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Changing our Character - Ephesians 4
Changing our Character - Ephesians 4
Ephesians several times discusses the difference between the old life before one is a Christian and the new life of a disciple of Jesus. Particularly 4:17-24. Paul writes that we are to NO LONGER walk as before, rather we are to ‘put off’ and ‘put on’ a new ‘self’.
Over the years of preaching I have watched as people seem to get fixated on the ‘doing’ and ‘deeds’. Paul in fact provides a rather handy list of things in vs. 25 - 32. These efforts often end up with multiple failures as people find themselves doing the very things on the ‘don’t do’ list.
I believe that the ‘secret’ of accomplishing the putting off and putting on is centered not in the doing but the thinking. In verse 23 Paul writes that we are to be ‘renewed in the spirit of your minds’. The old adage that we do what we love keeps proving itself. If we then change how we think and what we love, the doing will pretty much take care of itself.
This sounds simple but requires a great deal of intentional effort that is focused in a different area of our lives. James wrote that we are tempted by our strong desires (lusts). I can change the whole playground of temptation if I change what I desire. But this isn’t just a matter of declaring this to be so. I must desire it from the heart.
To learn to love God with all my heart I need to fill my mind with the story of God. I need to know who He is (that is, His very character and being). I need to know what He has done, what he likes and dislikes, what He has promised to do. The more I learn to think like God the more I will act in a godly way. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly (Col. 3:16).
Seeing that most of us are rather social creatures, we need to surround ourselves with godly people. Those people that share the same outlook on life will be able to teach, support, and encourage me in accomplishing this change.
With God’s word in my heart and godly people in my life I am being transformed into the image of God.
Hugh DeLong
