エフェソの信徒への手紙4:22-24 Ephesians 4:22-24,

だから、以前のような生き方をして情欲に迷わされ、滅びに向かっている古い人を脱ぎ捨て、心の底から新たにされて、神にかたどって造られた新しい人を身に着け、真理に基づいた正しく清い生活を送るようにしなければなりません。

　　　　　　　　　　（エフェソ4:22-24）

パウロは、この箇所で、信徒たちに古い自我を脱ぎ捨てて聖霊による新しい人格を身につけるように勧めています。「脱ぎ捨て」と「身につけ」は着るもののたとえに基づいた表現です。ある聖書の研究者は、古代のローマ帝国において若者が成人になる儀式でローマ市民であることを表すトーガ・ウィーリリスという衣装を着たことが、このたとえの背景にあるのではないかと考えています。この成人の儀式によって、若者は自由なローマ市民として新しく生きることが認められました。パウロは、クリスチャンが古い自我の衣装を脱ぎ捨てて、キリストの霊によって形づくられた新しい人格の衣装を着ることによって、神様の見ておられる前で自由なクリスチャンとして生きるように勧めているのでしょう。

クリスチャンであっても古い自我はしぶとく心の中に残っています。そして、古い自我は絶えず心の表に出てきて、言葉や行いになって現れます。しかし、そのような古い自我が表に出てきたときに、クリスチャンはそれを一枚ずつ脱ぎ捨てて、キリストの霊によって与えられた新しい考えや言葉や行いを身に着けて生きることができるのです。ですから、感情が高ぶって古い自我が自分の表に出てきそうなときは、静まる時をもってそれを脱ぎ捨てるようにしましょう。そして、祈って聖霊の導きをいただいて、新しい人格の衣装を身にまとって考え発言し行動するようにいたしましょう。

パウロは聖霊によって与えられる新しい人格を「神にかたどって造られた新しい人」と呼んでいます。旧約聖書の創世記の1章26節と27節によれば、人間は神様にかたどって造られました。つまり、神様の御心がわかって、神様の御心に従って生きていくことのできる心をもつように造られたということです。ところが、人間の先祖であるアダムとエバが神様に反抗したために、人間の心は神様の御心がわからなくなり、神様の御心に逆らうようになってしまいました。しかし、神様の独り子であるイエス・キリストを信じ、キリストの霊である聖霊をいただくときに、「神にかたどって造られた新しい人」が人間の心の中に造られていきます。そして、神様の御心がわかって、神様の御心に従って生きていくことのできるように、新しくされていくのです。　　　　　　　　　（9月28日の説教より）

In our daily lives, we often encourage others by saying in Japanese, “Ganbatte ne!” or “Ganbatte kudasai!” which means “Do your best!”. But what exactly does “ganbaru” mean? According to the Japanese dictionary, Digital Daijisen published by Shogakukan, “ganbaru” has three meanings. Firstly, it means “persevering through hardship without giving up,” as in “Icchi danketsu shite ganbaru” (We pull together and do our best). Secondly, it means “to stubbornly insist on one’s own opinion or will, to be obstinate,” as in “Ganbatte jisetsu wo yuzuranai” (One stubbornly holds to one’s own views). Thirdly, it means “to occupy a place and remain immovable,” as in “Iriguchi ni keibiin ga ganbatte iru node hairenai” (the security guard is stubbornly stationed at the entrance, so we can’t get in). When we say “Ganbatte ne!” or “Ganbatte kudasai!” to others, we are likely using it in the first sense: “persevering through hardship without giving up.”

Professor HARIMA Keiko of Tokushima Bunri University, an expert in Japanese linguistics, provides a clear explanation of the etymology and modern usage of “ganbaru” in her paper “Ganbaru toiu Kotoba – Gogi, Yōhō, Kachi no Henka” (The Word Ganbaru: the Change of Its Meaning, Usage, and Value). According to her, one origin of “ganbaru” is the Edo-period term “gan-baru,” written with the Chinese character of “gan” (eye) and “haru” (to stick). This was used to mean “to keep an eye on, to watch over, to pay close attention without looking away.” Another origin is the word “gan-baru,” written with the Chinese character of “ga” (self) or “gan” (stubborn) combined with “haru” (to strain). This can be found in Meiji-period Japanese dictionaries, where it was used to mean “to stubbornly assert one’s will” or “to obstinately maintain one’s position.” However, from the 1930s onwards, the term “ganbaru” began to be used to mean “exerting one’s utmost effort towards a goal.” A well-known example is from the radio commentary of the women’s breaststroke final at the 1936 Berlin Olympics in Germany, where the Japanese announcer repeatedly shouted, “Maehata, ganbare!” Professor HARIMA Keiko, drawing on other researchers’ work, speculates that the term “ganbaru,” used by students during exams or athletic competitions, likely spread to the general public via radio broadcasts, entering the sporting arena. Regarding the modern meaning of “ganbaru,” she states as follows.

Even today, the word “ganbaru” is frequently used in relation to sports, academics, and training, and serves as a casual word of encouragement in daily life. At the same time, when major disasters occur, it is often adopted as a rallying cry or slogan, becoming a symbolic phrase.

Reading this fascinating paper, I learnt that the word “ganbaru” has gradually shifted in meaning over time to reach its contemporary form. Referring back to the definition from the Digital Daijisen dictionary mentioned earlier, the third meaning – “to occupy a place and remain immobile” – likely derives from “gan-baru,” meaning “to keep an eye on, to watch over, to pay close attention without looking away.” The second meaning probably originates from “gan-baru,” meaning “to stubbornly assert one’s will” or “to obstinately maintain one’s position.” The first meaning, “to persevere through hardship without giving up,” likely stems from the usage of “ganbaru” that spread from the 1930s onwards, meaning “to exert one’s utmost effort towards a goal.” This is probably the meaning conveyed today when someone says “Ganbatte ne!” (Do your best!).

This explanation of the word “ganbaru” is offered to consider what constitutes good perseverance. We engage in “ganbaru” daily. Yet, this should not merely be stubbornly asserting one’s will or obstinately maintaining one’s position. Such “ganbaru” ultimately leads to a self-centred life. Yet, to live a good life, it is necessary “to persevere through hardship without giving up.” Therefore, “ganbaru” in a positive sense becomes essential. And today’s Bible passage prompts us to consider what constitutes good “ganbaru”?

In verses 17-19, before today’s passage, Paul state as follows.

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

These verses, 17-19, describe the way of life of the Gentiles who do not believe in Christ. The word translated as “the futility of their minds” in verse 17 may be rendered as “futile thinking.” And what is this “futile thinking”? It is the kind of thinking that makes idols into gods. Translating verse 18, following verse 17, while preserving the meaning of the Greek verb form known as the “middle voice,” yields: “They have darkened their own understanding and have alienated themselves from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.” Here, “the life of God” refers to eternal life. In other words, those harbouring such “futile thinking” as making idols their gods are themselves preventing themselves from receiving eternal life. Furthermore, as stated in verse 19, those who harbour such “futile thinking” as making idols their gods “give themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.” However, even among those living conforming to the worldly custom of idol worship, some possess the strength of restraining themselves from surrendering to a life of evil. This strength of restraint, too, likely originates from the God who sustains both human heart and body.

Yet the surest safeguard against surrendering oneself to a life of evil is fellowship with Christ. In verses 20-21 Paul says, “But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus.” Reading the original Greek text reveals that the phrase “you have heard about him” does not contain the word for “about.” It is written as “you have heard him” in the original Greek text. This suggests that the believers encountered Christ himself and heard his salvation directly from him. Moreover, the subsequent phrase “taught in him” also signifies communion with Christ himself. That is, the believers encountered and communed with Christ himself, who lives in heaven, through the work of the Holy Spirit, and learned the truth that if they believe in Jesus Christ, they will be saved.

Then, in the subsequent verses 22-24 of today’s passage, Paul says as follows.

(You were taught) to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Here, two vital things are taught. The first is “to put off your old self.” The “old self” refers to the old ego that “is corrupt through deceitful desires.” This is the old ego described in verses 17-19, which surrenders itself to a life of evil, thereby preventing it from receiving eternal life. The other vital point is “to put on the new self.” The “new self” refers to the new character that is “renewed in the spirit of your minds” and “created after the likeness of God.” The phrase translated as “renewed in the spirit of your minds” could be supplemented with “by accepting the Holy Spirit” to mean “renewed in the spirit of your minds by accepting the Holy Spirit.” In Ephesians 3:16-17, Paul prays “that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love.” This means that God the Father gives us the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Christ, within our hearts. The Spirit of Christ dwells within us, transforming our thoughts and changing our actions.

The New Testament teaches that through being renewed in the spirit by accepting the Holy Spirit, people are transformed from an old way of life leading to corruption into a new way of life receiving eternal life. For example, in his dialogue with Nicodemus in John 3:5, Christ declared, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Here, “water and the Spirit” signifies baptism and the Holy Spirit. That is, unless one is baptised and becomes a child of God, cleansed by the Holy Spirit and lives anew, one cannot enter the kingdom of God and receive eternal life. Furthermore, Paul teaches in Galatians 6:8, “For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” “The one who sows to his own flesh” is the one who lives according to one’s old self. Such person will receive “corruption” at the Last Judgement. “The one who sows to the Spirit” is the one who live according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Such person will receive “eternal life” at the Last Judgement.

In verses 22-24 of today’s passage, Paul exhorts the believers to put off the old self and put on the new self, created by the Holy Spirit. The expressions “put off” and “put on” are based on the metaphor of clothing. One biblical scholar suggests that the background to this metaphor may lie in the custom of the ancient Roman Empire, that is, young men, upon reaching adulthood, would don the toga virilis – a garment signifying Roman citizenship – during their coming-of-age ceremony. Through this ceremony, the young man was recognised as a free Roman citizen, permitted to live anew. Then, Paul is urging Christians to put off the garments of the old self and put on the garments of the new self, shaped by the Spirit of Christ so that they may live as free Christians before God. Even as Christians, the old self stubbornly lingers within the heart. And the old self continually surfaces, manifesting itself in words and deeds. However, when such old self emerges, Christians can put off it piece by piece and live putting on the new thoughts, words, and deeds given by the Spirit of Christ. Therefore, when emotions run high and the old self threatens to surface, let us take a moment to calm down and put off it. Then, by praying for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, let us put on the garments of the new self that thinks, speaks, and acts according to the Holy Spirit.

Paul refers to this new character given by the Holy Spirit as “the new self, created after the likeness of God.” According to Genesis 1:26-27 in the Old Testament, humans were created in God’s image and according to God’s likeness. This means we were made with hearts capable of understanding God’s will and living in accordance with it. However, because our ancestors Adam and Eve rebelled against God, the human heart lost the ability to understand God’s will and became inclined to oppose it. Yet, when we believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, and receive the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Christ, the new self, created in God’s image begins to be formed within our heart. Thus, we are renewed to understand God’s will and live in accordance with it. In other words, we are transformed to live a life that is “in true righteousness and holiness.” The phrase “true righteousness and holiness” might sound like the flawless existence of a saintly gentleman. However, this is the same teaching found in Romans 12:2: “Be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” It means living by discerning God’s will and understanding what is pleasing to God.

Today, at the beginning of the sermon, I spoke about the meaning of the Japanese word “ganbaru,” which we often use in daily life. “Ganbaru” carries the sense of stubbornly insisting on one’s own opinion or will. If we live with “ganbaru” in this sense, it means persistently pushing through with our old self. This is the opposite of the way of life taught in the Bible. The Heidelberg Catechism, composed in Germany during the 16th century and teaching Christian faith in question-and-answer format, instructs that true repentance in humans consists of two things: “the dying-away of the old self, and the rising-to-life of the new” (Answer to Question 88). That is, the death of the old self we possess by nature, and the formation of a new character in place of the old self through the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Christ. Following today’s Bible passage, this means continually “putting off the old self” and “putting on the new self” throughout one’s life. Sustaining this repentance throughout one’s lifetime is a painful endeavour requiring endurance. However, if we continue to repent throughout our lifetime with “ganbaru” in the meaning of persevering through hardship without giving up, then it is precisely the way of life taught by the Bible. Christ in heaven continually sends the Holy Spirit from above, cheering us on with “Ganbatte ne!” (Do your best!), so that we may persevere in this life of repentance.