This passage matches up well with Colossians 3,hitting many of the same themes likely around the same time in Paul’s life. Both passages call the members of the church first to stop behaving as nonbelievers – referred to as “Gentiles” which is notable since the church itself was full of Gentiles! But as he makes clear elsewhere the gentiles of the church have been “grafted in” – and the Jews in the church are certainly not exempt from behaving like those in the culture around them.
What does that look like? A hardened heart, calloused to sin, but instead seeking the impure and wicked. Even greedy for it!
Paul specifically is serving against antinomianism, the idea that one we are saved we no longer have to worry about following the law. There were those in the church at Ephesus and other congregations who pushed the idea, and Paul here and elsewhere objects to it emphatically.
“That is not how you learned Christ” – not just “about” Christ, but Christ Himself in relationship. There is a difference between learning about someone, and learning them themselves. Though Paul does not assume that this is true of everyone there.
They learned to put off the old self, through Paul’s teaching in person and his letter to the Romans that would likely have circulated by now. The language is the same as changing out of old clothes, from soiled or otherwise dirty clothing into the clothes that are worthy and appropriate for their status as children of God. You can reference the letter to Sardis in Revelation, where some have soiled their white garments – or you can look to Lazarus, raised from the dead and taking off the old grave clothes right away.
Or you can look at the prodigal son – and like the prodigal son, we have to recognize when we are at the pig sty that life is better in our father’s house – where he will put a new robe on us and celebrate.
We are all called to this kind of repentance, and the more we become like Christ, the more we see in our lives that does not line up and needs repentance.
We also need to change ourselves at the mental level – not just responding to a feeling of guilt, but a fundamental renewing of how we think about ourselves, others and God.
This conviction of sin may feel like a heavy load, but it is a part of God’s grace, showing us the path to oneness with Him.
– Sermon Notes, Bart Hodgson, Seed Church, Lynnwood WA, November 8, 2020