“…to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)
The Christian life, from beginning to end, consists of “putting off” and “putting on.” We must “put off” our old self—our former way of life which was opposed to God and yielded to the flesh; we also must “put on” our new self—this new self that is found in Christ, that seeks after God, that is heavenly-minded.
When we initially repented and believed, there was a definitive, or one-time, “putting off” and “putting on.” In other words, our old self died and our new self is alive in Christ! It’s the same thing with repentance and belief. We do so at our conversion but must also do so everyday to keep pursuing holiness.
The same is true with putting off and putting on. Each day our feet hit the floor, we must be intentional in putting off our old man, our old sinful desires, our former sin. We must also actively put on our new self, in Christ, that is full of the Spirit and seeks to pursue holiness.
It is difficult; it’s easier said than done. Because we are still in the flesh, it’s so easy to keep on the old self—but that’s when temptation sneaks up on us and we give in. When we cease putting off our old self, we continue to succumb to our sin and we subsequently take our eyes off Christ.
Believer, rest easy: Christ is your righteousness. But keep fighting. Keep “putting off” and “putting on.”
Blake Long 
Leave a comment