Ephesians 4:17-24 (NKJV)
The New Man
(or for this lesson: The NEW Canvas)
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Definitions of important words:
put off- To lay aside
be renewed- To renovate; to restore to a former state, or to a good state, after decay or depravation; to rebuild; to repair.
Thoughts
Our life is like a canvas. God desires for our “canvas” to become a beautiful and unique masterpiece. But, instead because of our sins, our canvas become rough and dusty. They become the opposite of beautiful!
But, like a painter's canvas, our lives can be wiped clean and smoothed again! It is not too late for any of us to become something new and beautiful!
We can be Sanded
In order to hold a new picture, a canvas must first be sanded. Physically we must do the same. We must remove the callouses and rough edges from our lives before we can hold a new "life picture".
Smoothing ourselves from the rough edges caused from sin is sometimes difficult, but ALWAYS necessary. Before we take any other steps, we must first be in total agreement with our Heavenly Father.
This can sometimes be difficult to do. It requires changing our thinking! We must intentionally smooth out our jagged thoughts and totally align them with our creator.
To accomplish this, we will need wisdom that we do not possess on our own. We will need to refer to God's Holy Word, to help us.
The Bible is our sandpaper!
Sanding is necessary because it is the step which will restore our minds back into agreement with our Heavenly Father. The old lies and misconceptions roughing up our thoughts must be smoothed out and removed.
