Sit, Walk and Stand Based on Grace and His Finished Work (4)

When Paul exhorts us to walk worthy of our calling as sons of Abba, in the same passage, he also tells us to walk in unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:1-3). I have shared this in detail in my previous post. I have categorized the rest of the verses in Ephesians on the Christian walk as follows :
a)Renew Your Mind and Put on the New Man
(Ephesians 4 :17-32)
b) Walk in Love (Ephesians 5:1,2)
c) Walk as children of Light (Ephesians 5:8)
d) Walk in Wisdom (Ephesians 5:15)

a) Renew Your Mind and Put on the New Man
Ephesians 4:17-32 talks about the need for our minds to be renewed and to put on the new man so that we can put off the conduct of the old man. Paul sounds a tad abstract here with his references to renewal of the mind and putting on the new man. What exactly is he talking about? In Romans 12:2, Paul talks about the renewal of our minds like this : “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (NKJ) So the benefits of having our minds renewed are that we will be TRANSFORMED and NOT BE CONFORMED to this world. In Philippians 4:8, Paul says : “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (NIV) I can only think of one Person who fits these qualities perfectly, His name is Jesus!

When we focus on the person of Jesus, His grace and His finished work, we are renewing our minds! 2 Corinthians 3:18 sums it up beautifully : “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (NKJ) When we listen to anointed preaching or read materials on the grace of our Lord and His finished work, we are renewing our minds and in the process, we are being transformed to be more and more like Him! Praise the Lord! It is so easy, no hard labour on our part, we just need to focus on Christ’s beauty and what His finished work has done for us.

Paul tells us in 4:24 that we are to “put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness.” (NKJ) What is this new man? 2 Corinthians 5:17 has the answer : “Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!” (Amplified Bible) This is great news! When we are in Christ, our old man has passed away and we are new creatures altogether, we are in the world but no longer of the world! Colossians 3:10 puts it so aptly : “Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” (NLT) When we behold Christ, our minds are renewed and we are transformed from glory to glory. Similarly, when we put off our old nature (take our eyes off our old self) but put on (focus our eyes on our new nature in Christ which was created according to God in righteousness and holiness), we will not walk in the ways of the world but we will walk in the Spirit. “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16 NKJ)

-----------------------to be continued------------------------------