Ephesians 4:20-24 and Colossians 3:1-17 reveal the process of spiritual rebirth and renewal. Here, we learn about God’s intent for our holiness and righteousness and guide us on living out the divine expectation in everyday life.
Ephesians 4:20-24: A Call to Righteousness and Holiness
What Paul teaches here is foundational in understanding God’s purpose in recreating us. Specifically, verse 24 pictures the transformation God envisions, linking it back to Genesis 1:26-27, where humanity is created in God’s image. From the outset, it is clear that God desires us to live in righteousness and holiness. This is a fundamental aspect of our new identity in Christ.
Living Out Our New Identity
Paul emphasizes the necessity of putting our old selves away—the behaviors and thoughts tied to our former way of life—described in Ephesians 4:22. Instead, we are to "put on the new self," which has been recreated in the likeness of God, filled with true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24). This is further explained through the rebirth of baptism: just as Christ was raised from the dead, we too are called to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).
Our new identity requires active participation. Romans 6:6 and 6:11 speak to this, urging us to consider ourselves "dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." The shift from a deceived mind to a renewed mind, as noted in Ephesians 4:22-23, is crucial. It marks a departure from past corruptions and an embrace of divine truth and purity.
Colossians 3:1-17: Embracing the New Life in Christ
Colossians 3 extends and deepens the discourse on our sanctification. Beginning with a heavenly perspective (Colossians 3:1-2), Paul reminds us of our death to the old sinful nature and our new life hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). This new existence is characterized by the absence of immorality, impurity, and evil desires—elements that are described as spiritual idolatry (Colossians 3:5).
What the Renewed Life Looks Like
The latter verses of Colossians 3:8-17 describe the new, God-intended life. It is a life where virtues like compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience replace vices such as anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech. It is about avoiding sin and actively pursuing godliness through practices like forgiveness and love, which bind everything together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3:14).
Making the Connection Between Worship and Daily Living
True worship of God is inseparably linked to how we live. Worship is not confined to church attendance; it encompasses our entire being and every aspect of our lives. The act of worship and daily living reflecting God's nature must be consistent and continuous. Disconnecting our lifestyle from our worship leads to a fundamental misunderstanding of both.
Ultimately, it is only through God’s creative act—our rebirth in Christ—that we can truly fulfill our calling to live as reflections of God’s holiness and righteousness. This transformation is both a gift and a responsibility that demands our wholehearted engagement to embody the virtues of the divine nature in every moment of our lives. As we continue to grow and mature in our faith, let us remember that we are called to be the visible expression of God’s love and righteousness in a world that desperately needs both.
This was a spiritually invigorating lesson. You make plain the attitude Christians should have toward sin. I'm reminded of this hymn, A New Creature. The chorus goes...
"Dead to the world, to voices that call me,
Living anew, obedient but free;
Dead to the joys that once did enthrall me,
Yet ’tis not I, Christ liveth in me."
But we know holiness, for fallen humans, is unattainable. But it is attained in Christ, who has the power to take away sins.
Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.