Put on the New Self Part 3

Off with the Old and On with The New

Colossians 3:8-10, "But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator."

In verse 8, look at the contraction here. It is a turning point. You were once living in sin BUT now you must put them all away. Your action is required. There is no and, if, or but about it. The rest of the verse lists those things that one is to put away. 

In verse 9, we are told that we are not to lie to one another because we have put off the old self with its practices. 2 Corinthians 5:16b-17 reads, "Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." We are made new in Christ therefore we must put away the old habits. 

In verse 10, we are to put on the new self which is being renewed in the knowledge after the image of its creator. In Romans 12:2, we are told not to conform to the ways of this world but  be transformed by the renewal of our minds in order to know His perfect and pleasing will. God does this through the power of His word. Renewal in the Greek means to replace thought process in error. God's word replaces that error in us. This is what makes us different from the world and what should draw others to Christ as they see that difference in us.

On Monday, we will look at the characteristics of the the new self in verses 11-17. Tomorrow I will share with you God's cell number.

What efforts are you making to replace the thought process in error in order to put off the old self and embrace the new self?

My disclaimer: I know that every believer's relationship to God is different and unique. You may not have the same experiences and that is okay. I am sharing because I want to bring Him the glory for what He is doing in me and impart to you what I have learned from His word.