Put On The New Man

Therefore if raised along with Christ, seek that above where Christ exists, enthroned at the right hand of God. Mind of that above, not that of the earth, for you died and your life is laid up together with Christ in God. When Christ your life is brought to light then you also will be brought to light with him.*

If you are raised with Christ, Paul writes, then seek that above. Paul writes part of me is raised and seated with Christ, He made us alive "and raised us up and seated us in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,"* What part of me has been raised with Christ? Surely, not my body, not until I die or Christ returns will my body be raised, resurrected. We are awaiting this salvation; the redemption of our bodies.* Is it my soul? Peter writes there is a salvation of my soul, and this is the goal of faith that we are obtaining this salvation.* So it is not our body or soul. In context, Paul is talking about putting off the old man and putting on the new man. It is this new man, who is spiritual, and the mind of the new man this is one that is above. When we put on this mind, the life of Christ is brought to life in our bodies.

Now, the God of peace himself sanctify you completely and keep your spirit, soul, and body, keep it complete, blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.*

The word sanctify means to separate, consecrate; cleanse, purify, sanctify. Paul writes this is a reason Christ died, to sanctify, set apart the Church.* If we are already saints, holy, and sanctified then why is Paul writing that God sanctify us completely? And why is Paul telling us to train in godliness, to strive for holiness, to fight a battle against sin and evil, to run a race of perfection, and to fight the good fight of faith?* And why does Peter write the goal of faith, is the salvation of our soul and that we are obtaining it, as in it is not yet complete?* If our salvation is complete and we are holy why does Peter also write we are called to holiness?* And why does Paul address his letter to the Corinthians as those sanctified and "called" to be saints but his letter to the Ephesians he addresses as saints, which has the root word holy.* Paul writes we are to "cleanse ourselves from every pollution of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."*

We see the answer to these questions when we view sanctification and salvation and redemption as being complete in spirit, soul, and body. 

for the word of God is living and energetic also sharper than any two-edge sword, and penetrates in respect to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow and discerns the thoughts (deliberation, pondering; literally, the emotional force driving meditation and reflection) and intent (the engaged mind; thinking, consideration; a thought, purpose, design, intention) of the heart.*

We see in this verse the separation of soul and spirit and how the word of God penetrates with respect to dividing soul from spirit. Also we see the thoughts, discerning of the mind are related to the carnal and the spiritial. A transformed mind can approve, discern the will of God.* Paul tells us to be renewed in the spirit of the mind.* Therefore the transformed mind is that of the new man who is spiritual. The salvation of our soul, which is the goal of faith, is accomplished as the word of God increases faith in which is our victory, thus transformation takes place in the salvation of our soul, the renewing of the mind?

for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly rather empowered of God for tearing down strongholds, tearing down thoughts, and lofty ideas raised against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to the extent of obedience to Christ.*

We see how important our thoughts are in putting on the new man. We must be diligent in guarding our hearts and minds, and bringing our thoughts into submission to Christ. Meditation on the word of God is important in this. It helps us to understand we have a spirit, soul, and body. I am born anew of Spirit, a new creation. This happened when I heard the word of truth, the gospel of my salvation I was marked (as his own, adopted of Spirit, sealed, born anew) of the Holy Spirit, which is a guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of his own...* When God chose me in Christ I received adoption, redemption, the forgiveness of sin. But we see our redemption and adoption is not complete we are awaiting full adoption, the redemption of our bodies.* There is a salvation of our soul, as evil uses the weakness of the body, its sinful desires, to war against our souls. The battle for the believer is for the soul in which the mind plays an important part.

for our citizenship is in heaven, from there we eagerly await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly bodies into the likeness of his glorious body, according to the energy and that his power subjecting all to himself.*

The Spirit within us moans for this day, for the glorious freedom as children of God.* Our spirit sits in the heavenlies with Christ, and there is salvation waiting to come of our body, and we are obtaining the salvation of our soul so if this is true then our salvation must exist in parts; of spirit, soul, and body. Is this why Paul writes we see in part? of who we are in Christ, like looking dimly in a mirror, but when face to face we will see clearly as we are fully known.* The new man sitting in the heavenlies with Christ is fully known. Paul writes Christ was offered once to bear our sin, and those who eagerly await him, he comes without reckoning for sin, but to the extent of salvation.* For those who believe in Jesus, these have been forgiven so the second coming for them is not to judge sin, but to escape His wrath, because his coming is unto salvation. There is salvation, redemption, and glorification to come. It has been finished, completed by Jesus, but we know in part, and we grow up in knowledge of the Son, into the fullness of Christ.

Mind of that above, not that of the earth, for you died and your life is laid up together with Christ in God.*

Be of the mind above, not that of the earth. The mind of the earth, of the flesh, is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace. You want life and peace? Have the mind above. Who is above seated with Christ? The new man, the spiritual man, the old man is the one below, earthly. For you died, who died? the old man died. Do you believe this? Is life in Christ conditional on dying? Yes, Jesus said the seed must die first to produce a harvest.* In this is the teachings of baptism. How does the Church produce a harvest? it must die to live, if we hold on to this life, we lose our life, but if we lose this life we gain His life.* Now, if we believe that we have died with Christ, we will live with him.* The life in Christ, is being revealed in our bodies, and this life is the Light to the world.

for you died and your life is laid up together with Christ in God.*

I'm a new creation but still in this body of death, in which sin dwells and evil is near. Yes, evil is near me in the spiritual realm, the devil is the ruler of the earth, energizing the sons of disobedience. I was like them living according to the desires of my flesh but I met Jesus and become spiritual who is free from this body of death. Thanks to God, Jesus died for such, my freedom, and was resurrected in power. I am now a spiritual man and the Spirit frees me from the law of sin and death. I live to the law of the Spirit of life. But I am a child, to begin with, I only see in part. How can I see fully who I am in Christ? What must I do? The Spirit is life through righteousness, and grace reigns through righteousness which I receive as a gift but I must "put on" righteousness and other armor, the full armor of God. Through dependence upon God, the Spirit of grace, I put off the old, not like flogging my body, nor living to rules of do not (touch, taste, handle) will I overcome the desires of the flesh but in grace through His power, through the Spirit put to death the old man and put on the new man.

if living according to the flesh you most certainly will die, but if the Spirit puts to death the deeds of the flesh you will live.*

Certainly, we want to live and not die before our time in this body. We see this concept in the scriptures God is judging the Church, believers in this earthly life, not like condemnation, sending to hell, but like the divine discipline that would change our character, how we live in this body, and certainly separate the children of God from that of the world.* In this God is a consuming fire, He proves and tests the genuineness of our faith, and he refines His Church to be pure.* As a child of God, I have been chosen for a purpose, to be holy, and I am under His discipline so that this purpose is brought to completion; my full salvation, so that I share in His holy character. Since His seed is in me and I am born from above, a new creation, I am indebted to righteousness, to be a partaker of His divine nature. I have a part to play in this, a race to run, a good fight of faith to fight, and since the goal of faith is the salvation of my soul, I am working out my salvation (not earning it as I am born anew in spirit) with fear and trembling that at the coming of Christ I may be found blameless in Him. How can I be blameless and holy at his coming? Put on the new man.

Mind of above, not of the earth, for you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

The Spirit puts to death the deeds of the flesh and brings to life, the life of Christ in this mortal body.* But it is not complete, even Paul says strives to run the race though he had not obtained the goal yet. My life is hidden in Christ. Where is it hidden? it's in the heavens. I like the Bill Mounce Reverse-Interlinear translation, "for you died and your life is laid up together with Christ in God," because the old has died and the new is laid up in Christ in the heavens. It is also hidden in that the blood of Jesus covers me. And hidden in the sense that I do not see fully who I am, but in part who I am. Either way, I'm seated with Christ, a hidden mystery being revealed, a secret uncovered, a light brought forth. Through a growth process that produces maturity, through knowledge of the Son, the mind is renewed to be like the new man, which has the mind of Christ and is in the fullness, wholeness, completeness of Christ. In other words, I don't see how I'm fully known in Christ but I can set my mind on that above, renewed in the spirit of my mind, so that I become known as I am fully known, and have the life of Christ.

When Christ your life is brought to light then you also will be brought to light with him.*

We can translate this verse in a way that when he appears we also will appear with him. This is true, when he comes back I'm going to appear with him in glory and I'm going to receive completeness, the fullness of life in Christ. But we see Paul makes this point; a part of me is already sitting in the heavenlies with Christ. So we can say the new man, the spiritual man has an inheritance among the saints, he is holy and sanctified and redeemed. And when I fully arrive in heaven I will be full, complete in spirit, soul, body. But here on earth, I'm still in this earthly body, awaiting redemption, salvation to come. And I am working out the salvation of my soul. Of course, the spirit can put to death the deeds of the flesh and give life to this mortal body, in fact, that's part of what's happening, His life is being brought to life in my body, He is being glorified in my body (glorification.) He is raising us up, now, here on earth, we are becoming new day by day. I'm going to die physically, in my body, but I will be raised up in a new body like Christs' but I am being renewed day by day.

We see the concept of the body, spirit, and we see the soul, the working out of our salvation, working out that renewing of the mind, transformation. Peter says it the goal of my faith, the salvation of my soul. My mind is part of my soul. It's my thinking, right? it's my character, my personality, who I am. I think therefore I am... but the problem is when I am a child my thinking is carnal not like the new man I am in Christ, I do not fully think or know who I am, therefore I can be tossed to and fro in deceitful thinking. The concept of transformation is we are being transformed by the renewing of the mind, from glory to glory formed into the image of Christ. God chose me, and called me, and predestined me, and justified me, and if these things are true then also there is glorification, which means I'm being conformed to the image of Christ, the glory that shines in his face.

When Christ your life is brought to light then you also will be brought to light with him.*

The word bringing to light is also translated as appeared, to set in a clear light; to manifest, display. I wrote about suffering recently and one of the reasons we suffer is so that Jesus may be brought to light in our bodies.* Paul writes, "always bearing in the body the dying of Jesus so that the life of Jesus is brought to light, and displayed in our bodies."* The light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ has shone into our hearts, the same glory that shines in the face of Jesus. We exist treasure in jars of clay so that the surpassing power, that bringing life, belongs to God. 

So think about Jesus our life being brought to life, displayed, manifested in our body. John writes it is the life of Jesus that is Light to men. What a testimony when the glory of God is being revealed through me in this body. Think of that in regards to being a Light to the world. If God is not glorified in my body, how is His light displayed? through works? no, but through the life of Christ in me, and other men would see that life is manifested in this body through me being His workmanship. In this, I'm becoming who I am in Christ, it's the spiritual man I'm becoming, that man in Christ who is the finished work of Christ, the one already sitting in the heavenlies with Christ. How can I have the life of Christ revealed in my body?

Mind of above... put off the old man and put on the new man, the one renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.*

How do I have the mind of the new man? what is my part? Paul writes the outer man is wasting away, he's dying and will die physically but the new man is being renewed day by day.* And we will be resurrected in a new glorified body. Paul admits he had not obtained it in Christ but this is why he ran the race, why he fought the good fight of faith, so he can experience the life of Christ brought to light in his body and displayed to others through him. So the mind is being renewed day by day, but the devil is doing his part to choke out the believer. There is a part I must do, come in agreement with the truth, and the Spirit of God, and in my mind serve the law of the Spirit of life in Christ. Put on the new man.

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity... In these, you too once walked, when you were living in them. Now at the present, put them all away... put off the old man with its practices and put on the new, the one renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.*

Action is required on your part. Sexual immorality, homosexuality, adultery, these things are not in heaven and if you have been raised with Christ, the new man has no part, fellowship in unrighteousness, but in righteousness so put off the old man and his desires. And put on the new man, the one above, having the mind above, and be renewed in knowledge after the image of your creator. The renewal of the mind is through transformation by the supernatural power of God. But I have a part to play, a battle to fight, a battle of the mind. The old man with its mind is set on earthly things and the devil wars against this weak mind to bring men into captivity to sin in the body. It is both spiritual warfare and a struggle against sin. I must take action, I must do battle, I must be courageous, be deliberate in guarding my heart and mind, in watching what I think about, taking my thoughts captive, and submitting them into obedience to Christ. We want to have the mind of the new man so that the life of Christ is brought to life in our bodies.

As the elect of God, holy and loved, put on...*

Put on the new man. Practice the things of the nature of this man and cover all these virtues with agape love, which exists the bond that leads to perfection (the new man) and let the peace of Christ be the ruling principle in your heart... let the word of God dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing with gratitude in your heart... whatever you do heartily like as the Lord and not men.* God chose us in Christ before the creation of the world to be holy, in his presence, in love. As the elect of God, holy, and loved, put on the new man, the one seated with Christ, the one renewed in knowledge after its creator.