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#75.
The new man and the Truth (Eph. 4: 20-24)
pp. 136 142
In our last paper we were led, both by the contemplation of the utter alienation of the
Gentiles from the life of God, and the significance of the name "Jesus", to expect the
introduction of a new creation. Such is indeed the fact, and without it we should be left
without the least hope of ever throwing off the dreadful dominion of the old man. Let us
observe the disposition of the subject matter before we go into details.
The new man (Eph. 4: 20-24).
A |
20, 21. Truth in Jesus. Head of new creation.
B
| 22. Put off the old man. Corrupt.
B
| 23, 24-. Put on the new man. Renewed.
A |
-24. Truth (righteousness and holiness of). Sphere of new creation.
"The truth in Jesus" is the truth of the new creation. The old man belongs to "the lie",
the new man to "the truth". The old man is corrupt, the new man is renewed and holy.
The words "put off" are to be referred to the word "taught", and the passage reads:--
"And by Him ye have been taught (. . . . .) to put off . . . . . the old man."
We are in the practical section of the epistle, and so are not instructed as to how the
old man was put off by Christ, but our attention is directed rather to the outworkings of
that doctrine. We are to put off "as regards the former conversation" the old man, or as
Colossians put it:--
"Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds"
(Col. 3: 9).
"With his deeds" is equivalent to "the former conversation", remembering that the
A.V. word "conversation" is much more than merely speaking with another, but means
the whole manner of life.
The foundation of this teaching is Rom. 6: 6:--
"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be
rendered inoperative, that henceforth we should not serve sin."
The lusts or desires that dominate the unregenerate mind have one characteristic, they
are "deceitful". This is not to be limited to the coarser lusts of the flesh, the higher and
finer activities of the mind are marked with the same Satanic brand, for Col. 2: 8 speaks
of "philosophy" as being "vain and deceitful", and essentially so inasmuch as it is "not
after Christ". The new man therefore arises out of the "truth in Jesus", and repudiates as
the lie whatever is not "after Christ". Christ must be foundation and top stone of this
erection, even as He is the Alpha, Omega and Amen of the purpose of the ages.