Putting off the Old Man

(Ephesians 4:25-32)

Mike Johnson

Change can be very difficult, even painful.  We typically are very comfortable with our old habits.  It is said, “Most people won’t change until the pain of not changing is worse than the pain of changing.”

The Bible stresses in many places that when we become a Christian, it is crucial for us to change; we are to put off the “old man” (our former life) and put on the new man — the new life in Christ.

For example, Colossians 3:5-17 teaches that we must “put to death” or “put off” sin.  Specifically mentioned are sins such as fornication, evil desire, anger, wrath, and malice (5-11).  In contrast, we are to “put on” the new man characterized as kind, humble, forgiving, and long-suffering, etc. (12-17).  Romans 6:4-12 teaches the same concept as it compares the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, showing that a change is to take place.  Here we see how Christians must walk in “newness of life” (4b).  Further, we are told, since our “old man” is crucified with Christ, we should no longer be “slaves to sin” (6b) and should be “dead to sin” (11a).  In addition, the writer says, sin “should not reign” in our “mortal bodies” (12a).  Elsewhere, Romans 13:12 says we are to “cast off the works of darkness” and “put on the armor of light.”

This article will take a closer look at a similar passage, Ephesians 4:25-32, which also speaks of the concept of putting off the old man and putting on the new.  Again, in the earlier verses, Paul tells these Christians that they were no longer to engage in sin (17); they were to put off the old man — their former conduct (22) — and put on the new.  Verse 25 uses the word “therefore” at the beginning, which connects the two sections, i.e., he shows us how, or what it means, to put off the old man and put on the new man in Christ.  This article could also be called “Five Examples of Christian Growth.”

The formatting of verses 25-32 is interestingly unique.  To illustrate, a mother may tell her child to do something, and the child might respond by asking why. Mom might say, “I don’t have to give you a reason,” or she may say something like, “Because I’m your Mother, and I said so.”  However, she may also ask her child to do or not do something and then immediately state the reason.  The same is true with God’s commands.  God may say, “Do this” or “Do not do that.”  He does not have to give us a reason, but sometimes He does. In verses 25-32, He says we should not commit a particular sin, which might be called the “situation.”  Then, He says that instead, we are to do something else (the solution), and then He gives the reason for doing it (the motivation).  Consider now these various sins from the standpoint of this approach.

 Lying

The Situation

Verse 25 starts by saying, “Therefore, putting away lying.”  Lying is defined as “to make an untrue statement with intent to deceive” or “to create a false or misleading impression” (Webster). Lying has always been a problem, and our society is not exempt.  We live in a time where many do not consider honesty to be the best policy.  Many believe lies are sometimes necessary and little lies, typically called “white lies,” do not matter.  People often look at lying as justifiable in many situations.  In fact, articles are online informing people how to lie without detection.

People lie for many reasons. Among these reasons are to enhance their worth in the eyes of others, cover up their mistakes, get some gain or avoid a loss, save face, avoid confrontation, get their way, or be “nice.”

The Bible has a lot to say about lying.  In the beginning, Satan used lying to get man to sin in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:4), and he is called a liar and the father of lies (Jn. 8:44).  Also, Proverbs 6:16-17 lists the sin of lying as one of the things the Lord hates.  Proverbs 12:22 tells us, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight.”  Similar to Ephesians 4, Colossians 3:9 admonishes, “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds.”

Interestingly, Paul told the Ephesians to “put away” lying, indicating that some in the church there were still guilty of committing this sin.  In Acts 5:1-11, Ananias and Sapphira, regarding the sale of their land, lied to Peter, the Holy Spirit, and God and lost their lives.

Today, people sometimes refer to certain lies as “white” lies.  Webster defines the white lie as “a lie about a small or unimportant matter that someone tells to avoid hurting another person.” Of course, we need to be kind, thoughtful, and compassionate in how we say things and treat people, but even a seemingly innocent lie is wrong. Revelation 21:8 says, “. . . all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

The Solution

 Continuing with verse 25, after telling the Ephesians not to lie, he next says, “each one must speak the truth with his neighbor” (25b).  So,  “Do not lie — instead, tell the truth.  Telling lies (the situation) is replaced with telling the truth (the solution).

A liar must have a good memory.  Daniel Webster put it like this:  “Falsehoods not only disagree with truths, but they usually quarrel among themselves.”  If we always speak the truth, it is not nearly as important to remember what we have said. But, on the other hand, liars must remember all they have said to avoid contradictions.

Another consequence for liars is that they tend not to believe others, thinking everyone is like them.  George Bernard Shaw once said, “The liar’s punishment is, not in the least that he is not believed, but that he cannot believe anyone else.”

The Motivation

The motivation (reason) for not lying and instead speaking the truth is “for we are members of one another” (25c).   Paul makes a similar point to the Corinthians, who had disunity connected to spiritual gifts.  He states, “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually (I Cor. 12:27).  The church is compared to a physical body as one part speaks to another part.  For example, the ear says that since it is not a part of the eye, it is not a part of the body (16).  Similarly, church members are a part of the same spiritual body and are dependent on one another.  We should not lie to anyone, but especially not to our fellow Christians, members of the same body.

Anger

 The Situation

 In verse 26a, he points out, “Be angry, and do not sin . . . .”  This statement is not a commandment to be angry.  Instead, it says that when you are mad, be sure and do not commit sin.  The NIV says, “In your anger do not sin.”

Many passages warn us about anger and its perils.  In the Old Testament, Proverbs 16:32 says, “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”  Ecclesiastes 7:9 instructs, “Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.”  Various New Testament passages inform us that anger and wrath must be put away (Eph. 3:1, Col. 3:8).

However, our text seems to be saying that it is not necessarily a sin to become angry.  We read elsewhere that Christ became angry as Mark 3:5 notes, “And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts . . . .”  (Note also Jn. 2:14.)  When a person is angry, what happens next is significant, as we will see.

The Solution

 The writer continues, “do not let the sun go down on your wrath” (26b).  This tells us that anger needs to end quickly.  If not, it can generate hatred, bitterness, and resentment — it breaks down love and destroys peace and happiness.  Sometimes, ending anger may involve going to someone with love, kindness, and humility to rectify a situation.  Regardless, we must focus on getting rid of our wrath.

There are actually two questions to consider.  The first is, what do we do when we are angry?  Then how long does it last?  A woman once said that she gets mad a lot, but it only lasts for a short time.  Someone responded, “A shotgun blast also lasts for a short time, and look at all of the damage it does.”  Thus, put it away quickly and be careful what you say or do while you have it.

The Motivation

 The motivation for putting away anger is found in verse 27 when the writer continues, “nor give place to the devil.”  The NIV translates, “and do not give the devil a foothold” (NASB “opportunity”).  The Devil is strong enough (1 Pet. 5:8); we do not want to give him a further advantage. We add to his strength when we are angry and hold on to it.

Anger can be compared to a person drinking alcohol.  While drinking alcohol, people often say and do things they would typically not say or do, some of which may involve sin. Similarly, while in a state of anger, people will often commit unexpected sins.  Thus, like drinking alcohol, our anger is a bonus for Satan.  Anger, which can make us more prone to sin, can also be compared to a body with a low immune system, making it more susceptible to disease.  The word “anger” is just one letter short of the word “danger.”

Consider a quotation from Barnes summarizing this verse.

When the sun sets on a man’s anger, he may be sure it is wrong. The meaning of the whole of this verse then is, If you be angry, which may be the case, and which may be unavoidable, see that the sudden excitement does not become sin. Do not let it overleap its proper bounds; do not cherish it; do not let it remain in your bosom even to the setting of the sun. Though the sun be sinking in the west, let not the passion linger in the bosom, but let his last rays find you always peaceful and calm.” (Barnes’ Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997-2014 by Biblesoft, Inc. )

Thus, we can become angry, but we must make sure that we do not sin while angry, even though it may last for a short time.  Also, we must put away anger as quickly as possible.

Stealing

The Situation

 The next situation is a person stealing. Verse 28a says, “Let him who stole steal no longer . . . .”  The Gospel can lead to the conversion of people who have engaged in all kinds of sins.  At Corinth, for example, Christians had been guilty of such sins as murder, extortion, and fornication (1 Cor. 6:9-10).  Perhaps, some of the Ephesians had been thieves, and maybe some of it was still occurring.  It may have been that certain ones needed to avoid particular activities, which might have been classified as stealing but would not be looked upon as very serious.

The Bible frequently condemns stealing.  The ten commandments say, “You shall not steal” (Ex. 20:15).  Leviticus 19:11 spells out, “You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another,”  and verse 13 continues, “You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning.”  Noted earlier was 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, where theft was among the former practices of the Corinthians.  Those guilty of stealing, in addition to the other sins listed, would not be able to “inherit the kingdom of God.”

Stealing can take a variety of forms.  The most obvious would be robbing a bank, breaking into a house, shoplifting, embezzling from an employer, extortion, or robbing someone on the street.  But there are more passive ways to steal.  Consider some examples of how we can do this.

1. In a routine business exchange, we can steal by allowing someone to give us too much money in a transaction. If you pay, for instance, for something with a ten-dollar bill, and the clerk gives you change as if you had paid with a twenty, would you say anything about it?
2. Not being truthful about a product we are selling is a form of stealing.
3. We can steal from our employer by not working as we are supposed to as required.
4. We steal from the government by cheating on our income taxes.
5. Using pirated software is a form of stealing.
6. We steal from the Lord when we do not give as we have been prospered (1 Cor. 16:1-2; Mal. 3:8-10).

Some people say things to justify dishonestly, such as, “Well, that is just good businesses.”  Christians must put integrity over the dollar.

The Solution

 Instead of stealing, what should a person do?  The text says, “but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good”(28b).  Hardworking people are less likely to be dishonest because they know the value of work and wages.

The word translated “labor” in this passage means strenuous work producing fatigue (The Complete Word Study Dictionary).  Paul uses it to refer to manual labor (1 Cor. 4:12, Acts 20:34-35), and he uses the term to speak of spiritual endeavor as we work for the Lord (Rom. 6:12, Gal. 4:11, Phil. 2:16).

A person who steals typically takes what belongs from people who have worked very hard for what they have.  The selfish thief is saying, “I’m not going to work as the person I am stealing from did; I’ll just take it for free!  In one sense, the thief is stealing “time”. . . the time it took for the victim to earn money to buy what the thief took from him.

The text also tells us that the work must be honest when it says “that which is good.” The ESV says, “doing honest work with his own hands.  For example, you might have a hardworking person, but he does something dishonest to obtain money.  So, not just any kind of work is acceptable; the work must be honest.

 The Motivation

 What is the reason, the motivation, for working?  Is it to obtain a lot of money and be wealthy?  No, the verse continues, “that he may have something to give him who has need” (28c).  We have an essential responsibility to provide for ourselves and our families (1 Tim. 5:8).  But another reason is to have the money to help the needy.  The Bible frequently speaks of helping the needy (Gal. 2:10; 6:10; Mt. 5:7; 25:36).  It also talks about not helping those who will not work (2: Thess. 3:6, 10-12).  There is, however, legitimate need everywhere, and we must realize that one of the reasons for working is to help the needy.

Corrupt Communications

 The Situation

 In verse 29, he says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth.”  What is meant by corrupt communication?  One translation renders it “unwholesome talk” (NIV) and another “corrupting talk” (ESV).  In his commentary, Barnes speaks of the meaning of the original Greek word.

The word rendered “corrupt” (sapros) means bad, decayed, rotten, and is applied to putrid vegetable or animal substances. Then it is applied to a tree that is of a useless character, that produces no good fruit; Matt 7:17. Then it is used in a moral sense, as our word “corrupt” is, to denote that which is depraved, evil, contaminating, and may denote here anything that is obscene, offensive, or that tends to corrupt others.  (Barnes’ Notes, Electronic Database)

Perhaps some of the Christians at Ephesus were recent converts and had come from a bad environment where profanity was common,  and they may have used it.  Maybe Paul felt there was the danger of some falling back into its use.    Regardless, he said it should not be used, and he used the word “no,” which means none of it.

The Bible abounds with passages condemning improper speech.  For example, Psalm 10:7, describing the wicked, says, “His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.”   Ephesians 5:4 adds, “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving” (NIV). Likewise, Colossians 3:9 says we are to put off “filthy language” (“obscene talk” ESV), and in Matthew 12:36, Jesus says, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.”

Profanity is pervasive today, perhaps at an all-time high.  It is common in schools, homes, and workplaces (blue-collar and white-collar jobs).  In the past, it seemed to be used more as an interjection if somebody was upset.  Today, people use profanity as a standard part of a sentence, frequently to emphasize a point.  Filthy talk is promoted on television and in movies; politicians, movie stars, and celebrities use and promote vulgarity.  The (**—**) is common in printed news stories, quoting people.  (How long will it be before they just spell the word out?)  Also, the most popular curse words may change from generation to generation, but all are wrong.

The Solution

 As the verse continues, Paul says to instead speak, “what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (29b).  So, corrupt speech is replaced with words that strengthen, build up, and encourage others to do right.  We “impart grace” to a world lost in sin by doing so as our words can help lead the way to Christ.

The Motivation

 The motivation, or reason to obey, is found in verse 30, which says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”  If we use “corrupt communication,” we must stop and replace that language with edifying words.  If we do not, we grieve the Holy Spirit.  Isaiah 6:10 points out that despite all the good God had done for His people, they “rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit.”  Why would the Holy Spirit be sad?  Because He wants us to be saved, and we will not be if we reject His teaching.  The Holy Spirit reveals the Words of God, so rejecting His Word means we are rejecting God. But, of course, sin also grieves God (Ps. 95:10).

 Bitterness, Wrath, Anger, Clamor, Evil Speaking, & Malice

 The Situation

 The inspired writer states what we are not to commit the sins in verse 31, saying, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.”  Consider a closer look at these sins.

1. Bitterness – This is resentment we hold on to that has become rotten and rancid. One person put it like this, “Bitterness is hurt cherished past sundown and becomes the nest that the devils dig into your soul to infect your whole being.”  The Bible condemns bitterness in other places.  Hebrews 12:15 says, “looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.”  (Note also Acts 8:23; Col. 3:19.)
2. Wrath (“rage” NIV) – The Greek word used is “thumos.” It involves strong antagonism, which may express itself in outbursts.
3. Anger – This is a settled state of indignation, with the heart being like a raging furnace. It is very similar to the previous term.
4. Clamor (“brawling” NIV) – This might involve a violent outburst from someone who has completely lost his temper. The Pulpit Commentary says it is “equivalent to the loud noise of strife, the excited shouting down of opponents” (from The Pulpit Commentary, Electronic Database, Biblesoft).
5. Evil Speaking (“slander” NASB) – The word in the original means to speak against, which can be done toward God or man.  The Pulpit Commentary contrasts with the above term (clamor), saying, “the more deliberate habit of running down their character, exciting an evil feeling against them in the minds of others.”
6. Malice – This is “. . .  bad feelings toward another person or people, and is the source of the other five vices” (Thomas Constable’s Notes on the Bible).

The Solution

 The Ephesians were to remove these sins and replace them with what he states in  verse 32, which says, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another.”  Kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness are the opposite of the sins just stated.  Kindness means to be courteous, and tenderheartedness means to have a heart disposed to pity and compassion.  A similar concept is in 1 Peter 3:8, which tells us, “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.”  (Note also Eph. 4:1-3.)

The Motivation

 The reason to do what he has just said is at the end of verse 32 when he says, “even as God in Christ forgave you.”  We are to be kind, tenderhearted, and willing to forgive because Christ displayed His kindness and compassion in forgiving us.  Since God was willing to forgive us, we should be ready to have the right attitude toward others and forgive them, displaying our kindness and compassion.  If we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us (Mt. 6:14-15), and to not forgive others is to forfeit forgiveness for ourselves.

Conclusion

Changes must occur when a person becomes a Christian (Eph. 4:22-24). With some, changes are more drastic than others. Regardless, new Christians need to put away the behavior of the past when serving Satan and put on the new man in Christ.  Doing so is not just true in the five areas we have studied but in every part of our lives.  Consider Colossians 3:1-7 in closing, which is similar to the text of our study.

 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

Change can be very difficult because old habits are challenging to stop.  However, we need to put off the old man and put on the new.  Change and growth are essential!