Ephesians 4:20 But you did not learn Christ that way; 21 if indeed you heard Him, and were taught in Him, even as truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old self, that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth. NHEB
What Paul is saying isn’t all that complicated – Gentiles live this way and you (assuming you have heard of Christ) will live differently – a pattern of behavior that is different from that of the Gentiles. This comparison of lifestyles can be seen in other parts of the Bible such as the Wisdom Psalms (Psalms 1, for example), the Sermon on the Mount and in Proverbs.
Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the one who doesn’t follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path of sinners, or join in with scoffers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night….4 Not so with the wicked; instead, they are like the chaff which the wind drives away from the surface of the ground. 5Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish NHEB
After describing the life of unbelievers, Paul pivots at verse 20 to the faithful in Christ. The idea of putting aside the old nature and putting on the new nature is a standard way of talking for Paul as after becoming Christians we grow into a new life. Quite simply, it is justification and sanctification. The old man, our former way of life, is related to Adam. It was a life that was alienated from God but now thanks to Christ, our minds have been transformed and the barrier between us and God has been removed. Our hearts of stone have been replaced with a heart of flesh and as a result, we have a new nature and a new pattern of living.
Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on the cause of your anger. 27 Do not give the devil an opportunity. NET
Our first impression in reading this verse is that we should start this new life by not lying. On the other hand, Ephesians chapter 4 talks so much about truth, we can also read this as meaning to lay aside anything that isn’t the truth. Interestingly enough, the Greek word translated as falsehood can be translated as “the lie”. So if we want to talk about something specific, the lie could be the rejection of the one true God. In Romans 1, the avalanche begins by denying that God exists as they have essentially exchanged God for something else. As nature abhors a vacuum, this void is filled by a god of their own making.
Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles……. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen. BSB
The first place our new lives are going to show up is in how we talk. Paul mixes his metaphor between neighbors and members in verse 25. In the New Testament, our neighbor is everyone and not just fellow Christians. Paul roots this use of “neighbor” in language that is typically referring to other Christians (“members of each other”). These two concepts are always separate everywhere else but here, Paul has linked them together.
We are called to love our neighbor, love each other and even love our enemies so if we are going to lay aside falsehood, we should do so completely and speak the truth to everyone we encounter. This makes practical sense because society only works if we are honest with each other.
Paul doesn’t talk a good deal about the devil but does so here at verse 27 and in Ephesians 6. Where the devil shows up in Scripture, it is usually associated with lying and deception. (Satan is the adversary or the accuser. See Job 1:9-10 or Revelation 12:10). In Genesis 3, the serpent just shows up with no backstory but manages to deceive. We get to Revelation and the devil is still a liar.
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. NHEB
A key point to remember is that there is something out there that is trying to prevent us from being Christians and/or trying to convince us that the Gospel isn’t true. This opportunity for the devil Paul describes is the chance to shake our allegiance to God through whatever scheme he might successfully employ.
Ephesus is a center of magic so the Gentiles entering the church have this baggage of the occult and dark forces. (Jewish members would, of course, not have this same experience coming into the church). The schemes are strategic and specific to you. This power knows your vulnerabilities and how to use them against you. This line of thought shows up in greater detail in Colossians:
Colossians 1:1 Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth,…..5 So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. 7 You also lived your lives in this way at one time, when you used to live among them. 8 But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices 10 and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it……12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others. NET