The Book of Ephesians: "New Man; New Walk" - Ephesians 4:17-32

Draw Me Close: Podcast - A Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, with Pastor Bob Lawrenz

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the action by which God takes up permanent residence in the body of a believer in Jesus Christ.
Jesus revealed to His disciples the new role the Holy Spirit. He is the Comforter. He is the Spirit of Truth. He would testify of Jesus. He will teach us and guide us into all truth. The role the Holy Spirit plays in our lives is in John 14:17, “He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
The scripture tells us in John 14:16; 15:26; 16:13, that the believer in Jesus Christ has the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, living in him. As the Holy Spirit lives in the believer, He brings about some life-changing results: New Life; New Birth, New Man; New Walk.
The indwelling Holy Spirit empowers the yielded believer to live for Christ to do His will (Galatians 5:16). The Spirit leads the believer in paths of righteousness (Romans 8:14). As Pastor Bob so aptly put it, “The Holy Spirit brings us into full power, the fullness of God’s power - the power behind our growing faith." The power of the Holy Spirit in our lives enables us to walk in newness of life, obedient to the Word of God, set apart for His plan and purpose.
As we finish the Ephesians chapter 4, Paul urged the Ephesian church and, by extension, believers today—to walk in a manner worthy of your calling. As believers, we are followers of Christ. We have been given new life, and with that new life we have new duties and a new life path to follow. Through the Holy Spirit, God empowers us for every step of that worthy walk as we submit to His leading.
Paul having described the corruption of the mind, heart, and will of the “old man," then begins to unpack what it means to walk as a “new man” (Ephesians 4:22). In detailing what it means to “no longer walk as other Gentiles walk” (Ephesians 4:17), Paul reminds the church that they had previously “learned . . . heard . . . and been taught by . . . Jesus." With a new mind, heart, and will, Christians begin to resemble Jesus. Practically speaking, the transition from the old man to a new man is oftentimes slow; yet it must occur if salvation is authentic (Luke 6:43–45).
While the exact phrase “new man” or “new self” only occurs in the books of Ephesians and Colossians, the concept occurs with regularity in Scripture, especially in the letters of Paul. Throughout scripture we learn that in Christ, believers have: a new mind (1 Corinthians 2:16; Romans 12:2), new knowledge (Colossians 3:10), a new heart and a new spirit (Ezek. 26:36), a new will (Philippians 2:12–13), new passions and desires (Galatians 5:24), a new conscience (Hebrews 9:14), and are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is all the result of being in a new covenant with God (Hebrews 8:6). Note the scope of the transformation of the old man into a new man. The new man is completely and thoroughly renewed.
In summary, Paul's exhortation in Ephesians 4:31–32 is to not sin, but to manifest the opposite behaviors—namely, showing kindness, being tenderhearted, and exhibiting forgiveness. The main danger in not “putting on the new man” (Ephesians 4:24) is that as we sin against and stray from God, we “grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30), whose role it is to comfort and to guide believers in Christ-likeness.