THE NEW MAN vs. THE OLD MAN
A very important concept along the path to virtue is the idea of the "old man" and the "new man." When I feel like I'm an Empire-brainwashed rebel against the Kingdom of the Prince of Peace, I only have to remember that this is the "old man" and that my "new man" has to put the "old man" to death, so that the "new man" can live.
Here are the Scripture passages which set forth this idea:
Romans 6:1-14 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
{2} Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
{3} Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
{4} Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
{5} For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
{6} knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
{7} For he who has died has been freed from sin.
{8} Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
{9} knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.
{10} For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
{11} Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
{12} Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
{13} And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
{14} For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Ephesians 4:17-24 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
{18} having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
{19} who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
{20} But you have not so learned Christ,
{21} if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
{22} that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
{23} and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
{24} and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Colossians 3:1-17 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
{2} Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
{3} For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
{4} When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
{5} Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
{6} Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
{7} in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
{8} But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
{9} Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
{10} and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
{11} where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
{12} Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
{13} bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
{14} But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
{15} And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
{16} Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
{17} And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
My Old Man was a jerk. I am killing off this Old Man so that he can be resurrected in Christ. Then my New Man can live in Christ, in love and holiness. But it isn't easy; the Old Man is stubborn, and has to continually be put to death. Still, nothing that's valuable is easy, and the Scriptures promise that the Old Man will not have dominion over me.
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