Ephesians 4:24 Commentary and Bible Study

You also gain the new man. Paul now uses the other Greek word for new, for the ‘new’ man is not only brand new but quite different to the old man. This man is the product of regeneration and wholly the work of God’s Spirit in us. Just as the old man is only capable of doing what is evil and what is associated with the old nature, so the new man can only do good. When therefore the Christian sins, they have allowed the old man to express himself, but when they do what pleases the Lord the new man is acting according the newly created nature. The new man is called a new creation, but we should not imagine that any new faculties have been added to us. We still have a body and a soul, and the soul can still be divided up into mind, will and affections. But it is new in the sense that it has a new habit of life, a new orientation towards God, new understanding, new desires and new willingness to obey. This new man will still be with us in heaven while the old man which began to die at conversion must finally be destroyed at the end of life. The new man should grow stronger throughout life as we are in the unique position while still in the body of being able to yield to the old or the new. As we willingly yield to the new, the new is strengthened and that strength that is gained will benefit us for all eternity. The character that God is building in us is not something minor or temporary.The principles by which this new man operates are righteousness and holiness. It is embossed with the character of God himself, for we were not only created originally in the image of God, but our re-creation at the new birth restores that fallen image again. That seed of life put in us at the new birth must grow stronger and that character must develop. But the development takes place in an environment of struggle, struggle against the old nature. The two vie with each other side by side. The new man makes gains at the expense of the old man and the old man makes gains at the expense of the new man; we yield control to one and then the other. Paul tells us that we must consciously yield control to the new man and the act of doing so will be a denial of the old man. Knowing that the new man operates by righteousness and holiness, we must love these qualities and aim at them always. This aim will guarantee that we move in the right direction.‘Putting on the new man, which after God’ – which means in God’s image. Of course, we never become divine, but when we are converted God fashions us after himself and we reflect him. ‘Which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.’ That means genuine holiness. Sinfulness is deceitful; holiness is something sincere and genuine by contrast.So the illustration of undressing and dressing applies to conversion except that God takes away the old and gives me the new. But it also applies to sanctification, the ongoing life.