It's time for another Sunday Scripture post! As I've previously
mentioned, I worked on a Bible study of Ephesians for the month of
January and so I've been using this study to write some Sunday Scripture
posts
for the remainder of the winter.
The study I've been working on is the Ephesians Bible study from Good Morning Girls. For the Scripture Sundays, I've simply been sharing some of the verses I have worked on and how I used the SOAP method of Bible study. For today's lesson, we were to look at Ephesians 4:17-24, but I chose to write out and SOAP verses 17-18a, 22-24, though I will allude to some of the other verses. Here goes:
S= "This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened ...
"That ye put off concerning the former manner of life the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
"And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
"And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4:17-18a; 22-24)
O= This section is titled by Scofield in the Scofield Study Bible as "The walk of the believer as a new man in Christ." Paul cautions the believers that from now on they are not to walk and live like other Gentiles, in the vanity of their own minds, with darkened understanding. They are put off the things that characterized their old way of life, and instead be renewed in the spirit of their minds. Having put off the old self, they are to put on the new self, which is created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
A= My way of life is not to look like that of unbelievers. Since Christ is always with me, I want to walk in a manner worthy of Him. My understanding is no longer darkened, so I need to be renewed in the spirit of my mind on a regular basis. I'm to take the action of putting off the things that characterized my old self, and put on the new way of life. It's not a feeling but an action I must take.
Many sinful ways disappeared almost immediately after I trusted Christ as Savior. But there are still some lingering old ways that need to be put off. These are things I continually work on and pray for victory in -- mostly tendencies toward sinful attitudes and ways of thinking.
P= "Lord, I cannot thank You enough for saving me and for giving me new life. I praise You for how You have empowered me to put off the sins of my old life. I pray that You will help me to be continually renewed in the spirit of my mind and put on the new ways that characterize a walk worthy of You. I thank You for how You will help me to grow and change, in Jesus' name, Amen."
And that's our simple study for today! I hope it was a blessing to you.
Only with His help are we able to put off that "old man." We sure have interesting phraseology in our faith. ☺️
ReplyDeleteWe certainly do have interesting phraseology in our faith! But it's pretty descriptive. It helps me if I think of putting off the "old self", or the "old way of life."
ReplyDeleteLove this passage, and it is a fresh reminder that this Christian life is a daily walk, something we need to continually be active in, or we will get too sedentary in our thinking and then our actions will get "slothful" as well. Daily reading God's Word, having those "conversations" with Him in prayer, are the best ways to continually put off the "old self" and be renewed to the "new" person He wants us to be. Thank you for this reminder. I enjoy your weekly Bible lesson!!
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