What does Ephesians 04:24 Mean?

Study Notes

new man
The new man is the regenerate man as distinguished from the old man and is a new man as having become a partaker of the divine nature and life 2 Peter 1:4 ; Colossians 3:3 ; Colossians 3:4 and in no sense the old man made over, or improved; 2 Corinthians 5:17 ; Galatians 6:15 ; Ephesians 2:10 ; Colossians 3:10 . The new man is Christ, "formed" in the believer; Galatians 2:20 ; Galatians 4:19 ; Colossians 1:27 ; 1 John 4:12 .

righteousness .

old self

The expression occurs elsewhere, in Ephesians 4:22 ; Colossians 3:9 and always means the man of old, corrupt human nature, the inborn tendency to evil in all men. In Romans 6:6 it is the natural man himself; in; Ephesians 4:22 ; Colossians 3:9 his ways. Positionally, in the reckoning of God, the old man is crucified, and the believer is exhorted to make this good in experience, reckoning it to be so by definitely "putting off" the old man and "putting on" the new; Colossians 3:8-14 ; Colossians 3:4 ; Colossians 3:24 , (See Scofield " Ephesians 4:24 ") , note 3.

righteousness

Righteousness here, and in the passages which refer to Romans 10:10 , means that righteousness of God which is judicially reckoned to all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; believers are the righteous.

(See Scofield " Romans 3:21 ") .

Verse Meaning

Paul identified our responsibility in this verse. We are to put on the new self as a garment. The new self (or man) is the person the Christian is after he or she experiences regeneration. We put on the new man as we pursue the things of Christ rather than the desires of the flesh. God has created the new self (the Christian) in regeneration after the image of our spiritual parent, God Himself. Righteousness and holiness mark our new life rather than sensuality, impurity, and greed ( Ephesians 4:18-19). Moreover it is a life based on the truth rather than on ignorance ( Ephesians 4:18). ^[1] [source]

Context Summary

The Lord Jesus is our text-book and our teacher, the schoolhouse in which we are taught, and the object lesson in which all truth is enshrined. But all is in vain unless we definitely and forever put away the old man; that is, our old manners and customs in so far as they are contrary to the Spirit of Christ. With equal decision we are called upon to seek the daily renewal of our spirit and the outward conformity of our mode of life to the example of Jesus. But it should never be forgotten that the latter will be a dry husk unless it is energized from the true vine. There can be little of Christ without unless He dwells without a rival within. But the Holy Spirit will see to this, if only we grieve Him not.

What a transformation immediately ensues! Truth instead of falsehood, gentleness for anger, earnest toil for dishonesty, cleansed instead of filthy speech. If all believers were to live like this, the world would know that the Son of God has come. It is not enough that a man should believe to secure deliverance from the wrath of God; he must daily seek to attain to such resemblance of Jesus as shall make men recall Him to mind. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ephesians 04

¹  He exhorts to unity;
⁷  and declares that God therefore gives various gifts unto men;
¹¹  that his church might be edified,
¹⁶  and grow up in Christ
¹⁸  He calls them from the impurity of the Gentiles;
²⁴  to put on the new man;
²⁵  to cast off lying;
²⁹  and corrupt communication