Learning Christ
Ephesians 4:20–24 (NASB)
20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, 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.
Ever since I was a young teenager, I wanted to learn how to play guitar. I was fortunate enough to get lessons, and I even started to get the groove of it. But I never truly grasped it. The problem was simple: I never truly practiced. I showed up to lessons without doing my homework. As a result, I didn’t progress the way I should have.
I remained what I would call a mediocre guitar player.
I never became truly good at my instrument—not because I lacked instruction, but because I never fully learned it through practice.
The apostle Paul reminds us that Christ is learned. These are his exact words:
“But you did not learn Christ in this way.” (v.20)
Like the piano, like the guitar, Christ is someone to be studied, practiced, and learned.
This naturally leads us to ask: Where did Paul get this idea?
The answer is simple—from Jesus Himself.
Matthew 11:28–29 (NASB)
28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
“Learn from Me.”
Jesus desires for us not just to believe in Him, but to learn Him—to study His ways and practice His life.
So how do we grow in our faith?
How do we move from being a mediocre Christian to someone who truly reflects Christ in the world?
The answer is simple, but not easy: learn Him and practice Him.
To take Jesus’ yoke upon ourselves is to take on His teachings, His rhythms, and His way of life. And paradoxically, His way leads to rest—not exhaustion.
I’ll say this until I’m blue in the face: this is not about adding more to already busy schedules. It’s about reorienting our rhythms so they begin to look more like Jesus’ rhythms.
If I’m honest, one reason I didn’t practice guitar was because my desire for immediate results outweighed my discipline to practice. Something in me simply didn’t want to put in the effort. Other desires got in the way.
And in the same way, desiring God hasn’t always been easy.
God is a bit like an acquired taste. Like some of the best foods, He doesn’t have to try to be appealing. But if you truly try—if you lean in—you’ll discover He’s what you’ve wanted your whole life.
So how do we move from liking the idea of being a Christian to actually practicing the Christian life?
We live in a day when many profess faith but struggle to live it out. Some feel like spectators—watching the game unfold but unsure how to get on the field.
Hear this clearly: we need you.
We need you in the game.
This is no longer a time when a Christian can simply coast. Our world requires people of intention—people who actively live out their faith.
So how do we get in the game?
How do we practice in order to grow?
Genesis reminds us that when God created humanity, He created us in His image. We were made with the goal of becoming like Him—to reflect Him. That desire is deep within us. It’s why one of our deepest longings is met when we follow Jesus and become like Him.
But Genesis also reminds us why that isn’t easy—why our desires often pull us away from God rather than toward Him.
So how do we combat what the New Testament calls “the desires of the flesh”?
We do exactly what Paul exhorts us to do.
First: Lay aside your old self.
Take off the old humanity. The old you that gave in to every impulse and unchecked desire—that self must be laid aside.
Second: Be renewed.
We must allow our minds to be renewed—renewed in the spirit of our minds. We need better thinking. We need our minds immersed in the Word of God. This brings us back to an important question: What wells are we drinking from? What are we consuming? What thoughts are we allowing to take root? Some thoughts must be removed immediately.
Third: Put on the new self.
Like putting on a new outfit, the old must come off before the new can go on. Paul says this is a new human—holy like its Creator. This is active, not passive. It requires intentional participation.
The Christian faith is not passive. It calls for our involvement.
Darrell Johnson puts it beautifully:
“When we ‘learn Christ,’ we learn to lay aside all that is not in sync with Him and His desires; and we learn to put on all that is in sync with Him and His agenda for the world. We have been called into a new reality. It only makes sense that we want to change our clothes.”
— Darrell Johnson, Ephesians: The Wonder and Walk of Being Alive in Christ
My prayer is that we would be people who truly learn Christ—and who daily choose to dress ourselves in our new humanity.
