“²⁰But that is not the way you learned Christ!— ²¹assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, ²²to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, ²³and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” – Ephesians 4:20-24 (ESV)

My self is my choice. In fact, about a year ago, I was at this same set of verses and choice was that choice was the topic of my study on the word life. Here I am in study of the word self and the same verses draw out a different topic.

When I accepted Christ as my personal savior, I was given new life. I was provided a “new self, created after the likeness of God” as noted in verse 24 of Paul’s letter. I was granted an all new lease on life.

As I was given this chance for the new self, I still must do away with the “old self, which belongs to your former manner of life” as Paul writes in verse 22. In other words, I have to do away with the old and take on and embrace the new. It is up to me to fully accept the new that I have been given from Christ.

Even though I fully know better, to often I find myself blaming others for what is happening. I want to take the heat off of myself for having to do the work myself. I avoid what I have learned and want others to do it for me. “But that is not the way you learned Christ!” as stated in verse 20. I am responsible for doing away with the old me and accepting the new me that Christ has provided. When I do, I am able to fully experience the wonderful life He has given.

How did you learn about Christ? Are you still holding on to your old self? Will you do away with your old self and accept and put on the new self provided by Christ?

My outer self died and is wasting away, all the while, my inner self is growing stronger and stronger day by day.

“¹⁶So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” – 2 Corinthians 4:16 (ESV)

Paul expresses that as Christians, we are growing newer each day from the inside. I have used the following before and it was brought to mind again this morning. I liken this to the elderly. As they grow older, their faith seems to grow stronger. There is less placed on the monetary and tangible items of this world and more energy and attention are place in the spiritual and internal growth, especially in the relationship with Christ.

I am beaten down daily for what I see as following Christ in my approach as I work to serve others before serving myself. I have to remember the following as written by Paul.

“¹⁷For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” – 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV)

God has prepared a place for my eternal residence in heaven. My way there has been paid, I only need to continue growing internally to prepare for my full enjoyment when I arrive.

When you look at yourself, are you concerned more with the exterior? What about your internal self? Are you growing and being renewed internally day by day?

“⁶We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷For one who has died has been set free from sin.” – Romans 6:6-7 (ESV)

I died, the moment I accepted Christ as my personal savior. No, not physically, but in every other way that was hindering me from living a life for Christ.

My old self was cast off at the point of Jesus crucifixion. When Jesus died on the cross, He died for me and washed away all of my sin so that I might be set free. I certainly did not deserve His action, as I would not be around for almost 2000 years, and yet He still suffered so I would not have to.

My salvation was not a dramatic event that stood out to thousands of people as such an overt act of change. At least physically. I was dramatically transformed as my old sinful self was cast away in my salvation. My sins were washed away with the blood of Christ, and I was bathed new in my baptism and walk that way today, 35 years later.

Are you able to say that your old self has been washed away with the blood of Christ? Was that self crucified with Christ that day? Is you old self dead and are you walking in newness of life with Christ?

“⁶If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁸If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” – 1 John 1:6 & 8 (ESV)

Here John is spelling out the lies that we may be telling ourselves either verbally and through our actions. When I am actively disobeying God, I am certainly not living in the truth that is Jesus Christ and the gospel.

“⁷But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:7 & 9 (ESV)

I have an out, and that out is my confession and repentance of my sin. But it all starts with my walk in Christ. As is stated in my ESV Bible’s introduction to the book of 1 John: “It reaffirms the core of Christianity, saying that either we exhibit the sound doctrine, obedience, and love that characterize all Christians, or else we are not true Christians.”

I am responsible for living a life as Christ, that demonstrates by both words and actions. I have a duty to be in the Truth to be assured of salvation.

When you approach life, are you saying one thing and doing another? What are your thoughts and beliefs around the Truth? Do you believe in your duty to the Truth?

“²²Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, ²³since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; ²⁴for ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, ²⁵but the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” – 1 Peter 1:22-25 (ESV)

I have been given such a great opportunity. I am able to abide in the “word of God”, which was made possible by my “obedience to the truth” and being “purified” and “born again”.

When I accepted Christ as my personal savior, I was forgiven of all that I had done and all will do and was added to the roll as a child of God. I was made New and whole through my belief and obedience to the Truth.

I am not, nor will I ever be, better than anyone else, as I am a sinner just the same. What I am is a new person with a guiding principle that is Jesus Christ. I have been given the chance to make lasting impact on those around me as I serve them through the service to God.

Are you able to say that you are new again? How did your newness come? Were you made new through your “obedience to the truth”?

I have a full assurance of faith through my belief in the Truth. As I go through my days, I rely on Christ to provide for my needs and for the safety and security of those around me. Yes, I have a responsibility to do my part and the physical labor required, however Jesus provides the way and the open hearts and hands to receive.

“²⁴And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ²⁵not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” – Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)

When I am in the Truth and following the way as given to be by God, I am fulfilling my responsibility.

“²⁶For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.” – Hebrews 10:26-27 (ESV)

When/if I were to continue sinning with full knowledge of my sin, I will have walked away from the very salvation that I accepted. Am I a sinner, yes, and I will be a sinner for as long as I am here on this earth. I will continue to sin although those sins are those that I am not or may not be conscious of. I may take some action that I had taken before without knowing that circumstances had changed and rules and regulations and process had been adjusted. I am still responsible for the actions I took and I should be repentant of those sins and actions, but I did not sin on purpose. What I want to avoid is sinning by choice. I should be taking all precautions to be sure that my actions are in line with the will of God and when doing so, am living by and for and through the Truth.

My life is not my own. I live for and by the grace of God. I am to be faithful to Him and He will be and remain faithful to me. I choose to have fullness of faith through the Truth that is Jesus Christ.

When you look at how you proceed in life, how are you living? Are you aware that even as a child of God, you are still a sinner, and are you working to abstain from conscious sin? Are you living to the fullness of faith through the Truth that is Jesus Christ?

“¹But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ²For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, ⁴treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. ⁶For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, ⁷always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. ⁸Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. ⁹But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.” – 2 Timothy 3:1-9 (ESV)

I know that this is a long passage, and it is important. I consider myself a realist in that the glass in not half full or half empty, but there is simply liquid in the glass. And as a Libra I am pretty balanced. This approach seems to allow me to look at things objectively and see a more holistic view of situations. I will say that even though I have this balanced approach, I am on the lookout for evil each day. I do what I can to see and stay in front of that evil so as not to be drawn into it.

I feel as though we are certainly headed in the direction of Godlessness as described here in these verses. That Godlessness is visible everywhere you look as society is pressed to live and cower to every whim of society. If someone comes up with an idea that is contrary to societal norms of yesterday, we are driven to accept them as the societal norms today. And if that acceptance does not happen, then those that do not accept are vilified and treated as though they are the enemy.

I will say that I will stand for the truth whether that is alone or with others. I will oppose those against the truth, however that opposition will not be as those opposing the Truth. But I will oppose in the spirit of Christ, with love and caring for my fellow man. I will work hard to understand their position, although I may not accept them, I will not vilify the position, only hold the opposite position and declare as such.

I have to remain vigilant and dedicated to the Truth so as to present the Truth everywhere I go and in all situations.

“⁸If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well” – James 2:8 (ESV)

Are you looking to love your neighbor? Are you vigilant in looking out for opposition to the Truth? Are you able to understand and oppose with the love of Christ?

“¹⁵Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” – 2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)

I was brought to this verse this morning and take it as a reminder. You see, we are saved as we believe in Christ who is the Truth. Our acceptance of the gift of salvation comes with our belief in Jesus and His death and resurrection.

But once we have been saved, we have just begun our journey as Christians. Pretty sure that I have shared my testimony. It is not one of those extreme events where I was saved from the pit of despair. But, wasn’t I? I was a small child when I took my first walk to the pulpit to profess my faith. As I grew older, at 14 I realized that whereas I was sincere in my acceptance of Christ, I did not fully understand what that meant and therefore did not feel as though I had been saved. So I took the walk to the pulpit again and this time, it was genuine. My belief was full and I was saved and I now believed in the Truth.

I know that everyone comes to know the Lord in his or her own way. I am elated when each one joins the family of God. What I want is the continued growth and development in the faith and in the Truth. In my ESV Bible I have a footnote for the “one approved” in verse 15, “That is, one approved after being tested”. That testing comes with the growth and learning that comes over time. I have grown so much since I was 14 years old and to this day continue to grow even more. Each day when I sit here and study God’s word, I am reminded and learning more about my faith and what it means to be and carry myself as a Christian. I am “approved” through my continued work with, for, and through the Truth that is Jesus Christ.

When you look at things, are you believing in the Truth that is Jesus Christ? What does your continue growth and learning look like? Are you “approved” by and through the Truth?

“¹First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, ²for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. ³This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (ESV)

What a fitting set of verses for our world today. I see that there is a severe disdain for those that are not like us or have different beliefs than us. I know that I have written a number of times about our role as Christians to love all people regardless of who they are. This verse is another of those pointed verses that “urge” our actions be directed at all people.

Paul is speaking to Timothy through this letter to provide guidance on the approach that should be taken in the spreading of the gospel. Verse 1 here Paul is sure to indicate to Timothy that he should remember to pray, intercede, and give thanks for everyone he is to come in contact with. And Verse 2 is one that I know in our politically charged world today seems very difficult to complete. I think it is interesting at how we can be all things to all people, except those that are in power who somehow are not worthy of our prayer, thanksgiving, and help? I tend to believe that regardless of my thoughts and beliefs, the person in that position, should be assisted with the work they do by any and all.

Everyone is given the opportunity “to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”. Not just those that are the lowly and those in the general public. I have a responsibility just as Paul charged Timothy with to give to “all people” the “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings”, and bring them to the our God so that they can receive the gift of salvation.

When you think of those needing prayer and thanksgiving, who comes to mind? Are you thinking of everyone, even those in power that you may not have anything in common? Are you praying for “all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”?

“¹³But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. ¹⁴To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 (ESV)

Paul exclaims to the Thessalonians that he should always thank God for them. I have to remember to be thankful for my fellow Christians.

These verses demonstrate the way in which we are saved and it all starts with the “belief in the truth”. The Truth, being Jesus, is may be difficult to believe. He was sent by God, lived among us, died for us so that we would not have to, rose from the grave, and ascended back to heaven to be with God once again. When I simply look at those points, I can see how they may seem a bit like a movie script, and therefor are just fantasy.

I like a good movie for just what they are, entertainment. Now I don’t want to get into the argument of “based on true events” or documentaries. Movies are entertainment and should certainly be taken with a grain of salt. But I will admit when looking over the points again, I am driven to dig deeper to understand.

With all the study that I have done in my life in church, as a child, at home, as an adult, one thing has become clear: Jesus is the Truth and my belief in the Truth has saved me from spiritual death. I was chosen and have been “saved through sanctification by the Spirit and the believe in the truth”.

What study have you done on the points I listed? Are you digging deeper to find the clear message? Are you or will you be chosen by belief in the Truth?