Laying 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.” (Ephesians 4:17-19 NASB1995)​

As those who are of genuine biblical faith in Jesus Christ, which is not of our own doing, but which is gifted to us by God, we are no longer to walk in sin like we did prior to believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives. We are no longer to have hard hearts which resist the voice of God, and which resist moral purity and obedience to his commands. And no longer should we give ourselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, if this is where we were before believing in Jesus Christ.

For faith in Jesus Christ, if it is biblical faith which is of God, and not of human flesh, will result in us denying self, dying with Christ to sin, and walking in obedience and surrender to the will of God for our lives, in the power of God, by God’s grace. For Jesus put our sins to death with him on that cross that we might now die to sin and walk (in conduct) in obedience to his commands, living holy lives which are pleasing to God, in his power. So sin must no longer be our practice, but we should live righteously.

“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 4:20-24 NASB1995)​

The Scriptures do teach the truth of the gospel of Christ and of our salvation, but they must be read and interpreted in their correct biblical context, and not out of context. For many liars are teaching lies about the gospel by removing Scriptures from their correct context and by twisting them so that they do not say what Jesus and his New Testament apostles taught as the gospel of Christ and of our salvation. Yes, we must believe in Jesus, but belief needs to be biblically defined, not defined by human thinking.

The word “believe” or “faith” means to be persuaded, and in this case to be persuaded of God. And God persuades us as to his righteousness and holiness, and of our sinfulness, and of our need to die with Christ to sin, and to be 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. And faith is not of our own doing, but it is of God, it is gifted to us by God, and it is persuaded of God, so we do not get to define faith. God’s word does.

So, we need to know what the Scriptures teach regarding what faith in Jesus entails and regarding what is required of us who are professing faith in the Lord Jesus. For the truth in Christ Jesus which we should have been taught is that by faith in our Lord we forsake the old self ruled by the flesh, and no longer do we walk (in conduct, in practice) in sin, but now obedience to our Lord is what we practice, instead. But the Christian life and our salvation from sin is a lifelong process of changing and becoming more like Jesus.

So, no longer are we being led by our flesh and by the lusts of deceit, but by faith in Jesus we are being renewed in the spirit of our minds, and now, by the grace of God, and in his power, we are putting on the new self which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. The sins we used to practice we have put behind us so that we can now follow our Lord in walks of surrender to his will for our lives. And daily we must deny self, die to sin, and walk in obedience to God’s commands.

[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 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; 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 10:23-31; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 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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Laying Aside the Old Self
An Original Work / September 19, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love