Daily Bread - Nov 10 2006

Ephesians 4:22 - "You shall lay aside concerning the former behavior the old man which is corrupt according to deceitful desires."

The old man refers to the condition of a person prior to salvation. The Greek word 'palaion' refers to the ancient state of things or the original condition. In this case it was the original condition of sinful man and his desires, thus, this is the spiritual paleontology of unredeemed man. The term 'old man' is used in Romans 6:6 and Colossians 3:9 in the same way that it is used here in Ephesians 4:22 to refer to the unredeemed and evil state of man. The old man has been crucified with Christ Jesus. It was destroyed so that the body or dominion of sin could also be destroyed. As a result, the redeemed individual who is made a new creation may now walk in newness of life having been freed from sin (Romans 6:4-7).

The very terminology leaves no doubt concerning the view of scripture with respect to the nature of sin; it has been entirely removed from man. However, the fact remains: every child of God must resist the temptations of the former behavior that would draw them back into the realm of the unredeemed. Just because our Savior Jesus Christ came and delivered us from the slavery and imprisonment of the devil does not mean that we cannot return into captivity and be imprisoned once again.

Be blessed,

Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org