Today, we dug in a little deeper into the paradox of the old man verses the new man, looking at 2 Corinthians 10:3-6, 1 John 3:5-10 & 5:18-20. In Galatians 5: 19, Paul describes the works of the flesh, that we are all susceptible to if we are not walking in the Spirit. There is a constant battle between the flesh and the Spirit within each of us – Galatians 5:16-17. When the flesh is in charge, any of the 18 sinful works could manifest itself.
In Ephesians 4:22-24, Paul gives greater clarity in the battle between flesh and Spirit, instructing us to put off the old man, our old nature of sinfulness, and put on Christ. The picture is like taking off one garment, and putting on another. The first is our old corrupt lifestyle, full of deceitful lusts that we must determine to not allow to be in charge of our lives, and the second is our new man, the righteous, holy, person that we are in Christ, through salvation. This principle of replacement is put off in order to put on.
In Colossians 3:5-10, Paul takes the instruction one more step, by declaring that we are to put to death these sinful acts, and put off sinful attitudes, “seeing that we have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man.” This is a point of living in victory in Christ. We are victorious over all that we once were.
The paradox is found in Romans 6:6-7 (Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.) and Galatians 2:20 (I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.)
Before we are saved, we are alive to the world and dead to God. After salvation, we are alive to God and dead to the world. Our old nature / our flesh wants to be in charge of our lives, but we are a new man, a new creation in Christ – 2 Corinthians 5:17, and, in Christ, the old things are past away! Do not allow them to rule your daily life! Romans 6:12-17