Laying Aside the Old Self

May 15th, 2026
by Lance Waldie

Ephesians 4:20b-24 …just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Having heard the gospel of Jesus Christ and taught the truth, those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior learned about Him and had their minds enlightened, moving from darkness to light (4:20-21). They have been delivered from their previous way of life, a life in which they at one time lived according to the futility of their minds, being darkened in their understanding and being excluded from the life of God—all due to their hardness of heart which produced in them a willful ignorance to the truth of the gospel (4:17-18). They lived in slavery to their own depraved desires, insensitive to their wicked behaviors (4:19).

But having come to salvation, Christians “lay aside the old self,” literally, the “old man.” The “old self” is that previous person the Christian was, “being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit.” The present passive participle “being corrupted” speaks literally of “destruction” that is done to the unbeliever by the deceitfulness of sin, for the “corruption,” or destruction, comes from his own “desires of deceit.” In other words, what the unbeliever desires is that which has deceived him into thinking that what he wants is what he needs. One given to sensual lusts, for instance, is deceived into thinking he or she needs to satisfy those lusts by giving in to them. As they give in to them more and more, their consciences become calloused and they live enslaved to their own wicked desires. Paul speaks of this old way of life like an old filthy garment that has been soiled beyond cleaning but removed and thrown away.

Christians, having once lived in slavery to self, remove the “old self” like an old garment needing to be thrown away and are “renewed in the spirit of your mind.” To renew is to become reestablished, or refurbished and improved. This occurs first “in the spirit of your mind.” If one’s former mind was darkness, and the renewed mind is light, then the renewal of the mind results in an entirely new way of life—from the deeds of darkness to the deeds of light.

When believers come to faith in Christ, they “put on the new self,” to replace their old way of living with a clean life in service to Christ. Paul says that this “new self” is “in the likeness of God,” or literally “in God.” The “old self” was in corruption; the “new self” is “in God.” Whereas the Christian was previously “dead in their trespasses and sins” (2:1), in Christ God has “created” them “in righteousness and holiness of the truth” (v. 24).

From a translation position, it is difficult to determine whether Paul uses the three infinitives in vv. 22-24 (lay aside, be renewed, put on) as commands or indicatives. Does he reflect on what is true of Christians, that they have already laid aside their old selves, renewed their minds, and put on the new garment of righteousness? Or is he commanding Christians to do these things? Though the infinitive verbs are present passive and not commands, they do reflect previous commands. Truth is, Christians are renewed at conversion and are delivered from the penalty of their sins. Yet Christians are still susceptible to the corruptions of the world. So, both are true! Christians are new in Christ, and they must strive to live as new creations in Christ.

Food For Thought
If you were a prisoner with bright orange clothing, no one could mistake you for anything else. And if you were released from prison, would you not remove your prisoner’s clothing and put on new clothes, garments of the free? Clothing should fit the occasion. So too is it fitting that God’s people wear the clothing of righteousness, having thrown away their old self -- for all the world to see.