27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.
28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.
29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:24-32.
—————————-
Today’s Scripture provides practical advice on how to live the Christian life. But, verse 24 is included to remind us that we are able to live out this righteous and holy life through “the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth”. So, today’s Scripture is more of a “Therefore” of what we do based on “the new self”, rather than an independent list of things that we should do, or even can do, through our own strength, our own flesh.
The new self speaks truth, because the new self has “been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth”.
The new self does not let the sun go down on its anger nor gives the devil an opportunity nor steals nor is bitter, wrathful, clamorous, slanderous, malicious, nor otherwise grieves the Holy Spirit of God, because the new self has “been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth”.
The new self edifies others, is kind to one another, tender-hearted, and forgives each other, because the new self has “been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth”.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:22-24. “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16.
Even as good as it may be to have new tools to do what is right, there is something better. Today’s Scripture teaches us that our new self was created “in the likeness of God”. We do what is right, because of who we are: “a new self” “conformed to the image of His Son”. “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” Romans 8:29-30.
So, as we celebrate Easter today, let us view our “new self” as we imagine Christ stepping out of the death, decay, and darkness of that tomb into the dawn daylight and fresh air of that first Easter Sunday morning. “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 