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We often think of our thoughts and deeds in the light of what’s right and what’s wrong. What is God’s will, and what is sin. For the purposes of this study, I want you to consider that you are a composite being, made up of both an old sinful being, and a new righteous being……assuming you have received the spirit of Christ because you chose to believe on him. (see study True Christianity – in a Nutshell )
Ephesians 4:22-24 That you put off concerning the former behavior the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that you put on the new man, who from the source of God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Colossians 3:9, 10 Lie not one to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, who is renewed in knowledge from the source of the image of Him that created him:
Okay, new man and old man…..abiding in the same entity……you! In this study, we are going to take a look at treating the whole, and not just each individual part.
What you want is for the old man to become less and less a part of your life, and for the new man to become a bigger and bigger part of your life. Does that make sense?
In order to do this, what you need do is……….starve the old man……..and……..feed the new man.
The New Testament is absolutely filled with just such references. We are entreated, not just to dwell in the good, but to stand against the evil.
I Peter 5:6-9a Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for He cares for you. (feed the new man) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith (starve the old man)…..
When I say “feed the new man,” what I really mean is nourish so as to allow the new man to gain the ascendancy. How? Read and dwell in the thoughts of God….the Bible, rightly divided. Meditate in His thoughts of you. Consider Christ, and his working in your life.
James 4:7, 8a Submit yourselves therefore to God. (feed the new) Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (starve the old) Draw close to God, and He will draw close to you. (feed the new) Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts (starve the old)……..
Colossians 3:1-5a Since you then are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affectionate thinking on things above (feed the new), not on things on the earth. (starve the old). For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; (starve the old)……..
II Corinthians 10:6 Casting down imaginations (logizomai – logical reasonings of the mind) and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowing (gnosis – by experience) of God (starve the old), and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (feed the new);
What I’m suggesting in this study is that you try treating yourself as a composite being, with the desire to see that good thing which was deposited in your soul when you believed on Jesus Christ grow and flourish, and at the same time to see that evil, corrupt nature which dominated your previous existence diminish and shrivel away into dust. See your life as a whole, where the Godly is becoming more and more, and the Evil is becoming less and less.
Thus, instead of measuring your life by your most recent activity or thought, you will begin to measure it by the overall increase of Christ within/decrease of acting out our old evil nature. So no matter what you’ve just done, or how you have recently behaved, no matter how little or how much you have done for God lately………your continual desire is to see your composite nature become more Christlike and less sinful overall.
Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, (feed the new) and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. (starve the old).
Of course, how you put on the Lord Jesus Christ is in your mind, in your heart, in your thoughtful consideration, in your prioritizing.
Hebrews 12:1, 2a Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses (the examples of those believers just mentioned), let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us (starve the old), and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; (feed the new)……
You can look at it as a personal challenge. How much can you starve the old man? How much can you feed the new? Ask your spiritual Father to reveal places of sin and weakness in your life, that you know produce no results, or that produce bad results…..that take you to places you don’t really want to go. Ask God to reveal new and powerful ways of seeing and understanding the spirit of Christ within, of relating to Him through that Holy Spirit.
Challenge yourself to see how often, or how powerfully you can deprive the old man of any means of expression, that you can choke the old man of the evil, deceitful, fleshly thinking it needs to remain a force for evil in your life. And how often you can allow that new, spiritual man to express itself in new ways and in new areas of your life.
It doesn’t matter how long it has gone on……today is a new day, and even if it’s not eliminated right away, you can watch those negative influences become weaker and weaker in your life, as the positive, fruitful, Godly influences grow and become more and more dominant.
Galatians 5:16,17 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other; so that you cannot do the things that you want to do.
Starve the old, sinful man. Feed the new, righteous man. Life is a journey, not an arrival point.
PS. Romans 7 is a whole chapter which deals with “the composite man.” Things you can do to feed the new man: 1) Meditate in the Pauline epistles, or any of God’s Word in light of the truths found in the Pauline epistles; 2) Fellowship with others, sharing your understanding and having your heart open to hear others’ understanding of Christ; 3) Pray, especially speaking in tongues (praying by the spirit……perfect prayer); 4) Practice the application of the truths you’ve discovered….ie: perfect love, discerning of spirits; renewing the mind……..
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See studies:
Fruitfulness in Christ – Colossians 1:1-15
Old Man, New Man … A Comparison
Pruned by God.
All the Treasures of Wisdom and Experience
