OLD LIFESTYLES

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Much like picking the perfect wardrobe to look our best, Scripture tells us the exact qualities and realities that cause our lives to be their best.

It uses clothing to illustrate the importance of accepting or ‘putting on’ new things God offers to us… and rejecting or ‘taking off’ old things that dictated our lifestyles.

Two favorite passages are from the gospel of Luke and the book of Colossians:

In the gospel of Luke Jesus Christ says:

“Then Jesus gave them this illustration: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn’t even match the old garment.” [Lk. 5:36]

It’s interesting that Christ notes that if we want things to complement our lives well, then we cannot patch old lifestyles with new thinking!

In the book of Colossians the Apostle Paul says:

“So determine anything that is corrupt to be dead to you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these things, God brings judgment on those committed to disobedience. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: ungodly anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene (abusive, filthy, vulgar) language from your mouth. Neither should you cheat one another, but strip off that old man with all of its ways, [Col. 3:5-9]

As we decide to put off what’s old in our lives, we will enjoy the new life God offered to us.

ANOTHEN