17. This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that
you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,
18. being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of
God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;
19. and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to
sensuality, for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
20. But you did not learn Christ in this way,
21. if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just
as truth is in Jesus,
22. that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside
the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
23. and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24. and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been
created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Focusing today on the last part of this passage (verses 20 to 24)
Paul now reveals the way you are, instead of the way you were.
Have you accepted Christ as your savior? If not, or you're unsure, click here.
If you have, then be confident that:
- Your old self — the one that always gave in to temptation —
has been laid aside!
- Your mind and heart have been reconnected and renewed by the Holy
Spirit!
- You have a new self, which has been created in the likeness of God
— in righteousness and holiness of the truth!
Does this mean that you can be confident that you'll never succumb
to temptation again? Well, no one can say that this side of heaven.
But does this mean that you now have the upper hand? That you can
resist temptation time and time again? That it's now your nature to resist? You
bet it does!
Copyright 2000 by eXXit
*"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman
Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by
permission."