"... if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."
Yes, we are saved BY faith, THROUGH the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, but there are some things WE must do in order to fully participate in this sanctifying process of becoming like Christ. Just as a little child must move his own legs in order to walk, so we must do our part. First of all, we must PUT OFF the old life. For some, it will seem more minimal. For others, it will be more life altering. Perhaps a new set of friends is needed. There may be places the new believer can no longer go to as he seeks the new life in Christ. Maybe, he will even need to seek a new job. Whatever is needed in order to fully embrace the life of a new creation.
Secondly, he will need to be renewed in his mind. Romans 12 says it so well in verse 2: "...let God re-mould your minds from
within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you
is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true
maturity." This will involve Bible study and meditation, fellowship with other believers, good music and spiritual books, as well as good Bible teaching. It will take time to develop a renewed mind. But, it's worth it!
Finally, we must put on the new person!! This will need to be a daily task. The new person is one who is putting on the new life in Christ. This must be relentless. Life can be hard and frustrating. The temptation to live in old ways and thought patterns must be continually resisted.
Romans 13:12 "The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light."
Let's put on our new clothing! The clothing of the righteousness of Christ. Let's spend that time with him renewing our minds, and never go back to that old life. We were made for Christ and the more harmony we have with Him, the happier we are!
