The New Self

The New Self | Ephesians 4:17-32

John Bourgeois, Lead Pastor

Key Takeaways

• The Old Way to Live (v. 17-19)
  Life apart from God is marked by futility, darkness, hardness of heart, and bondage to desires.

• The New Way to Live (v. 25-32)
  Changed lives are most visible in our relationships through specific "put off/put on" transformations.

• How We Change (v. 20-24)
  Real change comes through "learning Christ," a decisive justification moment followed by ongoing sanctification.

Study Questions

• Question 1

  John shares a study conducted by Barna that states that only 9% of Nashvillians have experienced radical change based on grace alone rather than good works. How would you honestly assess your own understanding of salvation? Do you truly believe it is based solely on God's grace, or do you find yourself relying on your own performance?

• Question 2

  Paul warns that putting off sin without putting on virtue always leads to relapse. What practical steps can you take to not only remove sinful habits but also replace them with positive, Christ-centered practices?

• Question 3

  Paul uses the aorist tense to describe putting off the old self and putting on the new self as decisive, once-for-all actions. Can you identify a specific moment or season when you made a decisive break with your old life and committed to following Christ?

• Question 4

  The renewal of the mind is described as a passive, ongoing process where we must be acted upon rather than achieving change through willpower. How does this challenge the modern emphasis on self-improvement, and what does it mean practically to receive renewal rather than achieve it?

• Question 5

  The Batman study showed that identity, not ability, determined perseverance. How does understanding your sealed identity in Christ as a child of God change the way you approach daily challenges and temptations?

Seeking God’s Face Devotional

This year, we’ll be using the devotional “Seeking God’s Face” for our personal daily discipleship. Also, please join us for our Sunday Morning Class, “Whole-Life Discipleship,” every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. following the 9 a.m. worship service.

This Week’s Liturgy

Call to worship

Isaiah 12:2, 5-6

Leader: Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.

All: Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.'

Confession of FAITH

New City Catechism Q & A #20

Q: Who is the Redeemer?

A: The only Redeemer is the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, in whom God became man and bore the penalty for sin himself.

Confession of sin

Gracious God, we confess that we have lived in the futility of our own minds, organizing our lives around our performance, our image, and our appetites. We have called our bondage freedom. We have not learned Christ. Forgive us. Renew us in the spirit of our minds, that we may put on the new self, in true righteousness and holiness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Psalm 32:5

I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

This Week’s Playlist

Looking Ahead

Invite a friend and join us next week as we continue our sermon series with Ephesians 5:1-21.