Seven Walks of Our New Self: Ephesians 4:17-24
“17) So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18) being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19) and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20) But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21) if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22) that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23) and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24) and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” Ephesians 4:17-24
We have labored long with the concept of the new life we have “in Christ.” The New Testament calls this “Zoe life.” (John 10:10) A born-again and Spirit filled Christ is a new creation… we can therefore walk in “newness of life.” We are to no longer to walk as Gentiles or non-Christians walk. (See text above: Ephesians 4:17-19)
So what does our new walk look like? I believe there are seven primary aspects to our new walk or daily life “in Christ.” Let me briefly introduce them and invite you to put them on your daily radar screen. I could write a chapter on each of them and refer you to hundreds of Scriptures, but suffice for our purpose to get a panoramic view of the Christian walk.
Seven “Walks” of Our New Life “In Christ.”
#1: Walk in Freedom and not bondage: (Galatians 5:1; 13)
#2: Walk in Truth and not deception: (1 John 1:4)
#3: Walk by the spirit/Spirit and not the flesh: (Galatians 5:16-17)
#4: Walk by Faith and not sight: (2 Corinthians 5:7)
#5: Walk in Agape love and not hate: (1 John 4:20-21)
#6: Walk in Light and not darkness: (1 John 1:5-7)
#7: Walk in Life and not death: (Romans 8:2)
These seven area’s summarize the dynamics of our new life “in Christ.” God is the source of each of them and they grow and enlarge in our Christian life as we mature. If any one of them is ignored or left out, we will have impaired spiritual growth. When they come together, we begin to “walk in newness of life.” (See Romans 6:4 and Romans 7:6)
Invite the Holy Spirit to fill in your understanding of these seven area’s and help you grow in each of them. These seven area’s represent much of the breath and length and height and depth of your new Promised Land “In Christ.” (See Ephesians 3:17-18) They will be colored in significantly as you grow and spill into other area’s, but these represent the Big Seven.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
“17) So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18) being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19) and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20) But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21) if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22) that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23) and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24) and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” Ephesians 4:17-24
We have labored long with the concept of the new life we have “in Christ.” The New Testament calls this “Zoe life.” (John 10:10) A born-again and Spirit filled Christ is a new creation… we can therefore walk in “newness of life.” We are to no longer to walk as Gentiles or non-Christians walk. (See text above: Ephesians 4:17-19)
So what does our new walk look like? I believe there are seven primary aspects to our new walk or daily life “in Christ.” Let me briefly introduce them and invite you to put them on your daily radar screen. I could write a chapter on each of them and refer you to hundreds of Scriptures, but suffice for our purpose to get a panoramic view of the Christian walk.
Seven “Walks” of Our New Life “In Christ.”
#1: Walk in Freedom and not bondage: (Galatians 5:1; 13)
#2: Walk in Truth and not deception: (1 John 1:4)
#3: Walk by the spirit/Spirit and not the flesh: (Galatians 5:16-17)
#4: Walk by Faith and not sight: (2 Corinthians 5:7)
#5: Walk in Agape love and not hate: (1 John 4:20-21)
#6: Walk in Light and not darkness: (1 John 1:5-7)
#7: Walk in Life and not death: (Romans 8:2)
These seven area’s summarize the dynamics of our new life “in Christ.” God is the source of each of them and they grow and enlarge in our Christian life as we mature. If any one of them is ignored or left out, we will have impaired spiritual growth. When they come together, we begin to “walk in newness of life.” (See Romans 6:4 and Romans 7:6)
Invite the Holy Spirit to fill in your understanding of these seven area’s and help you grow in each of them. These seven area’s represent much of the breath and length and height and depth of your new Promised Land “In Christ.” (See Ephesians 3:17-18) They will be colored in significantly as you grow and spill into other area’s, but these represent the Big Seven.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
