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“But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 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 4.20-24)
The old man is characterised by pride and excludes God from his life. He is selfish and only thinks about himself.
These are the traits that define the ‘old’ man:
• Deceitful—(2 Timothy 3.6): He deceives others and even himself. Everything about him is false and this bothers him.
• Disobedient—(Titus 3.3): He feels as if obeying were a weakness, and that he is strong when he is not under any law. He hates being subject to anything.
• Violent—(Proverbs 16.29): He tries to impose his point of view on others, and no one can change his mentality.
• Abominable—(Revelation 21.8): Everything that He does goes against God. He opposes God and doesn’t respect Him or the authorities delegated by Him.
• Blinded—(2 Corinthians 4.4): All other traits of his character blind him to the truth. He doesn’t want to see and refuses to see.
The Bible speaks about the double-minded man who is unstable and confused. He is not happy and causes unhappiness in other people’s lives. He doesn’t love himself, and lives like this because of his pride.
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4.8)
God is willing to be involved in your life, but He cannot force you to accept His offer. But the new man is humble and recognises that He cannot live without God. He is a personification of Jesus.
The conversion part of the re-creation process is all about you. You need to make a decision; it has nothing to do with God. You just need to walk towards Him, and then He will perform the new birth miracle so that you can become born again. This is God’s proposal.
Don’t expect it to happen at the snap of your fingers; however, the process can begin.
Bishop Randal Brito
bishop@uckgnew.org
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