New Life Requires New Action

Many have heard the phrase same ole same ole.  Which pretty much means the same before and the same again.  People use this phrase to describe their day or relationship situations, their jobs and even their church.  But what about your walk with the Lord?  Do you say; or better yet could you say that your walk with the Lord is the same ole same ole?  Would you even want your walk to be the same ole same ole?  People als use this phrase in conjunction with being annoyed or bored with  something or someone.

My thing is this; if something in your life is producing that same ole same ole mindset, then why not change it?  Why sit there in that funk?  New life requires new action.  In the book of Ephesians 4:17-31 Paul is talking about a new life in Christ.  This new life is a change that literally requires you to do a 180 degree turn instead of a 360 degree turn.  Verse 22 states to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.  When we are reborn in Christ we begin a new life.  We literally have to look at our old self as.....well our old self.  We are to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God...Eph 4:24.

Like the reptile the snake, that sheds its old skin, we have to shed our old skin.  Like the snake though that skin doesn't just come off with ease.  The process of shedding for snakes requires that they rub against rough surfaces  in order to shed their skin.  In verses 26-29 of chapter 4; Paul give us some examples of this new action that takes place.  Be angry and sin not, Let the thief no longer steal; let the foul mouth speak foul no more.  To walk in this new life with Christ is going to take new action.  It is going to take some effort and commitment on our part.  Galatians 5:17 makes it supremely clear for us.  our flesh is sin and sin is against the spirit.  Our flesh was perfectly comfortable back at our old life; living with our old self.  But all the while Christ was calling us for a new life and a new course which in turn required new action.

Paul clearly states in this passage that we are going to have to accept that our new life in Christ is going to require new action.  You can't walk around and say "I am saved" and continue to walk in the old self.  Like the snake shedding it's skin against rough surfaces.  We are going to have to get up close and personal against some of those rough surfaces of our old self and begin the process of shedding our old skin.  The beauty of it all is that this time we have Christ and his Holy Spirit living within us to give us strength while we are shedding our old skin.  While we are struggling to break free completely of our old skin the Lord is there helping us along the way.

Like the snake, every believer has a different timeline for the shedding of their old skin.  Some snakes can take up to 5 to 7 days before they completely shed their skin.  Imagine if you will, this snake is rubbing against rough surfaces day in and day out in order to shed it's old skin.  It's not like the snake can just take his hands and feet and wiggle out with ease.  We as believers are having to shed out skin, but rough surface is our flesh.  Our spirit which starts off like a newborn baby, weak, young and growing is going to need time and constant attention to it's growth.

So please understand that this new life the Lord has given us in him is not without struggle and is not without opposition.  It is going to require us to rub against some rough surfaces in life to shed that old flesh and put on the new flesh.  Stay in your Bible, fellowship with other believers who are also shedding their old flesh and putting on the new flesh.  This eases the pain of the rough surfaces you are rubbing against.  Pray and pray often.


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