You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image—in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth. Ephesians 4:22-24
Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it. Colossians 3:9-10
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that since Christ has been raised from the dead, he is never going to die again; death no longer has mastery over him. For the death he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:8-11
New English Translation
Jesus’ death and resurrection are so powerful. We’re given freedom and life, forgiveness and hope, through His sacrifice for us. We get to live in a new way because of Him. Actually, taking up a new life is the whole point of His sacrifice.
Since Adam and Eve committed the first sin in the Garden of Eden, man has been pulled toward selfish ways of living, trying to find anything that will fill our ever growing sense of missing something essential to our very existence. I’d dare to say that our very soul’s sense everything that we lost when that first sin was committed, even if consciously we don’t truly know what all that is. Living life selfishly trying to fill a void that we were never supposed to fill ourselves leads to numerous poor choices and sinful behaviors, which will look different for everyone.
Though we’re naturally inclined toward this kind of behavior, Jesus was not. He was born devoid of any selfishness. The very act of His birth was because He humbly wanted to help us! Then, He died on the cross as the final sacrifice for sin. See, in the Old Testament we learn that originally, people had to have a priest make a sin sacrifice for them by killing an animal. A death substitute for the sinner. But, when Jesus died on the cross, He substituted Himself for everyone. No more need for sacrifice after sacrifice. It was finished.
First off, Paul isn’t saying that you’re never going to be tempted again. Instead, he’s saying that each day you’re going to have to choose to put to death those temptations and bad behaviors and sinful ways by choosing Jesus instead.
Each time that you say no to the easy, sinful ways, you’re saying yes to Jesus. Then you’ve got to listen to Him and obey whatever He says.
If you just say no to the temptations but never stop and listen to and obey God, then you’re merely trying to die to your old self without stepping into the resurrection of Jesus. If you’re not stepping into the resurrection, then you’re not truly and fully moving out of the old ways, you’re just sitting in temptation trying to say no over and over, but never truly stepping out of it and into anything new and better.
Think of it this way: Let’s say a drug addict gets saved and freed from his addiction. However, he still lives in the house with other drug addicts where drugs are being made. Over and over he says no to drugs and his roommates’ urgings to participate. Night after night he askes God to help him have the strength to resist temptation, but it gets harder and harder.
What is the issue in this example? The drug addict was trying to put to death his old ways without stepping into new life with Jesus. He was trying to live in part of his old life without fully committing to the part of it that he saw as sinful. Yet, he’s struggling with putting to death his old ways because he’s not stepping into new life with Jesus.
You can ask God to strengthen you against temptation as much as you want, but if you’re not willing to step out of your old ways, then you’re not doing your part.
Now, if you step into new life, then you’re completely made new and you’re no longer that person you were! The thing is, each day you have to choose to step into new life again and again. Every day God gives you a chance to let go of a part of yourself that He doesn’t want you to keep. Maybe He’s going to ask you to let go of complaining tomorrow, maybe today He’s going to ask you to give up your phone addiciton. Maybe a week from now God’s going to ask you to give up a toxic friendship. There are so many things that God will ask you to give up, shift your ways, and step into a better way with Him.
God knows what you’re ready for, so He’s never going to do it all at once and overwhelm you. That’s why we’re changing everyday.
As you step into that transformation day after day, the important thing to remember is that you cannot define yourself by who you were. When you put those ways to death, they are no longer part of who you are. I struggle with this area personally. Letting go of the shame I feel when I mess up has been what God has been asking me to put to death in myself recently. I can look at other people and tell them that they are no longer who they were and encourage them to stop letting their past define them, yet, in my own mind I allow mistakes from my past to bring me down and feel shame. Everyone has their area of life that God is going to help them work through and put to death. Right now, this is mine.
If you’re struggling with letting go of your mistakes and realizing the new person you are, I encourage you to get on your knees, face in the ground, and pray to God. Thank Him for taking you out of that mistake and making you a new person. Thank Him for what you’ve learned in that. Ask Him to fill your heart with joy and to remind you of all He has done for you each day. This has been what I’ve begun to do in my own life, and it truly helps.
No matter if this is easy or difficult for you, the truth still remains, you are made new. You are not the person you were once you step into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, you get to choose whether you keep being transformed or run back to your old ways. Today is the day to step into more and more transformation with God. I hope that you step into the resurrection of Jesus day after day.