“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24).
One of the reasons why so many have difficulty and fail in their faith journey is because of addition.
When Christ invites us to receive him as Lord and Savior, he is not asking us to add him to our selfish, sinful, dying old self. Christ is not asking us to clean some stuff up and make room in our old life for Christ. This is the problem of addition. This is the problem of addition.
Old, Dying, Nasty, Sinful Life + Christ
Look at the text for this day.
- PUT OFF your old self which is corrupted by deceitful desires
- PUT ON the new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness
This is not adding Christ to our old life. This is renouncing our old life for Christ and the new life he offers. This is not making room for Christ, this is taking the fulness of Christ and the new life he offers.
New ways of living. New priorities. New perspectives. New life.
Any time we attempt to hold on to our previous way of life – a life that was under the control and influence of the flesh and sin – we will struggle.
Just because we choose to take on the new life Christ offers doesn’t mean that it’s easy sailing from that moment. The old flesh will continue to fight. Our old ways of being and thinking will still wriggle its way in. It will be a constant battle to reject the old ways of living.
If we’re going to struggle either way, what’s the point?
Great question. The point is joy, contentment, peace. If these things matter at all to you, you will want to put off your old self and put on the new self Christ offers. You will battle and struggle, but should you choose Christ you will have joy, contentment, and peace.
No more addition. PUT OFF the old self.
A transformed life. PUT ON the new self.
Praxis: Faith in Action 