Renewed in the spirit of your mind

that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. - Ephesians 4v22-24

Bear with me please as I attempt to develop my own thoughts on this concept of the old and new man. I have been fascinated by this topic for years now. We can’t argue that the Bible tells us in Romans that the old man was crucified with Christ. We can’t argue that is any man is truly is in Christ he is a new creation. Yet we still find references to the old man in the New Testament.

If, as I mentioned yesterday, the topic is not literally the old man, but his conduct, then perhaps I can think through this thing. Put off the conduct of the old man like you would a set of filthy garments. Then be renewed in your mind. Cleanse yourselves with a mind renewal; a renovation if you will. Then, don’t put on the filthy clothes you just took off, but put on the conduct of the new man. That conduct is created according to God and is seen in true righteousness and holiness.

The old man is dead. I don’t think we can argue that. But from the grave he still calls out for attention. “Remember me Roger. Don’t let me go. Honour me by the way you act and with the thoughts you dwell on.”

It is only when I have a transformed mind that refuses dead Old Roger’s call from the grave that New Roger can have the freedom to walk in true righteousness and holiness.