Paul’s teaching about how Christians are to relate to being part of the “one new man” of Ephesians 2:15 includes moral instruction for those who put of the old man and need to live according to the new. There are a number of grammatical issues that impact how this section is interpreted and applied. We deal with each of those issues and explain how certain terms (such as “man”) are important because of the context of Ephesians and the Adam/Christ analogy that is fundamental to the gospel. The “old man” is dead in Adam and the “new” is alive in Christ.

The passage also deals with the source of lusts (deception) and the source of holiness and righteousness (the truth). Many translations do not make that clear, so this sermon explains why it is important. The deception goes back to Genesis 3 and the first sin. The truth comes through Christ who is “the truth.” Another topic in these verses is the renewal of our minds by God’s grace through His promises. We need to think according to the truth of God’s Word and not think like the world which gets its ideas from the sin nature of the “old man.” We point people to the gospel and the throne of grace.

Sermon slides and handout available under the download tab.