20You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

 25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26"In your anger do not sin" Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. 28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

 29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.    Ephesians 4: 17 - 32 NIV

A person’s philosophy of life and personality are often radically altered upon conversion. One was traveling 100 miles per hour in one direction and is suddenly pulled in the opposite direction. An encounter with the living Christ is a life-altering event. In Ephesians, Paul reminds his readers of that fact. They are not who they used to be!    In the world today, the philosophy of life seems to be “take what you can get and roll over anyone who gets in your way” or “use persons to your own advantage and whenever they become a liability, dump them!” But this kind of thinking is futile, short-sighted, and in the end can only spell disaster. It matters not how much power, sensuality or wealth you accumulate or how you did it, in the end it is all staying behind! There is no hope without Christ. For this reason, Paul urges believers to leave the “old self” behind and be clothed with the “new self” in Christ.

Believers in Christ speak the truth, seek out reconciliation and share what they have received, while the world thrives on falsehood, anger and stealing in one form or another (vv. 25-32). A true Christian is known by his or her good speech and kindness toward others, while many today spew out foul language like a turned-on fire hydrant, and they are not even aware of it! It should be no surprise that this world is plagued with ever-increasing hatred and animosity among nations, races and even religions! For the disease is in the sinful condition of a heart that knows not Christ.

God’s plan in Christ is to bring every believer’s moral conduct in line with the high position in Christ to which he has called the person. And this means living out the Christian life in the here and now, no matter what the stress! Our philosophy of life is to treat others as we would like to be treated (Matthew 7:12), even when they treat us badly! And we believe Jesus when he said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). And while none of us will be perfect in this life, for Christ is our perfection, yet God has set a goal of godly moral conduct for the sanctification of the members of his church; he has changed their lives through the cross and via the Holy Spirit, to his glory!     (from A Study in Ephesians)