Lay Aside the Old Self

[Christsfreeservant]

“So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in 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. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you 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.” (Ephesians 4:17-24 NASB1995)​

If our faith in Jesus Christ is God-persuaded, God-honoring, and God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, of the Spirit, and not of human flesh, we should have been crucified with Christ in death to sin, and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. Sin should no longer have mastery over our lives. For if sin is what we obey, it leads to death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it results in sanctification, which ends in eternal life with God.

So this is an exhortation to all who are professing faith in Jesus Christ. We are no longer to walk (in conduct, in practice) as we did before we believed in Jesus, as those who are of no faith in Jesus Christ. We are not to be hardhearted and callous, giving ourselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. Why greediness? Because it is selfish greed that wants to continue in our sinful practices and which refuses to bow the knee to the Lord in humble submission to his commands.

For, if we were taught the message of the gospel, in truth, which not many are teaching anymore, we would have been taught the necessity of us denying self, putting sin to death by the Spirit, and following our Lord in walks of obedience to his commands, as necessary components of faith in Jesus Christ. For such faith is not of our own doing, but is persuaded of God, and is gifted to us by God, and thus it will align with God’s will and purpose for our lives, which is expressed for us all throughout the New Testament.

No longer should any of us be still walking in sin, making sin our practice. Willful, deliberate, and habitual sin is to have no part of the Christian life. Might we sin again? Yes, we might (1 John 2:1-2). And God’s grace will cover that. But if we deliberately and habitually, in direct opposition to our Lord and in defiance of his commands, commit sin against God and against other humans, with no genuine repentance, no turning from our sin to walks of obedience to his commands, then we will not have eternal life in God.

For the way we should have learned Christ, if we were taught the truth that is in Christ, is that, by God-gifted faith in him we lay aside (cast off) our old self, our former way of living in sin and for the lusts of the flesh and for self, and now we are reborn of the Spirit of God with renewed minds and hearts. And by the grace of God, and in the power of God, we now put on the new self, created in the likeness of God, which has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. And this is how we are to live day in/day out.

For Jesus Christ didn’t die on that cross just to forgive us our sins so that when we die we get to go to heaven, and not to hell. He died to put our sins to death with him to deliver us out of our slavery (bondage, addiction) to sin, so that we will now serve him with our lives in walks of obedience to his commands in holy living. And by faith in him we must continue in these walks of faith in obedience to our Lord and no longer in sin until the very end, and then when Jesus returns we will get to be with him for eternity.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

As the Deer

By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

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Lay Aside the Old Self
An Original Work / April 30, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love