About this Episode

Trading Places

Be Church! Living up into who we are

Main Scripture Reference(s):

Ephesians 4:20-24 (ESV)

But that is not the way you learned Christ!-- 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self,* which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

1) The Old Way of Thinking and Living.

Scriptures referenced: 1 Corinthians 13:11, Ephesians 4:31, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 1 Corinthians 14:20, Ephesians 4:13-15

1 Corinthians 13:11 (ESV)

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

Ephesians 4:31 (NLV)

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (ESV)

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

1 Corinthians 14:20 (ESV)

Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

Ephesians 4:13-15 (NLT)

This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

2) A New Way of Thinking

Scriptures referenced: Ephesians 4:22-23, Romans 12:2

Ephesians 4:22-23 (NLT)

Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

Romans 12:2 (NLT)

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

3) A New Way of Living

Scriptures referenced: Ephesians 4:24, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Peter 1:13-16, Romans 6:12-14

Ephesians 4:24 (NLT)

Put on your new nature, created to be like God--truly righteous and holy.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

1 Peter 1:13-16 (NLT)

So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy."

Romans 6:12-14 (NLT)

Do not let sin control the way you live;* do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace.

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