◄ New Set of Clothes ►

Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Ephesians 4:24

A New Life

In Christ we belong to a new order – a new creation, with a new heart and a new life. The old self which used to be the dominating influence in our life has been exchanged. We now have a new life in Christ and we are to dress ourselves in the spiritual man. We are to put away all the influences of the natural man and the carnal Christian: if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. the old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  2 Corinthians 5:17

Christ in Me

However old or young in the faith we are we all are to put on the new man in Christ, We are to put away all that is old and put on the new – until Christ is formed in us. The new man is to be the manifestation of our Christian life – Christ living in me. Paul talks of the renewing of our mind – our thinking process is to be made new, for it is out of the heart that actions are conceived – out from thoughts of our heart. The old has gone and we are to be new – made new in Christ.

Mind Renewal

We are not to allow this world to squeeze us into its mould but to be transformed. We are to transformed by the renewing of our mind – by the spirit of our mind, then we will be able to test and approve God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Two Minds

God has a will for each of our lives and it is to make us exactly like His Son, and as we submit to the Spirit’s work within us, so we become more like Jesus – but in this flesh, we have two minds that are seeking supremacy in our lives. Our old sin nature was dethroned and replaced with our new nature at rebirth.

Two Natures

For the rest of our lives, the old sin nature will seek to gain supremacy over the new. We must, therefore, be transformed by the renewing of the spirit of our mind. Our minds are to be quickened by the new nature in Christ – our new reborn spirit. And that is the choice that we make – we can choose which nature becomes supreme.

New Self

Trying to put on a new nature from the outside is bound for failure. Trying to 'be good' through the power of the old sin nature will never succeed. The transformation in our lives is to come from the inside out – via the new nature. God does not want us to dress up the old sin nature to look good – by self-effort. God wants us to be clothed in the new nature of Christ – by the power of the Spirit. God wants us to put on the new self, which, in the likeness of God, has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Take off the Old Life

The wonderful thing is that God, through Paul explained how to live. Paul tells us not to walk like unsaved people, in the futility of their mind, being darkened by their understanding... excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them... because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality, for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

Put on the New Life

He reminds us we did not learn Christ in this way, if we were correctly taught.  He continues in reference to our former manner of life that – you are to lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts 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. Wow – did you get that?  Our new self has been created in the likeness of God.

Godly Nature

Our new life has been created in Christ’s righteousness and holiness of the truth.  And the old sin nature does not want to be superseded by the new godly nature. The godly nature wants us to put away lying so that our speech is pure and holy.  Rather, we should behave as befits the heavenly status of the body of Christ.

Purposeful Life

The new nature wants us to put away anger that flares us in the heat of our flesh, for such behaviour gives the roaring lion an opportunity to devour our hope. We are to stop stealing and dishonest behaviours, and live honest purposeful lives,  so we will be in a position to share with others the blessings we have received.

Godly Living

We are to put away foolish speaking which misrepresents our new holy nature,  but rather speak the truth in love and edify and encourage the body of Christ. We are to eliminate everything in our lives, and living, that grieves the Holy Spirit,  recalling the riches of God’s grace – for we are sealed until the day of redemption. And we are to become kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one other – just as God in Christ Jesus also has forgiven each of us.  Ephesians 4:32.

Union with Christ

We are the body of Christ – the temple of the Holy Spirit and in union with our Lord. We have all been given a new nature in Christ – a new life in Him - Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Ephesians 4:24.

Put On The New Self

We are to lay aside the old self, with which we were clothed in our old life, and put on the new set of clothes we received when we first trusted the Lord Jesus. We are to put on the new self... which, in the likeness of God, has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.