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Our passages come from the letter of St. Paul to a group of Christians in Ephesus. It shows the loving kindness and concern that Paul had for the new converted Christians and followers of Christ. In a way, the letter is also addressed to us, believers of Christ. Paul wants to talk about the day to day living of those Christians. We can notice that his ideas are very practical and down to earth, he uses words that are easy to understand. The Apostle also wrote about deep and difficult ideas, about lofty doctrines and sublime concept. But in these passages, he is more like a father teaching his children on how to live lives according to Christ’s example and His teaching.

Even in the time of Paul, people were living un-wholesome lives. All this was common, stealing, falsehood, anger, laziness and bad talk. Paul’s words are clear, the Christians must ‘PUT OFF’ all these evil ways and follow the way of the Holy Spirit. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit he says, for the Holy Spirit is the source of a new life. Through Him Christian life flows to men from Trinity, through Him the love of God enters our heart, in Him all are baptized as one body in Christ. The Christian is the temple of the Holy Spirit, his lifestyle is a sign of the Spirit’s presence.

Paul is actually asking for a change of life, a conversion from sin to a newness of life, a decision to transform one’s old way of living into the Christian lifestyle. That is what Paul refers to when in the same letter he talks of the ‘NEW MEN’ or when he tells Titus that Christ saved us through the baptism of the new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:3-5.

Changing one’s life is not easy, the devil is always at work, and he must not be allowed to gain a foothold in our lives, not even in our day to day routine. Paul reminds us that all those who believe in Christ and follow him, carry the seal of the Spirit. Apostolic Christians are marked with this seal, in turn, their thoughts, words and deeds must correspond to this seal.