Changing Old Habits Replacing Them With Christ
People don’t change by chance; they change by choice. We are told to put off the corrupt and deceitful lusts behavior and manner of life. When we change we must take the old habits and replace them with the attributes of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 4:18-32
We are told to put off the corrupt and deceitful lusts behavior and manner of life. We are to be renewed in the spirit of our minds and put on a new manner of life and behavior which is after God who created us in His righteousness and true holiness. We are to put away lying, and speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. When you are angry, do not sin and do not let the sun go down upon your wrath. Neither give place to the devil.
Let those who have stolen steal no more. Rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to those that are in need. We are not to allow corrupt communication proceed out of our mouths, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that is to be the one who promotes another person in Christian wisdom, piety, happiness and holiness that it may minister grace unto the hearers. We are not to grieve that is to make sorrowful, cause grief the Holy Spirit of God, whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption.
We are put away all bitterness which is extreme wickedness and bitter hatred, as well as wrath and anger and clamor which is outcry, and evil speaking, with all malice which would include ill-will, desire to injure, wickedness, depravity or any kind of wickedness that is not ashamed to break laws. We are to be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven us. (Ephesians 4:22-32).
People don’t change by chance; they change by choice. You must accept that there has to be a change in a person’s life style for change to come about. Old habits of sin must be changed in order for reconciliation with the Lord can happen. Ephesians tells us we are to put away lying, and speak every man truth with his neighbor. It is not enough for a liar to simply stop lying. He must make it his intention to become a teller of the truth. The habit of lying must be stopped.
It is not enough to say let those who have stolen steal no more. A thief must do more than just stop stealing, they must make a change and continue to strive to be hardworking and generous to those around them. The habit of stealing must be replaced by hard work and an honest effort to change old habits.
We are not to allow corrupt communication proceed out of our mouths. The habit of tearing people down must be stopped and instead building those people up. You see a habit is something that is practiced so often it becomes routine. Habits of behavior do not happen overnight so, changing will not come about overnight either. It take work, prayer and perseverance. The sin of idolatry that is the habit which involves worshiping, longing for, or looking to anything other than the LORD God as the ultimate and only source of our happiness, fulfillment is an example of a bad habit which can cast a person a working relationship with the LORD God.
We must want to change the habit of our old corrupt fallen nature, improve our way of life, throw out our faulty thinking, and eliminate our darkness of mind that alienates and distance us from the love of the LORD God. This can be accomplished by learning and living the example given us by Jesus Christ, accept the truth that Jesus Christ is our Savior and has delivered from the corruption of our old self.
We must eliminate the vanity of the mind, reject serving the self, and be aware of the blindness of the heart. Blindness of the heart leads to obtrusiveness of mental discernment, dulled perception and stubbornness. All this blindness and hardness of the heart can be the root of our problems. It is this hardness of heart against the LORD God that will darken our understanding. (Ephesians 4:18).
Our past feelings before we knew Christ we refused to feel pain or grief, we had no self-control and became callous and apathetic focusing totally on our self. Because of these past feelings had given themselves over unto lasciviousness that is unbridled lust, excess, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, disrespect and rudeness. Working all uncleanness with greediness. (Ephesians 4:19).
Before we can escape from the darkness and hardness of our old life, before we can break the habits that is so familiar to us we must hear. We must hear the voice of Jesus calling us out of darkness into light and out of death into life. Jesus came to call us the sinners to repentance. (Mark 2:17).
It is only in the increased of our knowledge, love and the trust in Christ that constrains us or holds us together with Him. It is because of the love of Christ that we can judge right from wrong. Because Jesus Christ did for us all then we should all live not for our elf but for Him which died for us and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). It is the grace that merciful kindness by which the LORD God, employs His holy influence upon our very souls, turns us to Jesus Christ, who keeps us, strengthens us, and increases us in Christian faith, knowledge, love, and brings us to the application of the Christian virtues. It is by the grace of the LORD God that brings us salvation that has appeared to all men. It is this grace that Jesus Christ our Lord teaches us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust and teaches us we should live soberly with sound mind, righteously, and godly, in this present world. Always looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great LORD God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:11-15). “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” (1 Peter 5:10).
We are instructed to put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Jesus Christ who was created by the LORD. (Colossians 3:10). Putting on the new person means we are to have the behavior and manner of life, as the elect who has been chosen of God. We are to be holy and beloved, bowels of mercies having compassion and pity. Showing kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also must forgive them. And above all these things put on charity especially Christians towards Christians, which is the bond of perfectness. We are instructed to let the peace of the LORD God rule in our hearts, and we are called in one body; and be thankful. We are to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Whatsoever we do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to the LORD God and the Father by him. (Colossians 3:12-17).
Because when your mind is filled with the love of Christ and with all the fullness of the LORD God, then the spirit of your mind is renewed and freed from the deceit of this world. And out of that renewed mind come new attitudes, emotions, practices, and new habits that are full of righteousness and holiness. And this new person that you become is because you were chosen and created by the LORD God Himself, and to him belongs all the glory forever and ever. Amen.
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MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Changing Old Habits: Replacing Them With Christ:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2015.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2125,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, January “Changing Old Habits: Replacing Them With Christ:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2125,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “Changing Old Habits: Replacing Them With Christ:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2125, (accessed).
