You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV, 1984)
The concept of the old becoming new is a consistent theme throughout the New Testament. Jesus spoke of the dangers of putting new wine in old wineskins. When John spoke of the new Jerusalem in Revelation, he said that God Himself would “make everything new.” The transition, or should I say transformation, of the heart of the believer from old to new at the moment of salvation was central to Paul’s theology. To the church in Corinth, he taught that anyone who “is in Christ,” is in fact “a new creation.”
It is the transforming, supernatural power of the Holy Spirit that enables us to experience the rebirth not only of our souls, but of our hope, purpose, and future as well. It is interesting to note, however, that in Ephesians, Paul appears to indicate that there is a corresponding action that must be taken on the behalf of the believer in order for this transition to be fully evident. The imagery he uses is as common as taking off one dirty, worn-out garment and putting on a fresh, new, clean one in its place. For, in so doing, the outward appearance will reflect the newness of what has already occurred in the heart.
So many familiar New Year’s resolutions apply to habits and matters of appearance that command only a half-hearted effort to achieve. (Some have been known to not survive New Year’s Day!) Wouldn’t it be wonderful to determine that the first day of the New Year will be the day when we throw away our old robe of apathy toward Jesus Christ and His word and put on a brand-new robe of passion to achieve and receive all He has for us in 2024! THAT’s a resolution worthy of our very best effort.
Besides—if not now—WHEN?
