The Life of Repentance, Eph 4:17-24

July 3, 2011

Introd:  M. Luther’s 95 theses on repentance; #1- Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, in saying, ‘repent ye, etc.,’ intended that the whole of life of his believers on earth should be a constant penance.’

1.    Put off the old way of thinking, 17-21.
1. It is futile
2. The old way described (cf Rom 1:17ff):

                                                               i.         It is darkened in understanding

                                                             ii.        It is alienated from the life of God

                                                            iii.        It is calloused in sensuality, greed, and impurities.

3. From such thinking the child of God must turn away, for it is an essential aspect of the gospel, Mk 1:15.

2.   Put on the new way of thinkng, 23-24.
1. The second half of repentance is the putting on.  Repentance involves a turning away from, to another way of thinking.
2. How the new way of thinking occurs: 

the tense of ‘renew’ indicates a process of continual renewal of the spirit of the mind.  Such is done by prayer whereby we continually ask God to strengthen us so we can understand the love of Christ, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith, so his love may live in and through us, 3:16-17.

3. As we come to understand the love of Christ, it translates into our lives as humility, gentleness, with longsuffering bearing with others in love, and an eager striving for the unity of the saints (4:1-6).
4. The spiritual gifts were given to this end, 4:7-16.
5. The rest of the Epistle is a further elaboration of such love of Christ translated into the lives of the saints.