May 18, 2020 BE RENEWED
Ephesians 4:22-24 “that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lust of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which is in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness and truth.”
These passages of scripture are packed with amazing truths that center around the new creations we are in Christ Jesus. Also, these verses serve as another example of how we must make choices in walking in Him, and experiencing the new creations we are; God has made it possible for us to walk in our new identity, but we must make the choice to do so. This is where the battle takes place-making the choice to walk either in our ways, or in His ways. Even though Proverbs 14:12 may primarily apply to the one who does not know God, it can serve as a warning for believers that living according to our old self, the flesh, leads to spiritual death: “There is a way that seems right to man, but its end is the way of death.” Note that we are told to simply “lay aside the old self.” It is a major step forward for us when we realize that we have the power to ‘lay aside’ our old self, and put on the new self. Colossians 3. In verse 23 above, we are admonished to be renewed in the spirit of our mind; that indeed is the battle ground. Everything we hear and see in this world system tells us to think according to the ways of the world, which is primarily rooted in self. A quick observation of the world around us gives clear evidence that the ways of the world lead to loss and death. But the grand news for us as believers is that we have the power and the ability to be renewed in the spirit of our mind and to put on our new self-that is awesome news for us! We all know what it is like to find ourselves dwelling on thoughts that are not of God and we have all experienced the sour fruit of such thinking. Also, we know that the seemingly never ending routines of everyday life and the challenges we face, can rob us of newness; before we even realize it, we find ourselves ‘just living life as it comes.’ God is life, God is creative, God is all about newness-AND our new self has been made in the likeness of God! Can we believe that? We no longer have to live in boredom, in fear, in doubt, in selfishness, or whatever-we can now live in newness-we can think differently. Even mowing the lawn, washing the dishes, or going to work-can all be done with a renewed mind. Even in difficulties and trials, we can respond with a renewed mind; living with a renewed mind does not mean that everything is rosy. Perhaps the major point of this, and most of my blogs, is that we need to live with the mind-set and awareness that living the Christian life according to God’s design is a super-natural life, and that God has done a super-natural work in us by making us new creations.
Colossians 3:2 “Set your mind on things above, and not on things that are on the earth.”
Colossians 3:23 “whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men;”
Blessings,
Buddy
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