Ephesians 4:23

This verse is not primarily a command. The verb is not an imperative but an infinitive in the Greek text. The verse is a description of what has already happened in the life of every believer (cf. Colossians 3:9-10). However the verse does make an appeal to the reader even though its main point is revelation. The infinitive has the force of an imperative. [Note: Bock, "’The New . . .,’" pp. 162-63; idem, "A Theology . . .," p. 316, footnote 10.]

Rather than being futile, darkened, and ignorant (Ephesians 4:18-19) the Christian has taken on a new attitude (cf. Romans 6:2-10; 2 Corinthians 5:17). This renewing is an ongoing process in the life of the Christian (i.e., progressive sanctification). The verb is passive, which emphasizes that God is at work in us (cf. Romans 12:2).