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EPHESIANS 4:17-24

“Take Off the Graveclothes”

I don’t have anything to wear!•Ever heard this, when there’s a closet full of clothes?

•We tend to classify people by what they wear daily…

•We also choose attire based on daily plans

•As un-believers we all wore the same spiritual clothes-- graveclothes

Graveclothes…•They were natural, meaning in them, we did whatever our carnal natures wanted to do

•Sometimes, we’re tempted to put them back on, they were comfortable…

•Now that we are re-born, we need to take the old ones off and put on Grace-clothes!!

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, NASB

A. The Graveclothes•Vs 17-19 urge us to “no longer walk” like the lost Gentiles

•You’ve heard the phrase, “pet sins”?

•Don’t think you’re the only one

•The Apostle Paul admitted the same struggle in the book of Romans

“14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.”

Romans 7:14-15, NASB

Walk like the Gentiles…?•1) Having their understanding darkened

• ‘Understanding’, ‘ignorance’ point to the mind—thought derives action

•When Paul wrote this, the mind was thought to be Divine in Greek society

•This world has lots of knowledge, but very little wisdom

Walk like the Gentiles…?•2) Blindness of their heart

•NIV, KJV, others use blindness in stead of the word “hardness” in V18

•The Greek word, ‘porosis’ (from ‘poros’, or stone) means both-- also stupid and callous

•Medical term with a nuance- Paul is saying they choose to remain blind

Walk like the Gentiles…?•3) Given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness

•Sums up the 21st Century mindset

•Politicians, judges, only care for their power

•2500 years ago Jeremiah said this

“Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done?

They were not even ashamed at all;

They did not even know how to blush.

Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;

At the time that I punish them,

They shall be cast down,” says the Lord.

Jeremiah 6:15, NASB

B. The Grace Clothes•Vs 20-24 tell us how to “suit up”

•What is it to “learn” Christ?

•The better we know the Word, the more we can know Him

•The lost man is spiritually ignorant, the Christian “knows” based on learning

•As Christians, he haven’t just changed our minds, we have totally changed citizenship

•Lazarus, John 11

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

2 Corinthians 5:17, NASB

Take Home…

•Are you still holding onto your old Graveclothes?

•Still hiding pet sins?

•Take them off and burn them!

•If you’re a new creation, you’ve no reason to go back to them!