Introduction

‘So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.’ Ephesians 4:17-24

In the first letter of Paul to Christians in Corinth, he vividly explained that they were washed, sanctified and justified and therefore, they should no longer be involved in wrongdoings which characterise those who would not inherit God’s kingdom.

As much as the Corinthian text does not suggest that our good deeds are wonderful enough to buy us a ticket to heaven (because Jesus paid it all), it is important to note that kingdom living requires our transformation by the ‘renewal of our minds’, Romans 12:2.

In the same vein, Paul admonished the saints in Ephesus to ‘no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their mind……… have given themselves to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness’ and in verse 20 he says: ‘but you have not so learned Christ’.

We certainly have not learnt Christ in walking with Him in our past ways! Our walk with Christ should be defined by His blessed example as the truth is in Him. Paul enjoined the Ephesians to put off the old man or their old ways of life. Being immersed into Christ amounts to putting on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

The psalmist says ‘blessed is the man who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers’. Psalm 1:1. Walking with Christ entails jettisoning our previous ungodly relationships and ensuring we walk with Him in newness of life.

‘Through glory and dishonour, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you.’ 2 Corinthians 6:8-11

‘You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices.’ Leviticus 18:3

Prayer

Dearest Lord and Father of mankind, we ask that you bless our walk with You. May You enable us through Your Spirit to walk anew with you, not in our old ways which were against You, but in the light of the truth of the gospel which You have graciously committed into our hands.