Putting Off the Old Man
Putting Off the Old Man
Text: 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:22
“It is not possible to be spiritually mature while being emotionally immature!”
- Pete Scazzero
Unprocessed emotions don’t die the get buried alive.
They come out in triggers.
The Bible presents a progressive spiritual reality: the spiritual old has passed away with Christ, but the fleshly old remains active, requiring believers to actively "put off" its sinful ways and "put on" the new person through faith, understanding that the "old man" is a person's life under sin's dominion, not just sin itself.
The "old has passed away" in 2 Corinthians 5:17 refers to a new spiritual standing and creation in Christ, while Paul's command to "put off the old man" in Ephesians 4:22 is a practical instruction to stop practicing the habits and characteristics associated with a life dominated by sin.
In the immediate context, Paul is exhorting each believer to put on his or her new human nature.
Our New Nature—The term “new nature” refers to the spiritual transformation that occurs within people when they believe in Christ as Savior.
New does not mean renewed, renovated, reformed, or rehabilitated.
It means completely and distinctly new, with a new family, a new set of values, new motivations, and a whole new life.
The old man is still present in the new life and expresses himself in sinful deeds such as lying (Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9).
The new man, to be visible, must be put on, as one would put on a new suit of clothes (Col. 3:10).
In other words, the new nature must be cultivated or nurtured by spiritual decisiveness to grow in Christ. We must not revert to putting on the old suit of the former life; rather, we must continue to grow in this new life (Eph. 5:8).
The Spiritual Reality: The Old Has Passed
A New Creation: In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul states, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!".
This signifies a fundamental change: believers have a new standing before God through Christ, becoming a "new man" or "new creation”.
Ephesians 4:17-22
v.17 - futility - perverse - morally bankrupt.
v.18 - alienated - shut out.
- ignorance -
Eight Traits of a "christian" that walks like the world: (walk in emptiness)
1. Darkened Understanding.
2. Alienated (shut out) from God.
3. Ignorant of God's Way.
4. Hardened Heart.
5. Unfeeling State. ( from the Greek word meaning, " to have ceased to care.")
6. Lustful - filthy and having no shame.
7. Unclean. - physically and morally unclean to the point of being demonic
8. Greedy - never satisfied and always desiring to have more and more.
Those that will not die to the flesh will be tossed to and fro by the things of the world. They will allow the world to control them.
Some will deny things because they are still listening to the flesh.
That's why the fruit in their life produces worldiness and not godliness.
Seven Blessings of Walking With the Lord:
1. Maturity--no longer children (Eph. 4:14)
2. Established in the faith--no longer of doubtful mind or tossed to and fro like the waves (Eph. 4:14; Jas. 1:5-8)
3. Rooted and grounded in truth--no longer carried about by winds of doctrine (Eph. 4:14; Jn. 8:32-36 Eph. 3:17; Col. 2:6-7 2Pet. 1:12)
4. Freedom from deception--able to discern truth from error (Eph. 4:14; 2Tim. 2:15; Heb. 5:11-14 Jn. 8:32-36)
5. The ability to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15; Rom. 15:14; Col. 3:16)
6. Constant growth in spiritual things (Eph. 4:15; 1Pet. 2:2; 2Pet. 3:18)
7. Harmony with all others in Christ (Eph. 4:16; 2Cor. 1:10; 2Cor. 13:11)
“It is not possible to be spiritually mature while being emotionally immature!”
- Pete Scazzero
Unprocessed emotions don’t die the get buried alive.
They come out in triggers.
The Bible presents a progressive spiritual reality: the spiritual old has passed away with Christ, but the fleshly old remains active, requiring believers to actively "put off" its sinful ways and "put on" the new person through faith, understanding that the "old man" is a person's life under sin's dominion, not just sin itself.
The "old has passed away" in 2 Corinthians 5:17 refers to a new spiritual standing and creation in Christ, while Paul's command to "put off the old man" in Ephesians 4:22 is a practical instruction to stop practicing the habits and characteristics associated with a life dominated by sin.
In the immediate context, Paul is exhorting each believer to put on his or her new human nature.
Our New Nature—The term “new nature” refers to the spiritual transformation that occurs within people when they believe in Christ as Savior.
New does not mean renewed, renovated, reformed, or rehabilitated.
It means completely and distinctly new, with a new family, a new set of values, new motivations, and a whole new life.
The old man is still present in the new life and expresses himself in sinful deeds such as lying (Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9).
The new man, to be visible, must be put on, as one would put on a new suit of clothes (Col. 3:10).
In other words, the new nature must be cultivated or nurtured by spiritual decisiveness to grow in Christ. We must not revert to putting on the old suit of the former life; rather, we must continue to grow in this new life (Eph. 5:8).
The Spiritual Reality: The Old Has Passed
A New Creation: In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul states, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!".
This signifies a fundamental change: believers have a new standing before God through Christ, becoming a "new man" or "new creation”.
Ephesians 4:17-22
v.17 - futility - perverse - morally bankrupt.
v.18 - alienated - shut out.
- ignorance -
Eight Traits of a "christian" that walks like the world: (walk in emptiness)
1. Darkened Understanding.
2. Alienated (shut out) from God.
3. Ignorant of God's Way.
4. Hardened Heart.
5. Unfeeling State. ( from the Greek word meaning, " to have ceased to care.")
6. Lustful - filthy and having no shame.
7. Unclean. - physically and morally unclean to the point of being demonic
8. Greedy - never satisfied and always desiring to have more and more.
Those that will not die to the flesh will be tossed to and fro by the things of the world. They will allow the world to control them.
Some will deny things because they are still listening to the flesh.
That's why the fruit in their life produces worldiness and not godliness.
Seven Blessings of Walking With the Lord:
1. Maturity--no longer children (Eph. 4:14)
2. Established in the faith--no longer of doubtful mind or tossed to and fro like the waves (Eph. 4:14; Jas. 1:5-8)
3. Rooted and grounded in truth--no longer carried about by winds of doctrine (Eph. 4:14; Jn. 8:32-36 Eph. 3:17; Col. 2:6-7 2Pet. 1:12)
4. Freedom from deception--able to discern truth from error (Eph. 4:14; 2Tim. 2:15; Heb. 5:11-14 Jn. 8:32-36)
5. The ability to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15; Rom. 15:14; Col. 3:16)
6. Constant growth in spiritual things (Eph. 4:15; 1Pet. 2:2; 2Pet. 3:18)
7. Harmony with all others in Christ (Eph. 4:16; 2Cor. 1:10; 2Cor. 13:11)
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