Ephesians

A Practical God and a Practical Faith

In the previous section, Paul revealed to us the principle of “putting off and putting on”—the need to put off the old self so that the Holy Spirit can come in and fill us with the new self. Now, Paul applies the principle of “putting off and putting on” to specific areas of living. Please read Ephesians 4:25-29. Our faith must always focus on our deeds. Our God is a practical God, and our faith is a practical faith.

It is important to understand at the outset that this kind of living is not possible unless you are a Christian. Paul’s words are not addressed to people in general, but to those who have been born again and regenerated. The Word of God recognizes that no one who is not yet a Christian can fulfill these demands. People think they are capable of meeting these demands in their own strength, but that is the deceitfulness of the natural heart. If you try, you’ll find you can only do so in a limited and incomplete way. The inner life remains unchanged.

The non-Christian cannot put off the old life, because it is the only life he has—he has no new life to put on. The new life is Christ. If we do not have Christ, we do not have a new life. If you have never had the experience of giving your life to Jesus Christ, then that is the place to begin.