Look at all the people you can see in this grainy picture... is there any doubt about which one is the bride-to-be? Obviously not! Her sister and mother (me!) are standing back there in jeans and some other lady is wearing a somber-looking black skirt. The one who has "put off" her old clothes and "put on" a new white gown is definitely the bride. Don't worry-- this isn't the gown she chose for her wedding which is coming up in July. I wouldn't publish those pictures! But isn't she lovely?
I am showing you this because one of the most important concepts I have learned recently is that of "putting off" and "putting on." Check this out from Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV): "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."
Start thinking about things you've done, said and thought recently. That snide comment about your co-worker. That flash of anger toward your spouse. That condescending tone you used with your... friend/son/daughter/mother/father/spouse/fellow-committee-member/subordinate. Well, you get the idea. Just think about it. Are those things reflections of your old self or your new self? You get a new self by trusting in Jesus Christ to transform you. But then you also have to commit to daily "putting off" that old self and "putting on" the new one.
The Bible is chock full of these "put offs" and "put ons" once you start noticing them. Just note that every time you find something you need to put off, you're supposed to put on the whole list that's given. For example: suppose I just muttered to the person behind me in the grocery store line that the checker was ridiculously slow. I think that could qualify as "unwholesome talk" according to Ephesians 4:29. It didn't help anyone or improve the situation. Better that I had put off that unwholesome talk and put on some words that would build up, that the person needed to hear and that would benefit anyone listening. See? Here is the "put off", the "put on" and the verse that it comes from:
Unwholesome talk Words that build up, that they
need to hear,
that benefit others
Eph 4:29 Do not
let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building
others up according to their
needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Let's rewind. I'm in a long grocery store line. I could pass the time by saying to the person behind me, "There's sure a lot of people shopping today. I had to come in for my Easter ham-- Easter is one of my favorite holidays. Are you celebrating Easter this year?" Wouldn't that be better? Then if they wanted to talk to pass the time, Jesus could be brought into the conversation, or some kind of encouragement could be offered.
Try to think about and pray about what you need to put off today. And what you need to put on to become a fitting bride of Christ. You can find all kinds of biblical help for whatever your "old self" issues are. Here are a few (pages) to get you started. Obviously the put off is in the left column and the put on is in the right.
Selfish
ambition Humility,
considering others better than myself,
Vain
conceit looking
for interests of others, being a servant
Phil
2:3-7 3 Do
nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value
others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own
interests but each of you to the interests of the others.5 In
your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:6 Who,
being in very nature God, did not consider equality with
God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather,
he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made
in human likeness.
Self
centeredness Deny self,
take up cross daily, follow Christ, lose your life
Luke
9:23-24 23 Then
he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves
and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For
whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for
me will save it.
Own
ways, haughty God’s ways, doing what is right and just
eyes,
proud heart
Prov
21:2-4 2 A person
may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart. 3 To
do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than
sacrifice. 4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart—the unplowed
field of the wicked—produce sin.
Prov
3:6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will
make your paths straight.
Is
55:8 “For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
Proud
or arrogant talking Letting all
boasting be of God and His glory
I
Sam 2:3, 6-8 “Do not keep talking so
proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.
for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.
6“The Lord brings
death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.
7 The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.
7 The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.
Bitter
envy, selfish Humble deeds,
peace-loving, considerate of others,
ambition submissiveness,
mercy, having good fruit, impartiality,
sincerity,
peacemaking
James
3:13-18 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let
them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that
comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy
and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the
truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from
heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For
where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and
every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from
heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate,
submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who
sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
Judging
others Judging myself
first then can see clearly
Matt
7:1, 5 “Do not judge, or you too will be
judged. 5 You
hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see
clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Quarreling Kind, able to
teach, not resentful, gently instruct
2
Tim 2:23-25 23 Don’t
have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they
produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must
not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not
resentful. 25 Opponents must be gently instructed,
in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of
the truth.
Anger Quick to
hear, slow to speak, slow to anger
James
1:19-20 19 My
dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to
listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because
human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
Bitterness,
rage, anger Kindness, compassion,
tenderheartedness, forgiving
brawling,
slander, malice
Eph
4:31-32 31 Get
rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with
every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate
to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Anger,
rage, malice, Compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, slander, filthy lang., lying bearing with one another, forgiveness, love
Col
3:8-14 8 But now
you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage,
malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do
not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with
its practices 10 and have put on the new
self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its
Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or
Jew,circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or
free, but Christ is all, and is in all. 12 Therefore, as God’s
chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear
with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance
against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And
over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in
perfect unity.
Harsh
word Gentle
answer
Proverbs
15:1 A gentle answer turns away
wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Paying
back evil for evil Blessing
I
Peter 3:9 9 Do
not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary,
repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so
that you may inherit a blessing.
Jealousy,
rage, selfish Love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness
ambition,
envy gentleness,
self-control
Gal
5:20-23 19 The
acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and
debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred,
discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and
envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that
those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, 23 gentleness and
self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Grumbling
(complaining), Rejoice, be gentle, pray
with thanksgiving
arguing
Phil
2:14 14 Do
everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so
that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without
fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will
shine among them like stars in the sky
Phil
4:4-6 4 Rejoice
in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let
your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do
not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Anger,
contention Forgiveness,
reconciliation, peacemaking
Matt.
5:22-24 22 But I
tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be
subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is
answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in
danger of the fire of hell. 23 “Therefore, if you are
offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister
has something against you, 24 leave your gift there
in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer
your gift.
Matt.
5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Living
for myself Living for Jesus
who died for me & was raised
2
Cor. 5:15 And He died for all, that
those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for
them and was raised again.
Quarreling,
jealousy, Faith, excellent
speech, knowledge, earnestness, love,
anger,
factions, slander, generosity in
giving
gossip,
arrogance, disorder
2
Cor 12:20 For I am afraid when I come… I
fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and
disorder.
2
Cor 8:7 But since you excel in
everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and
in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of
giving.
Fear Love,
power strong mind/self-discipline
For the Spirit God gave us does not make
us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Living
unwisely, careless Careful use of time,
living wisely, making the most of
use
of time, foolishness every
opportunity, redeeming the time, understand what
the
Lord’s will is
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not
as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every
opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore
do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Trying
to win human Trying
to win God’s approval, being a servant of God
approval
or please people
Gal
1:10 Am I now trying to win the approval
of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were
still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
P.S. I am thankful to my friends Gloria and Flo who have been teaching me these concepts. I sure didn't come up with this myself!
