Sermon Central
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Off With The Old And On To The New
Contributed by Ken Mowery on Dec 18, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: Growing in the Christian faith involves learning to put on the new attitudes and actions of the new life in Christ.
Off With The Old And On With The New
5Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— 11a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. 12So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Take Off The Old "Clothes" Of Your Former Life
The old habits, attitudes and ideas of the old life before we were Christians. Its an act of the will - choice that we make - the Bible makes it clear that it doesn’t make sense - its totally inappropriate for us to continue in the old life if we are born again "in Christ"
Have you ever had an intense desire to change you clothers?
(ILL) baptizing with waders that had a big hole in them - all I wanted at that point was get those wet pants off - I couldn’t really get on with my life until that happened
In verses 5 - 9 Paul talkes about the old nature - the way we were before we became believers and followers of Christ - and simply says - put them aside - just like you would an old set of clothing -
Put it aside - just like you would put away something that was dead
"consider the members of you body to be dead..."
Why? You have died with Christ --
NOTE: its noteworthy to see how significant this is -
verse 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience
which emphasizes how inappropriate such behavior would be for those who are followers of Christ
NOTE: also that just avoiding these things does not make you a Christian and it does not mean that you are better than someone who does live like that - but rather this verse simply points out how inappropriate such behavior would be for a born again believer in Jesus Christ AND that there are consequences to bad behavior
7Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Put On The New "Clothes" That God Gives Us In Christ
As Paul talks about the old self - the person we were before coming to faith in Christ - using the analogy of old dirty clothing that we should take off or put off - in the same way he talks about the new life that we have as Christians as something we should put on -- like we would put on a nice new suit of clothing.
Christian life is not simply a list of things that we are not to do. Here Paul gives us some insight into what sort of behavior is appropriate for people who have experienced forgiveness and have come to taste of the mercy and grace and unconditional love of Jesus Christ.
first in verse 9 -11
Put on Christ Centered Unity
since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— 11a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
