Week 7 | Monday
Monday – Out with the Old, In with the New
Written by Sam Vavzincak (Pickerington Campus)
Ephesians 4:17-24
Key Verses:
“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.” (22-24)
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reminds us that as a Christian, you are a new creation in Christ. When you become a Christian, not only is your eternity changed, but your life here on Earth should look completely different. The old thoughts, desires, and actions that used to define you should be put off and left behind. This passage should cause us to think, “What about my life has looked different since I became a Christian?” The answer to that question should be so much more than just how you spend your time on Sunday mornings (or Thursday nights). The desires you have now should be night and day different from the desires that marked your life as a non-Christian. Changing your desires and actions takes real work. Paul informs us that our old self needs to be “put off.” It does not just vanish. You need to be active in identifying which desires are holding you back from being the person that God wants you to be and replacing those with desires that more closely align with God’s will for your life. To the Ephesians, Paul emphasizes greed and impurity. If he was writing this letter to you, what “old self” desires would Paul tell you to put off?
The beauty in this process is that when you put off your old self and put on your new self, the glory and transformative power of our God gets to be on display through you. Your friends, family, and coworkers will begin to notice the work that God has done in your life, and you get to share with them how our God is moving in real ways still today.
Reflection Questions:
- What areas of your life have looked different since you became a Christian?
- What sinful thoughts or desires are you still allowing to take root in your life? What work do you need to do to put off those desires and pursue righteousness and holiness in those areas?
- Does your daily life include routines or disciplines that help you look more like Christ each day?
Prayer Prompt:
“God, thank you for calling me into this new life in Christ. Your ways are perfect, and I know that you want what is best for my life here on Earth and for eternity. Help drive out any sinful, deceitful desires that I have and replace them with a desire for you and your will.”