17 “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Ephesians 4:17-18

19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. 20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. Ephesians 4:19-21

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

Former “Gentile” life versus present life in Christ Futility versus truth Darkened ignorance versus what you were taught Putting off the old self versus putting on the new self Deceitful desires versus new attitude in your minds Being separated from the life God has for you versus being created to be like God

Thinking your way is better than God’s way. Futile Thinking = Thinking your way is better than God’s way.

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. Genesis 6:5

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. Mark 7:21-22

19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Romans 7:19-20, 24

Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. Ephesians 4:19

23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:20-24

One way we try to put off our old self is to modify our behavior One way we try to put off our old self is to modify our behavior. Another way of saying this is, “I’ll try to do better.”

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God. Ephesians 2:8