2 Cor 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Eph 4:24
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Over the past several blogs, I have brought you revelations concerning the reality of the word of God as it applies to his born-again children and the relationship afforded us through the atonement of Christ blood sacrifice. This is the truth concerning the great and marvelous grace and tender mercy of God to each of us. These truths are the only things you can count on to make you truly free. It’s certainly worth shouting about.
Before Christ, you and I were dead in our trespasses and sin, bound for an eternity in hell. Something stepped between you and your destiny with hell. His name was Jesus Christ. Because you dared believe by faith the work of the cross, you entered into a relationship you probably never knew existed or thought possible for a lowly sinner like yourself. But it happened none the less and here you are now, a new creature in the kingdom of God, according to the promises of scripture. You may have thought nothing really changed outside of your faith acceptance of Christ. But something marvelous did happen, though unseen by human eyes. In a reality that you probably didn’t even know existed at the time, your old nature, or spirit man, died and was done away with, never to return. It passed away and was laid in the eternal grave; a place where there is no resurrection. A wholly new creation event took place when you received Christ. That new spiritual man, created by God in righteousness and true holiness, now stands in that former dead spirit man’s place. This is the new temple of God, where Christ says he’ll never leave or forsake us. This new man was then sealed with that promise and now nothing can ever impact or change it.
Over the past three weeks I have laid a foundation of truths so you could see for yourself the greatness of God’s word as it applies to this newly created man, and why it is imperative that we now don, or put on this new man.
So what does donning the new man actually mean? Perhaps it can best be expressed by showing you what some of the synonyms for donning means. These should help give you a better word picture so you’ll be able to grasp its meaning.
To don something means to…
1) Put on.
2) Throw on.
3) Get into.
4) Pull on.
5) Dress yourself in.
6) Slip on.
How much simpler can it be? All of these synonyms are action related, meaning that it is our responsibility to actually do something with this new man.
It should be now be apparent what God desires for his children. He intends for them to take full advantage of everything the new man is, but how to do that is another matter completely. Most Christians feel they already know everything about their salvation experience because of the religious teachings. Most church attending believers are taught to don only the teachings of their particular denomination; to embrace the dogma that they’ve been raised with.
The reality is that few believers actually have even a rudimentary understanding of what scripture says about putting on the new man, which leads to confusion when presented with the true message of the gospel.
I’ll agree with one thing, learning truths about the new man takes some time, but there are so few Christians who are willing to step out and explore the word of God for them self. Many are simply content with the comfort of the church’s apron.
Listen, no natural child ever grew up without exploring the natural world around them without the aid of their parents. Obviously parents are necessary, but so is individual exploration. That’s how we grow in the Lord, through the renewing of our minds.
If a church or denomination restricts, or discourages your right to explore the word of God for yourself, then perhaps you need to find another fellowship. If your church encourages it, then maybe you’re where you need to be.
Don’t be intimidated by those who want restrict your growth because of church doctrine. You actually have a greater right as a child of God to know him first and foremost – above all else, in fullness – to the length, breath, depth, and height, which is his greatest desire for you.
If you have the opportunity to talk with other Christians, it becomes quickly evident that most, who have been in a denominational setting for a period of time, think they know more than you do. These people have been well indoctrinated and are unwilling to put aside the errors of religious teaching they’ve grown up with. They are hardened against learning, or accepting scriptural truths, even when presented with irrefutable scriptural evidence.
Sadly, most people don’t even recognize the spirit man as being a necessary or functioning part of their make up as human beings. The word of God tells us that man is made up of three distinct parts – spirit, soul, and body.
Since Christians don’t actually feel the spirit within themselves and they can’t see it, they feel it must not be important. People easily recognize the functioning elements of the body through their five senses – seeing, hearing, and tasting, feeling and touching. They can also recognize the soulish realm by their emotions and their intellect; the ability to reason. In most cases, this is as far and deep as they’ll ever go.
Let’s look to a better source for the answer.
1 Thessalonians 5:23
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Interestingly God recognizes and understands the value of the triune man. After all, this man creature was created in his very own image.
Of the three parts, what is the least important to man is actually the most important to God – your spirit. In God’s eyes, the real you is your new created spirit. When the old man [former nature], was in control, God knew that it needed a Savior, so he sent Christ his son. When by faith you accepted the message of the cross, Christ came into your life, and replaced your dead and dying spirit with a brand new spirit, untouched by sin. It was in your spirit alone that you became this new creature – a new creation made in the very likeness and image of his son. In this spirit, behold all things became new. The old nature passed away completely.
Ephesians 4:24 tells us to put on that new man – that was created after God in both righteousness and true holiness.
God admonishes us to put it on; wear it like a suit; walk in it; to be one with it.
After you become born again, your spirit is complete. It doesn’t need further work; to become righteous, or holy, or to mature through some process of learning. The new spirit creation that God gave us was made perfect in every area from the get go.
Think about these things…
1) You can’t make something perfect that is already completely perfect.
2) You can’t teach it anything, when it already knows all things.
3) You can’t hope for an eventual maturity, when it is already fully mature – lacking nothing
4) You can’t protect it from harm or sin, when it has been sealed by the Holy Spirit against anything that man or the devil can do.
Your spirit was created after God…
I John 4:17
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
The only way you can understand this scripture is when you understand that it was your spirit that was born again. This is accomplished by faith.
Your spirit is just like Jesus Christ, and so are we in this world. Your soul and body aren’t like Jesus, just your spirit man.
1 Cor 6:17
But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
1 Cor 12:13
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Notice, that word one is singular only.
I dealt with this last week, but I wish to tell it again in a different way. Why do that? Repetition is necessary. It helps the word stick.
What I’m teaching is so radical to modern Christianity, so out of the box for most believers. It’s about time we came to understand the truth of it. You must agree that it is a radical departure from most of God’s people think or believe today. The early church understood it; walking and living in it constantly. Their lives were changed by it when they embraced its truth, and they never looked back.
We need to hear the truths over and over and over again. You need to be pregnant with it and watch it come alive inside of you. You need to have these revelations transform your thinking (your soul) by the renewing of your mind.
Scripture clearly says, “As a man so thinketh in his heart so he is”.
Your mind is a road that has many ruts in it. Every time you go down that path you keep falling into the same ruts, the same “stinking thinking”. This is like the un-renewed mind, thinking the same old man fleshly thoughts, forever stumbling along.
People fall into the same religious ruts time and time again.
It’s the things you’ve been taught all of your life. When you become born again you no longer easily relate with the newly created spirit man because your mind has not been renewed. You find comfort in the thoughts of your former self and easily revert back to those familiar things of your old nature – the old carnal man. Let me tell you, death is in the old nature. Your mind must be renewed to God’s word, as it is rightly divided.
To have success in your walk with Christ, you must learn to relate with the brand new you, which is your new spirit man, created in the image of the master – perfect.
It takes effort to come out of that old way of thinking. It’s a brand new road – less traveled. It takes effort to walk in the knowledge of the new spirit man, but it can be done. It takes effort to don the new man, but it is well worth it.
I would tell you to start focusing in on the good things that you now know are inside of you because of what Christ has done for you, instead of the limitations and the failures that are in your mind, caused by religion.
Philemon 1:6
That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
Isn’t this a tremendous scripture verse?
This is the key to your success as a born again child of God. That (your) faith might become effective by acknowledging and accepting every good gift that is in you in Christ.
The average Christian does not grasp the significance of acknowledging the good within them, through the finished work of Christ. Instead, they see only their human failures and inadequacies as children of God. They’re certain they don’t measure up and therefore couldn’t be loved by God because of these continual carnal failures.
The scripture you just read tells you emphatically that your faith becomes effectual the moment you begin to acknowledge the good work of Christ in your spirit man.
Understanding this will set the captive (you) totally free.
Romans 7:18
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Do you understand what this scripture verse is telling you? Your soul and body are places were no good thing dwells. Paul summed it up perfectly by confessing the truth about his unregenerate soul and body in this scripture. You and I can say exactly the same thing. But thanks to God for our regenerated spirit man which makes it entirely possible, through our renewed, or soon to be renewed minds.
Rom 7:24-25
O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank god through Jesus Christ our lord.
Focusing on the soul and body is not what makes your faith effectual. In fact it hinders all things spiritual. What gives you victory in your Christian life is your acknowledgment of every good gift inside you.
Everybody should remember where they’ve come from. Doing so enables us to understand why we needed God in the first place. By recognizing your total inadequacy, we see that God is completely adequate in all things. He changed us by changing the core of our nature. He gave us the new man; a nature cast in the image of Christ – complete.
To walk in the victory of the Jesus Christ, you need to now put on this new man, who after God was created in righteousness and true holiness, and then to begin acknowledging the good gifts which have been given to you freely through his son Jesus Christ.
James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
1 Peter 4:10
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
As stated before, in your flesh “no good thing dwelleth in you”. Yet the medical profession, psychologists, and psychiatrists, even the churches today, embrace the concept that people ought to feel better about themselves in their humanness. This is a falsehood on every level and has deceived multitudes. It is a work of futility and false hope to believe or teach that we can be anything, or of any worth apart from Christ. Without the new man, through salvation, there is virtually no hope for the individual.
Did you know that most churches don’t believe that your spirit becomes brand new when you’re saved? They, like the world believe it’s now entirely up to you and your efforts to do right from here on out. Neither do they believe that old things passed away with the new birth, through though they preach salvation and a relationship with the God.
The church of today wants its membership to know the following things.
1) They want you to dress up the old man by your own efforts – to appear to be something it isn’t.
2) They want you clean up the old man yourself by getting your act together.
3) They want you to call the old man by a newer friendlier, less confrontational name.
4) They want you to feel good about the old carnal man that is now dressed up in this new suit.
So, remember these things…
1) Religion cannot make you feel better about your sinful condition.
2) Medicine cannot heal your spiritual or inner man.
3) Counseling cannot make you feel good about yourself – long term.
Simply stated, the flesh, on its own, will never get better.
Reread this with me.
Romans 7:24-25
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1) It’s Christ alone who redeems you.
2) It’s Christ alone who makes you spiritually whole.
3) It’s Christ alone who makes all things new.
4) It’s Christ alone who breaks down the barriers of sin.
5) It’s Christ who desires to bring you into intimate relationship with the Godhead.
I therefore admonish you to put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Everyone who does has never been sorry!