THE NEW MAN

In Ephesians 4:22-24 commands us to do three things:

1- Put off the old man. What is the old man? Is it referring to your "old man" who raised you at home? Of course not! Paul is saying to remove the works, attitudes, words, thinking, desires, way of life of your life before Christ. The sinful nature of man dominates man without Christ. So Paul is saying to cast off those things in your life that don't line up with Jesus.

2- Renew the spirit of your mind. God never tells us to just remove sin, stop doing bad things, put off the former ways of living. In addition to putting off, God says to invite and receive a renewal of the mind. The way we think and what we are focused on is the way we will live. Our old way of living is attached to a wrong way of thinking. God says to renew that filth and the lies in our mind with the truth of God's word (Romans 12:1-2).

3- Put on the new man. The new man is your new nature you received when you received Jesus as your Savior. When you repented of sin and trust Jesus for salvation, something dramatic happened spiritually. The old nature died with Christ and your spirit was now raised with Christ. Paul said in Galatians 2 that it was no longer him who lived but Christ who lived in Him. Jesus, who is righteous, crucified the old sinful nature (now he can't dominate you) and replaced it with His holy nature. So Paul is saying that now that you are made new in Christ, live like it. You are changed, walk like it. A butterfly doesn't want to nor does he become a caterpillar again. No way! Now's he's free to fly! Paul says put off, renew, and then you are able to certainly put on the new man and live the way you think- in the truth!