Contents

Scripture:

“20But this is not the way you came to know Christ. 21Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus—22to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:21-24 BSB

Devotional:

Ephesians 4:21-24 begins in verse 20 with a measure of exasperation for those trying to follow Christ but failing to please God. Many of these followers of Jesus still walked like “mere” humans, as sinners. They were still immature in the faith of Jesus Christ from their weak love and faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or did they really know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and have they been taught what it meant to be in Him?

In verse 21, the Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Paul, wanted them and us today to ensure we are in the one faith we received from Jesus Christ. The faith passed down from faith to faith from the Apostles to us today by the Spirit of revelation. God, the Holy Spirit, does not want us to hear of the gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ but to know Jesus Christ personally as Lord and Savior. So ask the Holy Spirit if you are saved; don’t rely on yourself for the answer. Since Pentecost, one of the Holy Spirit’s gracious works in Christians is to convict them of righteousness so they can know the truth and not have doubting faith.

Scripture: “16The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.” Romans 8:16-17 BSB

If you know you are saved, the next question every Christian should ask is, “Have I been taught what it means to be and live in Jesus?” This is not asking again, “Am I saved?” The way to decide if you know how you reside in Jesus and its many implications is by your behavior. So ask the Holy Spirit if you ” are behaving according to the truth that is in Jesus?” So, ask the Holy Spirit if you know what it means to be in Jesus and behave by the truth of residing in Jesus.

So in Ephesians 4:22-24, the Holy Spirit describes the breadth of doctrines that every Christian knows, not doubted, to” be able to keep “with the truth that is in Jesus.” So begin by asking these questions to learn if you have heard what the Spirit of truth has to say in response to each question.

1). What is my “old self”?

2). What are the implications of having an “old self?”

3). What does it mean, and how do I put off my former way of life, “my old self?”

4). Why and how is my “old self” still being corrupted?

5). What are the consequences of “my old self” continuing to be corrupted?

6). What does the Holy Spirit mean when He says, “to be renewed in the spirit of your minds?”

7). How is a Christian “renewed in the spirit of your mind?”

8). Who and what is the “new self?”

9). How does someone become a “new self?”

10) What are the implications and responsibilities of being a “new self?”

If your answers flow out of Scripture and the Spirit of truth and revelation convicts you, you will undoubtedly live a godly life that pleases God! If you are uncertain of God’s answers to these questions (and more), then you are like I was for thirty-seven years after being saved–an infant in Christ.

The only antidote to growing from an infant in Christ with childish behaviors to a maturing adult in Christ exhibiting loving and truthful behaviors toward the Church and the lost is to intimately know God through Jesus Christ increasingly. So, you and I must increasingly know God, the second Advocate, the Holy Spirit, and His gracious works that not only saved you but mature you from an infant in Christ to a maturing adult in Christ until you die or Christ returns.

You will not increasingly experience God’s grace and peace without maturing in your knowledge of God the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ, which only comes from the Spirit of truth, revelation, and wisdom. If you mature by the Spirit of righteousness, He will demonstrate His power through the new you in Christ! This is the theology of being in Jesus, which is the theology of the new covenant of the Spirit! To walk in step by the Spirit to do everything God has planned for you to do, you must know the whole counsel of God, not just the elementary teachings of Christ that the Spirit of life used to bring you into a new life in Christ!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for calling me into a transcendent life through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help my unbelief so I may know my new self in Christ and to live according to my new life in Christ by the Holy Spirit for the Lord Jesus Christ to be seen through the good works the Spirit of righteousness will do through me. All to the glory of God our Father in the name of the Son Lord Jesus Christ and by the Holy Spirit.

written by Joe Guidotti

02/14/2025