David Bahn – Reflections

Ephesians 4:17-24

¹⁷ Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. ¹⁹ They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. ²⁰ But that is not the way you learned Christ!— ²¹ assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, ²² to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, ²³ and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

George Barna of Barna Research lists a number of outward behaviors such as marriage, divorce, and gambling as well some belief markers about the Trinity, salvation, and the occult. He points out that those who identify themselves as Christian exhibit about the same outward behaviors and beliefs as all of Americans.

Against that reality Paul says, “ Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do.” I do not believe for a second that Christians never sin. It’s very obvious that Christians make bad choices based on circumstances, bad information, poor logic, or ignorance.  So what does one look like who is a follower of Jesus – as opposed to one who is not? Paul’s answer shows that those without Christ “have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.”

If your lifestyle does not look different from the people down the street who are openly non-Christian, it is time for some serious self-examination. Repentance is in order. The Christian will renew his mind by the word of God. The Christian will avoid greed and impurity. The Christian will put on the new self, living out that identity as a child of God in repentance, faith, and obedience. We’re not perfect. We not exempt from making foolish and even sinful choices. But we don’t brag about the good or the bad.

Some would say that in order to be truly Christian you cannot wear certain clothes, go to any movie theater, indulge in any physical pleasure. John Ortberg, in his book, The Life You’ve Always Wanted, describes such an approach: “In other words, if we can’t be holy, shouldn’t we at least be weird?”

Followers of Jesus aren’t called to be weird, we’re called to live in humility, repentance, and thankful praise for the grace of God. This is a daily practice, not a just a Sunday morning show. Daily putting off the old self is not easy, but it is our calling – just as it is to put on the new self that reflects the goodness, love, grace and righteousness of God. Time for a change?