January 26, 2020 PUT OFF AND PUT ON
Ephesians 4:20-24 “But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard ham and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 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 in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”
Colossians 3:8-10 “But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.”
Pertaining to the Christian life, God has given us many choices and options; He did not make man as a robot. The choices we make as believers greatly impacts our living according to God’s design and His plans for us. In the passage above, Paul begins by saying that “you did not learn Christ in this way;” ‘this way’ is obviously referring to what he had said earlier. From verses 17-19 we see that some were walking in the ‘futility of their mind,’ ‘darkened in their understanding,’ ‘excluded from the life of God,’ ‘had given themselves over to sensuality,’ and the list goes on. This statement of Paul is a relevant and critical question for us; how have we learned Christ? If we profess to know Him and believe in Him as our Lord and Savior, it stands to reason that we would walk in His ways. As I said, we have many choices to make in our life as a believer, but the choice of putting off the old man and putting on the new man is paramount. God has made us new, and we are to put this new person “which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” Likewise, we are to “lay aside the old self, which is corrupted according with the lust of deceit.” This laying aside the old self and putting on the new self is continual, a way of life. Our old self-our flesh-has not been annihilated; the flesh wars against the Spirit; the flesh is self-centered. Galatians 5:17. Because of this ongoing war between the flesh and the Spirit, we face those times when our flesh rises up, wanting to fulfill its own desires; that is when we must chose to say no the flesh and yes to the Spirit within us-that is walking according to the Spirit and not fulfilling the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:16. It is the Spirit of God in us that enables us to say no to anything contrary to the ways of God. We are to be growing in the faith, being sensitive to the voice of the Spirit, increasing in discernment and wisdom, and learning what pleases the Lord; the life of the believer is active-it is being transformed into the image of Christ. Our old self is self-centered, not God centered. The ways of the flesh leads to spiritual death while the ways of the Spirit lead to life and peace. The new us, the new creation we are, is made in the likeness of God! Let us lay aside our old self, and be renewed in the spirit of our mind and put on the new self-we can make that choice.
Galatians 5:16-17 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want.”
Romans 8:5-6 “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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