Old Man, New Man

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Ephesians 4:22-24

Paul, writing to the Corinthians, summarizes our text for today, ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold all things have become new.’ Because being in Christ makes us new people, we approach life differently than we did in our old state and condition.  The true north for our spiritual and moral compass has become Christ.  This elevates our thinking and our behavior above merely conforming to a set of rules.  It is the Holy Spirit, Who, by renewing us in the whole person after the image of Christ, renews our minds to enable us to behave differently than we used to as ‘the old man.’  It is by looking to Christ that we follow new paths in our thinking and behavior.  As the Holy Spirit works within us, we cease to go down the old paths of ‘deceitful lusts’ and instead follow paths of ‘righteousness and holiness.’  This is the difference which being ‘created according to God’ has made.  Every inclination we have toward putting off ‘the old man’ and putting on ‘the new man’ is the result of the work which God has done to us in Christ by His Spirit.  What He has begun, He will continue until the day of Jesus Christ.

Our Good and Wise God,
we rejoice that You have created us in Christ Jesus
according to Your will.
We praise You that Your Holy Spirit
will continue His work to conform us
to the image of Christ.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning