EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 1, 2020.
SUBJECT: THE OLD MAN VERSUS THE NEW MAN!
Memory verse: “
Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
” (Romans 6 vs 6.)READ: Ephesians 4 vs 20 - 24:
4:20: But you have not so learned Christ,4:21: if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
4:22: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
4:23: and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
4:24: and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
INTIMATION:
Christ died for our sins, and the power of sin over us died with Him on the cross. The Christian’s body of sin, the “old man,” (our sinful nature), died once and for all in His death on the cross, so we are freed from its power. The “body of sin” refers to our rebellious sin-loving nature inherited from Adam. Though we often willingly cooperate with our sinful nature, it is not us but the sin in us that is evil. And it is this power of sin at work in our lives that is defeated. Through faith in Christ’s substitutionary work for us, we have a new nature—“the new man”—and stand righteous before God.
Before we believed in Christ, our nature was evil. We disobeyed, rebelled, and ignored God (even at our best, we did not love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind). The Christian, however, has crucified the old rebellious nature—the old man—and replaced it with a new loving nature—the new man.
Our old selves were crucified with Christ.
God looks at us as if we had died with Christ. Because our sins died with Him, we are no longer condemned (Colossians 2 vs 13 - 15). Relationally, we have become one with Christ, and His experiences are ours. In our daily lives, we must regularly crucify sinful desires that keep us from following Christ. This, too, is a kind of dying with Him (Luke 9 23 - 25).
Although, God does not take us—the new man— out of this world or make us robots—we will still feel like sinning and sometimes we will sin. The difference is that before, we were slaves to our sinful nature, but now we can choose to live for Christ. Now, when we commit sin, we will definitely be troubled in our spirit, and regret your actions. However, our human feelings and efforts cannot help us enough; we need the help of Christ through the Holy Spirit to overcome our sinful nature. Therefore, call on Him to help you overcome your evil desires and sinful tendencies.
When we decide to accept Christ’s gift of salvation (Ephesians 2 vs 8 - 10), it is both a one time decision, as well as a daily conscious commitment. We are not to be driven by desire and impulse. We must put on the new nature, head in the new direction, and have the new way of thinking that the Holy Spirit gives.
Our old way of life before we believed in Christ is completely in the past. We should put it behind us like old clothes to be thrown away.
People should be able to see a difference between Christians and non-Christians because of the way Christians live. We are to live full of light. Living the Christian life; the new man’s life is a process. Although we have a new nature, we don’t automatically think all good thoughts and express all right attitudes when we become new people in Christ. But if we keep listening to God, we will be changing all the time. As you look back over last year, do you see a process of change for the better in your thoughts, attitudes, and actions? Although change may be slow, it comes as you trust God to change you.
Every Christian is in a continuing education program. The more we know of Christ and His work, the more we are being changed to be like Him. Because this process is lifelong, we must never stop learning and obeying. There is no justification for drifting along, but there is an incentive to find the rich treasures of growing in Him, it takes practice, ongoing review, patience, and concentration to keep in line with His will.
Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the new nature You imparted to me through Christ! Give me the grace to continually be changed from glory to glory into Christ, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.
PRAISE THE LORD!
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