The Old Man And The New Man

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Category: Doctrines

Published on Saturday, 28 March 2009 07:41

Written by Ryan Hicks

THE OLD MAN AND THE NEW MAN

By Ryan Hicks

[NOTE: This is taken from part of a Faith of God University Course.]

1. WHAT IS THE OLD MAN?

The clearest definition of the old man is seen in Ephesians 2:1-3. According to these verses the old man is "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience," and the nature of the devil that makes one "by nature the children of wrath." In short the old man could be defined as the spirit, nature, and power of the devil that works in the children of disobedience.

The old man is the inward sin that almost appears to be a part of man because of man's constant submission and bondage to the old man. The old man is not the outward transgression of the law, but is the spirit behind the outward transgression of the law. It is the spirit that one becomes in union with once they recognize the law and choose to sin.

2. NAMES OF THE OLD MAN

1. Sin (John 1:29; 8:34; Romans 6:1-23; 7:7-25; 8:2)
2. The lusts of your father, the devil (John 8:44)
3. Darkness (Acts 26:18)
4. The power of Satan (Acts 26:18)
5. All ungodliness and unrighteousness (Romans 1:18, 29)
6. Vile affections (Romans 1:26)
7. A reprobate mind (Romans 1:28)
8. The old man (Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9)
9. The body of sin (Romans 6:6)
10. The lusts of sin (Romans 6:12)
11. Uncleanness (Romans 6:19)
12. Iniquity unto iniquity (Romans 6:19)
13. The motions of sin (Romans 7:5)
14. The law of sin and death (Romans 7:5-25; 8:2)
15. The carnal man (Romans 7:14-25; 8:1-13)
16. Sin that dwelleth in me (Romans 7:17, 20)
17. The body of this death (Romans 7:24)
18. The carnal mind (Romans 8:6-7)
19. The flesh (Romans 8:1-13; Galatians 5:24)
20. The god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4)
21. The works of the flesh (Galatians 5:16-21, 24)
22. The prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2)
23. The spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2)
24. The course of this world (Ephesians 2:2)
25. The lusts of our flesh (Ephesians 2:3)
26. The desires of the flesh and of the mind (Ephesians 2:3)
27. The nature of the children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3)
28. Principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12)
29. The body of the sins of the flesh (Colossians 2:11)
30. The world (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17)
31. The lust of the flesh (1 John 2:16; Galatians 5:16-21)
32. The lust of the eyes (1 John 2:16)
33. The pride of life (1 John 2:16)
34. The lust of the world (1 John 2:17)

3. PAUL'S STRUGGLE WITH THE OLD MAN

In Romans 7:7-25 the Apostle Paul talks about his struggle with the old man before he was born-again. While many use these verses as "proof" for their false teachings on sin, it is clear that Paul WAS NOT a born-again believer when the struggle he talks about in Romans 7:7-25 was happening. To argue that because Paul was born-again when he wrote the book of Romans, the struggle mentioned in Romans 7:7-25 must have been during his present Christian walk is absolutely erroneous! The following eleven truths prove that Paul was not talking about a born-again believer in Romans 7:7-25.

1. He wrote five letters before the book of Romans. One of those five letters was 1 Thessalonians in which he says, "Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily, and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe" (1 Thessalonians 2:10). Does that really sound like the person in Romans 7:7-25? No, because that person received the New Birth (Acts 9:17-18), and became a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

2. It goes against everything he had taught up to that chapter (Romans 1:1-7:6).

3. It goes against the teaching of the very verse before it (Romans 7:6).

4. He said that sin deceived him and slew him (Romans 7:11). This is quite the opposite of the born-again believer who has overcome the world (1 John 5:4), and cannot be overcome by the devil (1 John 5:18).

5. He says that he is "carnal" and "sold under sin" (Romans 7:14). This cannot be the lot of any born-again believer (John 8:30-36; Romans 6:1-23; 8:1-13).

6. He mentions twice that sin dwells in him (Romans 7:17, 20). The born-again believer has God dwelling in them, not sin and the devil (John 14:23; 1 Corinthians 6:17; 1 John 3:3-10, 24; 5:18).

7. He says that he cannot find how to perform the good that he wants to do (Romans 7:18). All believers can do good, and must do so through the power of God to remain born-again (1 John 3:3-10; 5:18; 2 John 9; 3 John 11; Jude 21).

8. He claims to be a wretched man (Romans 7:24). This is hardly a description of one who has "ceased from sin" (1 Peter 4:1), or who has been "made free from sin" (Romans 6:18).

9. He desires a Saviour to deliver him from the body of death (Romans 7:24). How can this be the description of one who already has received the Saviour and is a new creature in Christ?

10. When people accused Paul of living in the flesh He told them, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh" (2 Corinthians 10:3). Yet, those who pervert Romans 7:7-25 contradict Paul and say that he did war after the flesh.

11. In the very next chapter he makes it abundantly clear that the previous testimony of his struggle with the old man was before his salvation for he testifies that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus had made him free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).

Clearly Paul was not talking about his life anytime as a born-again man. He was describing his bondage to sin while under the law, and not his life as a believer who was delivered from the law (Romans 7:6). This is abundantly clear by the fact that right after he describes his bondage to sin and the law before he was saved, he says, "There is therefore now [when one is born-again and freed from the law and sin] no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."

4. HOW TO BE FREE FROM THE OLD MAN

Receiving freedom from the old man and the sins that he tries to get you commit is simple. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." If someone has truly repented of their sins and confessed the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, the old man and outward sins have passed away, and all things have become new.

5. PUT OFF THE OLD MAN!

The Bible commands for all men to put off the old man (Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:8-9). This putting off only occurs when one chooses to repent of their sins and live for God. When one has done this they have put off the old man and have put on the new man.

The Greek word translated "put off" in the Scriptures below (Ephesians 4:20-22 and Colossians 3:8-9) is apotithemi. Apotithemi means to cast off, lay aside (See apotithemi's usage in Hebrews 12:1), put away, etc.

Ephesians 4:20-22
20   But ye have not so learned Christ;
21   If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22   That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts:

What the Lord Jesus teaches about the old man is that one must put off the old man. They are not to go back to living under the control of the old man, but if they do they can repent and put off the old man again.

Colossians 3:8-9
8   But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9   Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.

All true believers have put off the old man with his deeds. They do not continue in the deeds of the old man, because they have been renewed in the spirit of their mind and have put on the new man (Ephesians 4:23-24).

Galatians 5:24
24   And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

If one is truly a Christian they have put off or crucified the old man (the flesh) with the affections and lusts. If one has not ever done this they can be sure that they have never been saved. Such a one must confess and forsake their sins (Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9), thus putting off the old man.

6. PUT ON THE NEW MAN!

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