Sabbath: Christ-Shaped Lives and Spirit-Inspired Speech
Image © Pacific Press
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Ephesians 4:17-32; Colossians 3:1-17; Zechariah 3:3-5; Zechariah 8:16; Isaiah 63:10; Romans 8:16, Romans 8:26-27.
Memory Text: “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 4:22-24, NIV).
Jose Antonio lived on the streets of Palma, Spain, as a homeless man for years. With gray, straggly hair and beard, Jose looked older than his 57 years. One day, Salva Garcia, the owner of a hair salon, approached Jose and proposed a complete makeover.
With Jose in the salon chair, a hardworking team cut, dyed, and styled the tangled bundles of hair and beard. Next, Jose then got new stylish clothes. Then came the reveal! As Jose sat in front of a mirror, tears came. “Is this me? I’m so different; no one is going to recognize me!” Later he would add, “It wasn’t just a change of looks. It changed my life.”
In Ephesians 4:17-32, Paul argues that believers have experienced a complete transformation. They have taken off their old selves and have embraced their new identity. Somewhat like Jose’s change, though, this is no mere external transformation. It includes being “renewed in the spirit of your minds” (Ephesians 4:23, ESV), bringing into the life “true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24, ESV). This is the ultimate makeover.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 19.
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Here is my paraphrase of Ephesians 4:17-32
The new man in Christ must be radically different from his/her past and also from those who are not saved.The new man's speech,conduct,anger management,commitment to integrity and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit will change.That is the focus of this week's lesson.
When someone puts on new clothes,he/she may look completely different that some may not be able recognize him/her.We are talking of putting on a new self which will always be in style,with no need of always visiting the boutique to catch up with the new trends.
Everytime we put on new outfits/dressing,let this be a reminder that we were called to put on a new self in the book of Ephesians.Let us not hold to our former way of life.
The lesson of this week is so great.
In eph 4:17 We are really been warn not to walk like Gentile, who christ is not shape their life but to walk in new life and in, new spirit. putting off old self and put on new one which christ.
Now brothers and sisters let us walk rightly like as we are instructed.
L.3:4 ”Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.”
Eph.4:23 - “... be renewed in the spirit of your mind, that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness”.
Col.3:16-17 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Rom.8:16 - ”The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”
Eph.4:30 - “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
It is God’s Grace and Mercy which saves man, changing his heart and bringing us out of the darkness of our own mind into His Holy Spirit's marvelous Light.
If we are not willing to consider our own righteousness as ‘filthy garments’, how can we truly appreciate our Lord and Savior’s covering ‘Mantle of His Righteousness’?
Jose Antonio had a complete physical transformation. I was thinking this happened to Jesus too, on the mountain of transformation – or transfiguration. Scripture says, “And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light” ( Matt. 17:2; Mark 9:2). The Greek reference says that this word “metamorphose“ is used only this one time in all the gospels.
Is this only an external transformation? Our lesson today says that for Jose, “it wasn’t just a change of looks. It changed his life.“ So it seems transformation is a change both from the outside in, and from the inside out. From the outside, the Holy Spirit exposes us to Christ-exalting truth. We listen to and read the Bible from cover to cover, searching for revelations of truth and God’s character, and we take in other inspired writings and sermons and testimonies. We flood our minds with the thinking of Christ.
The Holy Spirit also works from the inside out, breaking up our stony heart and turning it into a humble heart. We let His Word sink in and take root. We see the perfections of Jesus, contrasted with the ugliness of pride, just as Jose saw something new and more attractive in the mirror. Rom. 12:2 tells us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind“. We pray that the Holy Spirit will soften us to give us God-worshiping minds, take out the self-worshiping, and strengthen our desire to stay within the perfect, peaceful will of God.
Eph. 4:23 calls it “the spirit” of your mind. Such an interesting phrase. The mind has a spirit or a mindset, it’s not a robot like a computer’s artificial intelligence. Our minds have an attitude. Here is the new viewpoint the Holy Spirit gives us: I want to love to do what I ought to do This new posture is real freedom. (2 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 5:1). It goes beyond a to-do list, like the rich young ruler was comfortable with, to a whole new heart of love for God and other people (2 Cor. 3:6; 5:16-17). Breaking loose from conformity to the world. This is so much more than external avoidance of worldly behaviors, isn’t it? It’s a Christ-shaped mind and heart. Allowing God to replace the works of the flesh and the works of the law with the fruit of His Spirit (Gal 5:16-25; Rom. 12:1-2). First we change on the inside, and then more and more on the outside. We are promised that Jesus will shine forth in us, just as He did on the mountain (Matt. 13:43).
So did Jesus undergo an internal transformation that day on the mountain? Or was He revealing who He always truly was and is…opening the eyes of Peter, James, and John to something they could not see otherwise? Is this how our new hearts and minds love other people in a deeper way than ever before possible? Our vision is transformed so the veil of sin and intellectual activity is drawn aside, and we see the beauty and worth of each soul as God sees… God also transforms the eyesight of His disciples?
This reminds us that the surface must result from the inner change... Although for God, anything is possible, being so merciful, He can even use any self-effort for our growth.
The memory text is written in the past tense and the last paragraph states, "Paul argues that believers have experienced a complete transformation." (also past tense) I thought I was a Christian but considering the memory text, I fall short. For me it hasn't happened. I feel like its been a seven decade journey with most of it uphill. I've gained some ground but I haven't attained that complete transformation.
Paul does not write that the believers have become 100% like Jesus. They were completely transformed in their life goals - their ambitions, their ideals, etc. They had a heart change.
We are not to focus on ourselves to spend a lot of time mourning over our sins any more than we are to focus on ourselves to see how "good" we are. We are to focus on Jesus and His character, on Jesus and what He has done for us, on Jesus and what He wants us to do for Him (and then do it through His power).
When we sin, we can kneel at His feet and ask for forgiveness. He provides it freely.
Here's an exercise for you: Compare your ambitions, your goals, your pattern of thoughts now with what they were before your conversion. Is there a change or is there not?
The closer we come to Jesus, the more sinful we consider ourselves to be. That's not a failure of transformation. It is a matter of seeing more clearly. Before we came to Jesus we didn't even see our sins clearly. So that is really an evidence of transformation.
Jesus will take care of our salvation, if we focus on Him. What is the focus of most of our life? If we focus on our possessions, the news, entertainment for most of the day and spend only a few minutes to focus on Him, we will not become like Him. We become like the object of our most intense focus. That is not to say we are to abandon our daily responsibilities, but we can do even our work in the consciousness of His presence and do it to His glory. Slowly but surely, we will be transformed. We compare our lives now with our lives a year or two ago. Are we more like Jesus today, or are we less like Him?
Alfred – may I suggest to consider your inner disposition toward God and your fellow man to be that which Jesus came to change if needed, or to reassure that you are on the right path as you have embraced this truth from when you were a child.
As you love God with all your heart and have become aware that it is right in GOD'S eyes to love - caring for and considering the welfare of your fellow man as your focus, you will notice that you have no more doubt or wavering in your intentions to follow His Way.
Each believer can recall when his/her walk by faith started. Some experience a 180 degree change of heart and mind because their lives were selfish and violent. Others experience a reassuring conviction after having been wandering about seeking after the Truth. All are now convinced that focusing on loving God and one’s fellow man is the right path.
With the help of the Holy Spirit, keeping the faith and learning to love our heavenly Father with all our heart and doing right by our fellow man is all that the believer is tasked with; our heavenly Father provides the increase – the fruits of our faithful walk with Him - Gal.13-26
If you were a fish, the best way to stay alive is to keep your nose pointing into the current. Once your nose points the other way, you are dead. Overcoming is not about a destination; it is about pointing in the right direction