The New Self & Truthful Community
The New Self & Truthful Community
Monday
Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
— Ephesians 4:17-25 (ESV)
— Ephesians 4:17-25 (ESV)
There’s something deeply personal about Monday mornings. We return to workplaces, schools, and routines where we’ll interact with the same people we saw last week. And if we’re honest, some of those relationships carry the weight of half-truths, convenient omissions, and carefully crafted versions of ourselves.
The text today confronts us with a startling reality: our old way of living was marked by futility of mind and corruption through deceitful desires. But Christ has made us new. This isn’t just positional theology—it’s the foundation for how we relate to one another in the community of faith.
Notice the progression: put off the old self, be renewed in your mind, put on the new self. This isn’t a one-time event but a continual process. God has definitively made you new in Christ, and now you’re learning to live as that new person. The evidence? Truthfulness replaces falsehood.
Why does truthfulness matter so much? Because “we are members one of another.” In a body, when one part sends false signals to another, the whole system suffers. A nerve that lies about pain causes injury. An eye that misreports danger puts the body at risk. The church operates the same way. When we shade the truth, minimize our struggles, or present false versions of ourselves, we damage the body’s ability to function properly.
Think about the relationships in your life where truth is missing. Perhaps you’ve hidden a struggle because you fear judgment. Maybe you’ve exaggerated your spiritual maturity to impress others. Or possibly you’ve stayed silent when a honest conversation could have brought healing. These patterns belong to the old self—the one that’s being put off.
The new self, created in God’s likeness, reflects His character. And God is truth. When we speak truthfully with one another, we’re not just following a rule—we’re displaying the very nature of our Creator. We’re functioning as the new creation we actually are.
This week, ask the Spirit to show you where falsehood has crept into your relationships. It might be in your small group, your marriage, your workplace, or even in how you present yourself on social media. The new self doesn’t need to manage appearances or control narratives. The new self can rest in the security of Christ and speak truth in love.
The text today confronts us with a startling reality: our old way of living was marked by futility of mind and corruption through deceitful desires. But Christ has made us new. This isn’t just positional theology—it’s the foundation for how we relate to one another in the community of faith.
Notice the progression: put off the old self, be renewed in your mind, put on the new self. This isn’t a one-time event but a continual process. God has definitively made you new in Christ, and now you’re learning to live as that new person. The evidence? Truthfulness replaces falsehood.
Why does truthfulness matter so much? Because “we are members one of another.” In a body, when one part sends false signals to another, the whole system suffers. A nerve that lies about pain causes injury. An eye that misreports danger puts the body at risk. The church operates the same way. When we shade the truth, minimize our struggles, or present false versions of ourselves, we damage the body’s ability to function properly.
Think about the relationships in your life where truth is missing. Perhaps you’ve hidden a struggle because you fear judgment. Maybe you’ve exaggerated your spiritual maturity to impress others. Or possibly you’ve stayed silent when a honest conversation could have brought healing. These patterns belong to the old self—the one that’s being put off.
The new self, created in God’s likeness, reflects His character. And God is truth. When we speak truthfully with one another, we’re not just following a rule—we’re displaying the very nature of our Creator. We’re functioning as the new creation we actually are.
This week, ask the Spirit to show you where falsehood has crept into your relationships. It might be in your small group, your marriage, your workplace, or even in how you present yourself on social media. The new self doesn’t need to manage appearances or control narratives. The new self can rest in the security of Christ and speak truth in love.
Thought for Today:
Where am I presenting a false version of myself to protect my reputation rather than living as the new self God has made me?
Where am I presenting a false version of myself to protect my reputation rather than living as the new self God has made me?
Father, thank You for making me new in Christ. I confess that I often live according to old patterns, hiding behind half-truths and carefully managed impressions. Renew my mind today. Help me to put off falsehood and speak truth with those around me, knowing that we are members of one another in Your body. Give me courage to be honest about my struggles and grace to receive the honesty of others. Make me more like Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.
Posted in A New Identity - Ephesians 4:17-32
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