious the apostle's mind was linking up the new man with the original creation. Let us make man after our image and after our likeness. So in the image of God created he him male and female created he them and And what are the great characteristics of that original creation man in the image of God? Righteousness and holiness. Made in the image of God, Adam was in his spirit and attitude committed to the standard of right that flowed out of the character, the changeless character of God himself. Holiness with its antipathy to all that is evil is
the first man made in righteousness and holiness. And now Paul says that when we put off the old man and put on the new, we are created after God in righteousness and holiness of truth. Now this is in direct contrast to the old man who according to the text, notice now verse 22, ye have put off
As pertaining the former manner of life, the old man that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit. So you have lusts that operate in the realm of deceit. And you have the new man that operates in the realm of holiness and truth after the pattern of God himself. Now any man who is living his life on the basis of a lie can never be what he was intended to be.
That's the tragedy of sin. It promises what it cannot give and gives what it never promises. In the original entrance of sin, the promise was an advancement from your present state. Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. But it was no advancement. It was that tragic plunge into darkness, death,
And then the ultimate description in this very passage. Men living in ignorance and hardness of heart. Sin promising what it cannot give. Life and joy and fulfillment. Never, never giving what it promises. Never promising what it truly gives. But when God in grace is pleased to bring us to the teaching of Christ.
That teaching becomes something more than a verbal word falling on the outer ear or merely filtering into the mind so that we have an understanding intellectually of God and of the gospel. When we hear the voice of Christ with power, what happens? We put on the new man that after the very pattern of God is created in righteousness and holiness of truth. In other words, we begin to be what we were originally made to be.
And no one begins to be what God made him to be until he experiences definitive sanctification. You see, grace wages warfare with nothing but sin. Sin is a foreign element in God's creation. It doesn't belong there. And it's only when grace is gone to war with sin in me that I begin to be free to become what I was made to be.
In reality, this is the tragedy of hell. Hell is simply, in one sense, the extension of the ugliness and the deformity and the deception of sin carried to its ultimate in the judgment of God. My dear friend, is that what you will choose? Ignorance, darkness, hardness of heart now,
And the ugliness and the deformity of the wrath and judgment of God in hell forever. Our text tells us that until we put off the old man and put on the new. There is no way to become what we were created to be. But blessed be God when we have put off the old and put on the new. The new is created after God.
Conclusion Four: A Work of Creative Gracious Omnipotence
In righteousness and holiness of truth. A righteousness and holiness defined by the truth. A righteousness and holiness brought to us by means of the truth. And then finally, we see in our text that this definitive sanctification is a work of creative grace. Verse 24. Ye have put on the new man that after God, notice now he does not say creates itself,
But he uses a passive verb. The new man that after God has been created. In other words, definitive sanctification is nothing less than a creative work of God. Taking us right back to chapter 2 and verse 10. We are His workmanship.
in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. And I think there is no better way to describe what Paul is saying here than to think in terms of gracious omnipotence and omnipotent grace. Creation immediately brings to mind the exercise of God's mighty omnipotence. He speaks And it is done. And now that whole concept of creation is brought to bear upon the work of God's grace in a sinner. And Paul says you have put on the new man that after God hath been created. There has been an exercise of gracious omnipotence and a conferral of omnipotent grace. And nothing short of this will ever cause a sinner to put off the old man and to put on the new.
That being true, do you see where your only hope lies? If you are yet an old man in Adam, sitting here this morning, you are under the dominion and power, the rain, the guilt, the condemnation of sin. My friend, I wish, I wish some power had been bound up in the waters of baptism that would break the hold of sin over you. then it would be legitimate to use whatever means were necessary to get as many under any circumstances in or under those waters. But it takes something more than human manipulation into a body of water to produce this change. If there were some powers
even in the church, some power in any of the sacraments, some power in any formula that men could contrive and impose upon others. But there is only one thing that will enable a man, a woman, a boy or girl to put off the old and put on the new. And that's the exercise of omnipotent grace. So sinner, you're shut up to God. If God is pleased to create you anew in Christ, You will experience what this passage says if he is not pleased. There is nothing you can do or I can do. But you say that's a terribly fatalistic thing. No, no, my friend. Truth in terms of dealing with man's need is not fatalistic. It's calculated to shut you up to the living God and to cry that for the sake of Christ Jesus God would have mercy upon you. And I urge you to cry to God
For that very work to be wrought in you. Then taking the clue from our text. How does God work this in sinners? The emphasis falls upon hearing Christ. Learning Christ. It falls upon the truth. Verse 21. Even as the truth is in Jesus. God hath created the new man in righteousness and holiness. Of truth.
We do not take a flight into some kind of mysticism, waiting and hoping that we'll get some kind of divine zapping. We apply ourselves to the truth of the Gospel. We apply ourselves to Christ who is the great theme of this Word of Truth. And we search the Scriptures and we cry to God and we seek that knowledge which is to be found only in the Gospel.
Definitive sanctification is a work of creative grace. Yet it is that work which God is pleased to effect in the context of the proclamation of the gospel. He is pleased to effect it as men take the gospel seriously and listen to the voice of Christ speaking in His own word. Well, may God grant that this passage will come home to our hearts with power this morning. Why do we assert that?
Application and Closing Prayer
that the great saving grace of sanctification begins with definitive sanctification, because the Scriptures teach us that the very description of Christians, Romans 6, 2, is that they have died to sin, therefore they can no longer live in it. Colossians 3, 8 and 9 says, they have put off the old man and put on the new. Ephesians 4 buttresses that teaching, using a greater richness of language, different shades of emphasis, but homing in on that same thrust of Colossians 3, 9 and 10. You are not old man and new man at the same time. Everyone sitting here is either an old man in Adam or a new man in Christ. And there's no middle ground. Which are you? Which are you sitting right here this morning? If you're a new man in Christ,
God wants you in that perspective to live and to press on in progressive sanctification and to attribute all of the glory and praise for that reality to omnipotent grace and to gracious omnipotence that created you anew in Christ Jesus. And if you are yet an old man under the dominion and power of your sin, then I point you to the one who alone is able to lose you. Even that one who has come to set the captives free, who was anointed with the Spirit and his power, brought in the prison to them that are about, may you seek deliverance from all of the bondage of the old man in Christ and in Christ alone. Let us pray.
Our Father, we thank you for your holy word. And we pray that your Spirit will take its truth and write it powerfully and inalienably upon all of our hearts. We pray, our Father, that we who have by grace been made new men in Christ, new women in Christ, new boys, new girls in Christ, oh, that we may learn to live in the light of what we are. Forgive us that we have dishonored you by thinking less of what you have done in us than what your word was. Forgive, we pray, our unbelief often veiled under a cloak of humility. Give us grace boldly to declare that we are what you have made us. We pray for those who are yet trying to feel good,
that you would have dealings with them, that they may begin to do what they were made to do in the bearers of their God. Feel then your word to our heart, and may your Holy Spirit bring it to remembrance again and again, so that being sanctified by that word, we may honor and praise him who is the great king of that word, even our Lord Jesus Christ,
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Passages Expounded
Third key passage teaching definitive sanctification — putting off the old man and putting on the new after the pattern of God
Texts Expounded
Also Referenced
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