Putting off the old, putting on the new

The Verse of the Day for July 16, 2018 reminds believers of who we are in Christ Jesus:
Colossians 2:9-10 in the Revised English Version:

for in him dwells, in a bodily manner, all the fullness of what God is,

and you have been given that fullness by being in union with him, the one who is the head over every ruler and authority.

To understand more fully our identity in Christ, we must take a look at the preceding verses found in Colossians 2:6-10 (REV)

6Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, 7having been firmly rooted and now being built up in him and established in your trust, just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8See to it that no one takes you captive through empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ, 9for in him dwells, in a bodily manner, all the fullness of what God is, 10and you have been given that fullness by being in union with him, the one who is the head over every ruler and authority.

This passage reminds believers that as we have received Christ Jesus, the Lord, we are to walk in him. This practice is an aspect of renewing the mind, whereby we put off the old and put on the new.

These lines reflect our prayer to God:

Open our ears to hear the Word that we might do it,
To put on the mind of Christ and learn to renew it.

The following poem refers to this ongoing process:

Putting off the old, putting on the new

9Never lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices

10and have put on the new self that is being renewed to a true knowledge

that is in accord with the image of the one who created it

Colossians 3:9-10 (REV)

 

The Word of God instructs us to renew our mind:
To walk in the love of God is to walk in victory.
As we strive toward even deeper levels of intimacy,
We will walk in power and will not be left behind.
With laser precision we target our old man nature
And consider ourselves dead to sin once for all.
We respond in obedience in answer to God’s call;
In the secret place of the Lord who ever inhabits
The praises of His people, here we desire to abide,
To put off the old, vile, corrupt, wrapped in sinful pride
And put on the new, as one changes garments, habits.
Above all we put on compassion from the start
And abide in our hiding place, filled with a grateful heart.

The last line of the poem makes a reference to “a grateful heart,” part of the lyrics of a song reminding believers to “Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart.”

Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks unto the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son (repeat)
And now let the weak say, ‘I am strong’
Let the poor say, ‘I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us’ (repeat)
Give thanks
Give Thanks

As we put on the Lord Jesus Christ, renewing our minds as we walk in love, our souls overflow with gratitude, expressions of a grateful heart.

We close with Kutless offering “Complete” based on Colossians 2:9-10:

Complete in Him, in Christ alone

To remind believers of who we are in Christ Jesus, The Verse of the Day for July 16, 2016 makes this bold declaration:

Colossians 2:9-10 (AMP):

For in Him all the fullness of Deity (the Godhead) dwells in bodily form [completely expressing the divine essence of God]. And in Him you have been made complete [achieving spiritual stature through Christ], and He is the head over all rule and authority [of every angelic and earthly power].

This is how the New Living Testament renders the verse:

Colossians 2:9-10 (NLT)

⁹ For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.¹⁰ So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

To more fully understand our identity in Christ, let’s take a look at the preceding verses found in Colossians 2:6-10

⁶ And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. ⁷ Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

⁸ Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. ⁹ For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. ¹⁰ So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

God desires that we recognize that we are complete, that we lack nothing in our relationship with Him through Christ Jesus, our Lord.

James 1:3-4 (AMP) reveals God’s desire toward us:

³ Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. ⁴ And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.

The fullness of God abides or remains in Christ, and we abide or remain in Christ as those who are born again of His spirit. To express this reality the Greek preposition “en” is translated “in,” denoting “being or remaining within, with the primary idea of rest and continuance, also denoting continuance of time, relating to union and fellowship (E.W. Bullinger). The position of this particular preposition is conveyed as the center of a circle, a position that never changes but remains fixed. In a similar manner, our position in Christ never changes, despite what may transpire in our circumstances that constantly fluctuate.

As we have received Christ Jesus, the Lord, we are to walk in him, which is an aspect of renewing the mind, whereby we put off the old and put on the new. The culminating aspect of renewing the mind is to put on charity or to demonstrate or manifest or to put into action the love of God. The Word of God encourages us to

Walk in Love: Our Best Defense

Don’t bite the bait,

Don’t take offense.

Walk in the love of Jesus Christ

It’s your best defense.

Scripture Memory Song

 

Always attacking, the Accuser stalks his prey,

Relentless in maligning Saints, both night and day.

Fiery darts of wicked words hurled in endless assaults:

The aim of evil deeds that magnify our faults.

He sets the traps, lures of the Spirit of Offense.

To counteract, we walk in love, our best defense.

He tries to trip us up, to be a stumbling block,

But we are ever vigilant around the clock.

Although we strive to reach the highest good,

Our motives are questioned; we are misunderstood.

Despite life’s challenges, we seek to rise above.

Though deeply wounded when betrayed, we still walk in love.

The thief comes to offend, falsely accuse, and betray,

But we conquer through Christ each time we trust and obey

The Verse of the Day and related scriptures remind us that we are complete in Christ, “In Christ Alone,” powerfully expressed in this song by Travis Cottrell:

Renewing the mind: ongoing process

The Verse of the Day for July 16, 2015 reminds believers of who they are in Christ Jesus, as expressed in the following blog entry which was originally posted a year ago:

Colossians 2:9-10 (NLT)

⁹ For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.¹⁰ So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

To more fully understand our identity in Christ, let’s take a look at the preceding verses found in Colossians 2:6-10

⁶ And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. ⁷ Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

⁸ Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. ⁹ For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. ¹⁰ So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

These verses tell us that as we have received Christ Jesus, the Lord, we are to walk in him, which is an aspect of renewing the mind, whereby we put off the old and put on the new. These lines reflect our prayer to God:

Open our ears to hear the Word that we might do it,

To put on the mind of Christ and learn to renew it.

Some of the same principles involved in renewing the mind are revealed in

The Key to the Renewed Mind

Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old  

unregenerate) self with its evil practices,

 And have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self],

which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded into

[fuller and more perfect knowledge upon] knowledge after

the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it.

Colossians 3:9-10 [Amplified Bible]

It has been said that the key to power is the renewed mind,

But what is the key to the renewed mind? God please show me,

For I seek to walk in power and excel and not be left behind,

As I strive to know levels of deepest intimacy.

With laser precision I target the old man nature

And put to death and mortify my members once for all.

I respond in obedience in answer to God’s call;

Not conformed, I transform myself, as new man, mature.

In the secret place of the Lord who ever inhabits

The praises of His people, here I desire to abide,

To put off the old man, vile, corrupt, wrapped in sinful pride

And put on the new man, as one changes garments, habits.

Above all I put on compassionate love from the start

And abide in my hiding place, filled with a grateful heart.

The culminating aspect of renewing the mind is to put on charity or to demonstrate or manifest or to put into action the love of God:

Walk in Love: Our Best Defense

Don’t bite the bait

Don’t take offense

Walk in the love of Jesus Christ

It’s your best defense

Scripture Memory Song

Always attacking, the Accuser stalks his prey,

Relentless in maligning Saints, both night and day.

Fiery darts of wicked words hurled in endless assaults:

The aim of evil deeds that magnify our faults.

He sets the traps, lures of the Spirit of Offense.

To counteract, we walk in love, our best defense.

He tries to trip us up, to be a stumbling block,

But we are ever vigilant around the clock.

Although we strive to reach the highest good,

Our motives are questioned; we are misunderstood

Despite life’s challenges, we seek to rise above.

Though deeply wounded when betrayed, we still walk in love.

The thief comes to offend, falsely accuse and betray,

But we conquer through Christ, each time we trust and obey

Listen to the Scripture Memory song by Zach Gilbert based on Colossians 2:6-7:

Complete in Him to walk in love

The Verse of the Day for July 16, 2014 reminds believers of who they are in Christ Jesus:

Colossians 2:9-10 KJV

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

To more fully understand our identity in Christ, let’s take a look at the preceding verses found in Colossians 2:6-10

⁶ As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

⁷ Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

⁸ Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

⁹ For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

¹⁰ And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

 

These verses tell us that as we have received Christ Jesus, the Lord, we are to walk in him, which is an aspect of renewing the mind, whereby we put off the old and put on the new. These lines reflect our prayer to God:

Open our ears to hear the Word that we might do it,

To put on the mind of Christ and learn to renew it.

Some of the principles involved in renewing the mind are revealed in

  The Key to the Renewed Mind

 

Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old                                                          

(unregenerate) self with its evil practices,

 And have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self],                                                            

which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded into                                                          

[fuller and more perfect knowledge upon] knowledge after                                                                  

the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it.

 Colossians 3:9-10

 

It has been said that the key to power is the renewed mind,

But what is the key to the renewed mind? God please show me,

For I seek to walk in power and excel and not be left behind,

As I strive to know levels of deepest intimacy.

With laser precision I target the old man nature

And put to death and mortify my members once for all.

I respond in obedience in answer to God’s call;

Not conformed, I transform myself, as new man, mature.

In the secret place of the Lord who ever inhabits

The praises of His people, here I desire to abide,

To put off the old man, vile, corrupt, wrapped in sinful pride

And put on the new man, as one changes garments, habits.

Above all I put on compassionate love from the start

And abide in my hiding place, filled with a grateful heart.

 

The culminating aspect of renewing the mind is to put on charity or to demonstrate or manifest or to put into action the love of God:

Walk in Love: Our Best Defense

 

Don’t bite the bait,

Don’t take offense.

Walk in the love of Jesus Christ

It’s your best defense.

 

Scripture Memory Song

 

Always attacking, the Accuser stalks his prey,

Relentless in maligning Saints, both night and day.

Fiery darts of wicked words hurled in endless assaults:

The aim of evil deeds that magnify our faults.

He sets the traps, lures of the Spirit of Offense.

To counteract, we walk in love, our best defense.

He tries to trip us up, to be a stumbling block,

But we are ever vigilant around the clock.

Although we strive to reach the highest good,

Our motives are questioned; we are misunderstood.

Despite life’s challenges, we seek to rise above.

Though deeply wounded when betrayed, we still walk in love.

The thief comes to offend, falsely accuse and betray,

But we conquer through Christ, each time we trust and obey

 

Listen to the Scripture Memory song by Jack Gilbert based on Colossians 2:6-7: