The old self has two distinctive characteristics.
First, it’s corrupt, spiritually, morally, and physically.
Secondly, it’s a rebel.
God’s solution for the old self is execution. Paul says this in Romans 6: 6, Knowing this thing, because that our old human being was crucified so that the body of sin might be rendered entirely useless. That our body of sin might be rendered in active, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.
That’s the only way of escape from the slavery of sin, to realize that your old self was executed when Jesus died on the cross.
What is the nature and origin of the new man?
Ephesians 4:22 to take off, your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on, the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.
These pictures both the old self and the new self. Paul says that in reference to your former manner of life you lay aside the old self and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new self which, in the likeness of God, has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Now we’re going to analyze that last phrase about the new self, which, in the likeness of God, has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
This brings out four main aspects of the new self.
First, it’s produced by a creative act of God. It’s not something that man can ever produce by his own efforts, by religion or good works or legalism or anything of that nature. It depends on a creative act of God.
Secondly, the creative act of God proceeds out of the truth, that is, the truth of God’s word. It’s exactly opposite to the old self, which is the product of Satan’s lie.
So, we have lie and truth set in opposition to one another.
Thirdly, the nature of the new self is described in two words, righteousness and holiness.
And fourth, Paul says that it’s in the likeness of God, but the alternative reading for that in the margin is according to the purpose of God.
Each is legitimate. And I believe Paul includes both meanings. The new self is created according to God’s original purpose for man. And in the new self, God’s likeness is restored, which in turn will transform our soul.
First, he’s produced by creative act of God.
Secondly, the new man is the product of the truth of God’s word as opposed to the deception of Satan’s lie which produces the old self.
Thirdly, the nature of the new self is summed up in the words righteousness and holiness.
Fourthly, the new self-fulfills God’s original purpose in creation which is to reproduce God’s likeness.
We can compare with this what Paul says about the old self and the new self in Colossians chapter 3 verses 9 and 10. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices.
Notice once again that lying is the primary manifestation of the old self. He’s the product of the devil’s lie and he’s a liar by nature.
But, Paul goes on, you have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the one who created him.
Let’s look at the aspects of the new self which Paul brings out in this passage in Colossians.
First, we notice, that the old man is once again associated with lies. He’s the product of the devil’s lie and he’s a liar. And lying is a mark of the old nature.
Lying never proceeds from the new nature. You remember Jesus said that Satan is the father of lies.
Secondly, in this passage in Colossians, Paul points out that the new man is being progressively renewed.
In Ephesians, he emphasized the act of creation, but in Colossians, he emphasizes the process of being renewed.
After creation, there’s an ongoing process of renewing. And then in Colossians, Paul states the two end purposes for the new self.
First, the true knowledge of God. He’s to come back into the true knowledge of God.
And secondly, he uses the word the image of his Creator, God’s likeness.
Let’s sum up those 3 aspects of the new self, or those two aspects of the new self-stated in Colossians.
First, he’s being progressively renewed.
Secondly, he’s fulfilling the two end purposes of God, that is, the true knowledge of God and the restoration of God’s likeness.
Now I’m going to deal with the question, how is the new man produced?
First, he’s produced by birth. In John 1: 12 and 13, we read these words, But as many as received him, that’s Jesus, To them gave he the authority to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
We take the key phrase in the last verse, born of God. So that’s the first statement about the origin of the new man, he’s born of God.
In John chapter 3 verse 5, Jesus says this, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. It does not say born of water and of spirit implying two different things. It says born of water and spirit. That which is born of spirit is spirit.
The early church did not have people pray, the sinners pray, they immediately baptized them in water which is our initial obedience to the gospel. If you do not get baptize in water you are still disobedient, you must be at least willing to be baptized in water. Some people are too old to get baptized, but they are willing. If anyone is willing to do the Fathers will, they shall know the origin of the teaching. These are not two separate things. The kingdom is the realm where God rules, both in heaven and earth.
The birth is born of the Spirit.
And then in 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 23, Peter says this, for you have been born again, not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.
So, we see that the new self is the product of a birth. He’s born of God through being born of water and of the Spirit and through receiving the imperishable seed of God’s Word.
We can sum it up this way. As we receive God’s Word by faith and obey it, God’s Spirit brings forth within us the very nature of God, divine, incorruptible, eternal. The seed was divine, incorruptible, and eternal. The seed of God’s Word, the nature which it brings forth, is likewise divine, incorruptible, and eternal.
We can take this just one step further. In Scripture, Jesus himself is called the Word of God. In John chapter 1 and verse 1, this title is used three times in the one verse. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. To whom does that refer? It refers to the one who was manifested in time and in human flesh as Jesus of Nazareth.
In Revelation 19 and verse 13, we have a description of Jesus returning to the earth in glory and power to reign. And this is what it says. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the word of God.
So, Jesus is the word of God. The gospel or the scripture is the word of God. The gospel is the preached word. Jesus is the Living Word, and there’s a direct relationship between the two.
When we receive and believe and obey the preached word, the gospel, the scripture, it’s a seed. And that seed brings forth in us, by an operation of the Holy Spirit, through our obedience, a new nature, the new self.
And this nature is like the seed which brought it forth. It’s divine, it’s eternal, it’s imperishable or incorruptible.
The old self is essentially corrupt. The new self is incorruptible. It’s the very nature of God coming out of the seed of God’s word. And that seed of the preached word of God, received and believed in our hearts, brings forth the nature and ultimately the very person of the living Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
This is so clearly expressed by Paul in Galatians chapter 2 and verse 20, where he says, I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.
First, the old self must be executed. But he was executed when Christ died on the cross. Our old self was crucified with him. So, Paul states this as an accomplished fact of history. I have been crucified with Christ. I, my old self. But he says, “I continue to live”.
But it’s no longer I, the old self, that’s living in me. But it’s the new self, it’s the very nature and person of Jesus reproduced in me as I believed and received the preached Word of God, the divine, eternal, incorruptible seed of God’s Word that produces in me the very nature of God’s Son, Jesus.