Anglican Devotional 25 June 2022 – Put Off The Old Man

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 25 June 2022 – Put Off The Old Man

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TOPIC: Put Off The Old Man

READ: Ephesians 4:17-22 (NKJV)

17. This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
18. having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
19. who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20. But you have not so learned Christ,
21. if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22. that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,

THE MESSAGE:

The life of every believer is made up of the old and the new man. The old man refers to the sinful life and habits once lived in before repentance while the new life refers to the present life a believer lives in Christ after conversion. Both lives have their different characteristics and are in conflict with each other. Paul in his letter to the Ephesian Christians, urged them not to live again like other Gentiles who were blind in their hearts, without God and controlled by the passion to sin. He told them that their encounter with Jesus who is the truth has made them new and created a difference.

However, the new man can only thrive and function when the old man of immorality, hatred, unforgiveness, lies, etc., is put off.To every believer, putting off requires a personal decision on a daily basis (enabled by the Holy Spirit), to let the old man die. Then, the new man will take over as we grow in grace and in the knowledge of God. Is there any old sinful life/habit you have retained in your life? Put it off now. Jesus says in Matthew 9:17 that men pour new wine into new wineskins and both are preserved.

PRAYER: Father, the grace to live daily in the newness of my life is my desire.