Put off all these: anger, wrath, malice...seeing that yo have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Me, the One who created you. Colossians 3:8, 10
There are certain times in life when we get the opportunity to start over. Moving from one city to another. Going to a new school. Starting a new job. Getting out of prison.
Fresh starts are crucial in life. We have to have the opportunity to hit the reset button and start over because we so often find ourselves having slid into habits that are destructive or routines that are mundane.
Or maybe sometimes we need to start over because we've allowed anger to rule a part of us.
The Apostle Paul tells us that if we are in Christ, we are a new creation. He says the old is gone and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17).
It is the ultimate reset. And it is available anytime, anywhere that we make the decision to put the old person off and rededicate ourselves to living a life of purpose for Christ.
What reaction do you have to this scripture?
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Colossians 3 is a list of things that we must do. I wish it were something that the Spirit would do for us; but God will not take away our freedom to choose. Chapter 3 is full of action verbs that I must do. I must put to death, I must rid, I must put on , I must clothe myself. He will give me the inclination to love and obey Him, but He will not force me too. I must decide to be obedient or disobedient, to believe or not believe.
ReplyDeleteWow. this is a struggle that I have with some old habits. Ever since David Nelson facilitated a Young Pros Bible Class about "Putting off the Old Self," this is a subject I don't look forward to; however, it's something that I have to strive to do to become the person God wants me to be. Most of the things that I've seen in this passage, I put off; however, there are others that I really struggle with. Help me Jesus, I need a lifeline here!
ReplyDeleteI woke up this morning with the words, "love is a verb" on my heart, and then, as I read the passage, I remembered the quote by Pope, "To err is human; to forgive is divine."
ReplyDeleteForgiveness is the work of God, but it is something we can learn to do. We are told to, "Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (v.13)
Verses 12-14 give us some great directions for learning forgiveness. We need to clothe ourselves with: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. And over all those clothes, we need to "put on love".