Ephesians 4:22

"Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion" Ephesians 4:22

This, "stripping ourselves of our former nature", goes all the way back to our covenant we made to God upon salvation... remember? We said we would turn from these things and follow Christ!

"For godly grief and the pain that God has permitted to direct, and produces and contributes to salvation and deliverance from evil, and it never brings regret; but worldly grief (the hopeless sorrow that is characteristic of the pagan world) is deadly [breeding and ending in death]." 2 Cor 7:10

"Such [former] ages of ignorance God, it is true, ignored and allowed to pass unnoticed; but now He charges all people; but now He charges all people everywhere to repent now, to change their minds for the better (heartily to amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins)," Acts 17:30 (See also Acts 3:10, and 19, Luke 13:5, and Mark 2:17)

So, back to what Paul is saying... the Amplified adds that it is putting off that old self. Now, this can be as easy as taking off an old dirty coat and slipping on a new clean Jacket, "if" you are abiding in Christ. What I mean is, The Holy Spirit will begin to direct you in what the plan of renewing will be! He will say things like, "stop throwing cigarette butts out the window", but not direct you to quit smoking, until you quit drinking, or lying, or etc. For some, He will completely take away a substance addiction, or a certain lust the moment we are saved, but there will always be something for "Him" to deal with. In fact, we have issues we don't even know or consider sinful yet. So, for one to sit down and begin making a list unless God tells you to, you are setting yourself up for failure. I have seen Christians trying to deal with too many of their problems at one time and lose faith all together. You may say, "well this verse says to do that", and yes, it does, but we just decided together from earlier context that we would go a-cross the right bridge to restoration and regeneration with Christ, and now your hands are back on the steering wheel again. How is that different from how you used to live? No, trust in and rely upon Christ do deal with these issues as you walk with Him. He will say No... Stop, Stand, Get Back Up, etc., etc.

Finally, I have known Godly, Great Men of God... one was my Pastor, who were way across the bridge to regeneration and BOOM... there was an old sin, thought to be well past temptation, yet they were drawn, even if for a moment and had to re-live this very verse. So do not be immature about this regeneration that must happen, and will happen. Dear loved ones, this verse was written in love, not as a curse. It's hard to understand why these things can't be taken away... not even for Paul, but they keep us ever dependent upon the one thing Christ desires, and that is a relationship with Him... Amen?

Let's pick up with Ephesians verse 4:23 next time.

I love you.