NEW BEGINNINGS 2013 DAY 19

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 

Baptism
Unplugged
Red pill or blue pill

What do all of these analogies have to do with reality? Practicality? Changing permanently?

Paul gives yet another picture: taking off old clothes and putting on new clothes. He compares the “former way of life” to old, filthy, torn clothes that need to be taken off AND THROWN AWAY. Now if a man sees his clothes as torn and filthy, throwing them away comes naturally. If a woman knows her clothes are useless, she will want and need a new wardrobe.

Life in 2012 was useless for many. Broken and dirty. Paul describes deceitful desires as “corrupted.”  (The same desires in the previous blogs that are the causes of temptation) The deception breeds a permeation of useless living. The old thought patterns and habits led no where and to nothing. They must be changed. They must be discarded. But again, the only real motivation for change in this situation is necessity. If clothes are really torn and dirty beyond remedy, they must be thrown away and replaced. So it is with the old life and old way of thinking and doing things. Those who are new creations must no longer think like Adam’s children. Why? BECAUSE THEY ARE INDEED NO LONGER ADAM’S CHILDREN. NO LONGER “MERELY HUMAN.”

They are the children of God, and this is how Paul defines them: 

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” Romans 8:14 NLT 

This is the distinction between God’s children and Adam’s children, the new and old humans: The new creation follows the Spirit; the old creation follows the body. Speaking of this practically, to follow the body is to follow the five senses. To follow “the soul” is to be led by intellect, will, or emotion. The spiritual person follows Spirit given intuition. They forsake physical domination, or self-willed tactics of making decisions. Everyone who believes in Jesus and wants to live the new life must deny themselves--mind, will, emotion; they must deny living by physical sensations. 

They must follow the Holy Spirit to live a new life.