The New Man
Ephesians 4:22-24
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
“that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
Ephesians 4:22-24 NKJV
Christians Who Put Off the Old Man
Ephesians 4:22
Imagine someone who fell into a pit full of filth and barely managed to escape. If that person, still covered in filth, came into your house and tried to sit at the dining table, what would you do? Even if you endured the awful smell and suggested, “Please take a shower first,” but he stubbornly insisted, “What smell? I don’t notice anything,” how would you respond? Would you give in and say, “Well, I guess after a while, the smell doesn’t seem so bad. In that case, just spray some perfume on yourself”?
Just like that person who became accustomed to the stench of filth, before we were saved, we could not fully realize how hopeless our past lives were or how filthy our old selves were. It was the Gospel that came to us, revealing our reality and urging us to repent. The Gospel does not ask us to “Develop yourself. Improve yourself.” That would be like spraying perfume on someone covered in filth. What the Gospel requires of us is to put off our old self.
We should have put off the old man as soon as we believed in Jesus. For those who began their faith life without discarding their old selves, even if the Lord desires to fill them with His nature, this cannot be fulfilled due to the hindrance of their old selves. Previously, the old man governed our entire identity and dragged us wherever it pleased. It led us away from the truth and always made us choose the path of deceit driven by lust. Yes, this is true. Whenever our lust was stimulated, we were easily deceived. Despite being repeatedly deceived, resulting in failure and disappointment, we continued to be driven by lust, unable to see reality.
At that time, we were in a state of corruption that would have continued until it led to complete destruction. Although we, who were in such a state, were freed from sin and received new life through Jesus Christ, the corrupt state of the old man did not immediately disappear. Therefore, now that we have gained new life and come to serve the Lord, the first thing we must do is commit to putting off the practices of the old man. Those who begin their faith life without this resolution may try to understand God according to the old self’s ways, and as a result, they will inevitably fail to hear from Christ and be taught in Him. Instead, they may become trapped by the simplistic notion that anyone can be saved without recognizing their own role in the process, and ultimately may not reach salvation.
Being baptized is a public declaration of your willingness to abandon the old self and enter into the order of God’s Kingdom. If someone claims to be a believer yet constantly deliberates about committing sins, they are still residing in the realm of sin. Those who truly seek to follow Christ cannot help but be so deeply moved by His sacrifice and resolve, “I will put off the old man.” If you now realize, “I have not yet taken the first step that the Gospel requires,” you should resolve to put off the old man. Only then can you put on the new man that God gives. Let us consider today as the day we first received the Gospel and boldly abandon the old man. Let the hard work of our Lord, who has called and taught us, be successful in us.
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
Lord’s Day Service on July 28, 2024
Christians Who Are Being Renewed in Their Spirits
Ephesians 4:23
“Why do you keep telling me that I need to change? The Lord has already accepted me. The moment I believed in Jesus, my spirit was already saved, so I’m confident that my spirit will go to heaven. I know I’m not perfect, but my spirit is already loved by God. So, please stop telling me that I need to change. My flesh still sins, but you know that what matters is the spirit, not the flesh, right? My spirit is free in the truth. So please, don’t talk to me about morals anymore.”
Unfortunately, many Christians seem to be trapped in such thoughts. The spirit was saved and will go to heaven? Therefore, the deeds of the body do not matter? Paul exhorted the saints in the Ephesus Church with these words: “that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). Be renewed in the spirit of your mind! This is true. Paul urged the saints in the Ephesus Church to resolve to change.
God puts the new man on us. However, before this, there is something we must do: we must resolve to renew ourselves. Though we have nothing of value to present before God, He never gives up on us. The very fact that God requires us to commit to change demonstrates His love for us. God wants us to prepare an environment where we can embrace the new man. To do this, what we must do first is to put off the old man. After that, we must resolve to continually renew ourselves.
Then, who is the “I”, that should be renewed in this way? Paul did not say that the ”mind” should be renewed, nor did he say that the ”spirit” should be renewed. He emphasized that the “spirit of the mind” should be renewed. The phrase the “spirit of the mind” is explained by considering the original Greek text. ”Being renewed in the spirit of your mind” means that this change does not occur merely in the realm of thoughts or reason but in a much deeper and more fundamental area, especially in the moral realm. Moreover, this change is not just a conceptual notion but a spiritual phenomenon that occurs in reality.
The change that begins in the spirit of the mind influences the entire mind. While this change starts when we obey the Word, its driving force is granted by God. As a result, this change will be something the world cannot imitate, and it will manifest tremendous power in reality. Especially, for those who are renewed in the spirit of their minds, remarkable moral capabilities will emerge, leading to changes in their deeds. This is clear evidence of the beautiful spiritual change. Let us make a firm resolution to change the spirit of our minds. Being renewed in the spirit of our minds should continue throughout our lives without ceasing. God will be pleased with our resolution for change and will assist us with His power.
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
Lord’s Day Service on August 4, 2024
Put On the New Man
Ephesians 4:24
“That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). At the moment we believed in Jesus, we put off the old man, corrupted by being drawn to deceitful schemes that stimulate lusts. When we resolved that the spirit of our mind would continually move toward change, God has put on the new man in the spirit of our mind. From that point on, He has initiated practical change in our lives.
The new man that God has put on is not simply a renovated version of the old man with its deficiencies corrected. It is an entirely new creation. By putting off the old man and putting on the new man, our lives have started a journey for a new change. Change is the core of faith life. The change in us, who are saved, does not remain merely a change of legal status or mentality. This change becomes specifically evident throughout our entire lives, leading to a change in outward behavior. Especially, since salvation liberates people from the bondage of sin, the saved person becomes cautious against sin, and as sin loses its power, love is manifested in their lives.
The new man is one created according to God—in other words, in the image of God. Humans originally possessed the image of God, but it was lost in the first Adam. However, it was restored through the last Adam, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the image of God. Those who accept the light from His face into their hearts begin to manifest the image of God―the inner nature of Christ―within themselves. In this way, the new self, created according to the image of God, is one who resembles the inner nature of Christ, which is to say, someone who resembles God.
Resembling God means being created in righteousness and holiness. The character of the new man is defined by righteousness and holiness. Righteousness is the dignity that should be maintained in relationships with others. Humility, compassion, meekness, love, tolerance, and sacrifice! These qualities are difficult to find in the world, but a change toward these natures becomes remarkably evident in the new man. On the other hand, holiness is manifested in our relationship with God, and what is important is whether we truthfully love God. The new man does not treat God as nonexistent but sincerely serves Him. It acknowledges God’s sovereignty and offers itself to Him. Therefore, in the process of becoming more like God, righteousness and holiness are essential.
Creating the new man is God’s work. However, the creation is completed through our faith and obedience. God desires us to live changed lives, but choosing this path of change is up to us. We are those created for good works in Jesus Christ. God is glorified when we resist sin, despite its temptations, and offer ourselves to good works. Let us be righteous and holy like God. Let us reject our selfish desires. Let us discard the defensive and offensive attitudes that arise from fear of defeat. Let us strive to overcome the bondage of sin and become more like God. Let us unite our hearts so that our church can reflect God’s nature.
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
Lord’s Day Service on August 11, 2024
