The Old Man and the New Man (Part 2)
The “new man” must also “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:” (Eph. 4:31). The attitude and behavior of a Christian is to be different from many in the world. Malice has no place in the life of the “new man”. He must not seek vengeance on others, nor should he act with spite in his heart. The Bible clearly states, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Rom. 12:19).
In contrast to maliciousness, the “new man” is told “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32). What a difference there would be in the world if every person, including Christians, would behave with such kindness. The “new man” must understand that “…if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:20-21). Likewise, Jesus taught, “…Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same” (Matt. 5:44-46)? Also, Christ has forgiven the Christian of all of his past sins. That should be the way that Christians are to those that sin against them. Jesus said, “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him” (Luke 17:3-4).
The “new man” is now a “follower” of God (Eph. 5:1). His life is largely motivated by love. First of all, love for God, and also love for his fellow man. Paul wrote, “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us…” (Eph. 5:2). Jesus explained, “…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matt. 22:37-39).
The lifestyle of the “new man” is one of holiness and purity. Christians are commanded “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Eph. 5:3-5). In the book of Revelation, it is written “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Rev. 21:7-8). No longer can the “new man” engage in such wickedness if he wants to be a faithful child of God.
The “old man” lived in “darkness”, but the “new man” is “…light in the Lord…” and is to “…walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8). The Christian is to “…have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph. 5:11).
If I am still living as the “old man” in his lifestyle of sin, then I need to become a “new man” before it is too late. That is accomplished by being born again. Paul made it clear, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Rom. 6:3-6).
~ Corey Barnette