By His death, Christ made a new and living way for us (Hebrews 10:20) for us to be right with the Father and with one another. So, if we are in Christ, then we have the power to live differently, and we should live differently.
For a long time, I did not understand how this worked. For example, as a child, I was known for being very animated. “Jody talks too much in class” was the most commonly written remark on my report cards. And for years, I believed that I would always be outspoken and dominating. But since I’ve come to know more of Jesus, I’ve learned that change is possible. By God’s grace, I am learning to live in gentleness, quietness, and humility.
As Christians, we are not bound by our personalities, our heritage, our families, our denomination, or anything else. You are not obliged to have a hot temper, overeat, act rudely or any other improper thing just because your family is Polish, Dutch, Irish, German, Mexican, Italian, French, Russian, African, etc. Your hair color and height do not determine who you are; your body is just a tent housing the real you. We must understand and embrace the truth that is in Christ: we have a new identity, family, and life (Romans 6, Matthew 12: 48-50, Acts 5:20)!
Sometimes it is hard to know what needs to change. Read Colossians 3:5-9 for some insight about what is of the “old self” and what we should reject as children of God.
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old selfwith its practices...” Colossians 3:5-9
The temptation at this point might be to think of others like your spouse, children, friends, or family, and how they need to change. But you must focus on your own heart and think about what you need to change.
God has enabled me to put off habitual sins such as fear, lying, selfishness, pride, sinful anger, gossip, slander, anxiety, malice, covetousness, a judgmental spirit, and more. I have not attained, but by God’s grace and through the love of Jesus, the gospel is transforming me. I am learning to leave the old ways behind and embrace the new and living way; the way I learn in Jesus.
Question 3. Please share what “earthly” things you want to “put to death” in your life.
Putting off is only the first part. Jesus did not only take off His royal robes of righteousness; he also went on to become sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). At the cross, there was a great exchange: Christ took your sin and gave you His righteousness.
There must be an exchange in our lives as well. We cannot simply turn away from the behavior we know to be wrong because to do so is to deny the power of the gospel. We must go on to receive from Christ the new way of life that He has for us. As Ephesians 4 says, we must “put on” the new self. We can read a fuller picture of what this is like in Colossians 3:12-17:
“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
Question 4. According to Colossians 3:12-14, what are we to put on as God's chosen ones. Fill in the blank. “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, hearts, , , , and , bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on , which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”