Time to believe God's facts.John Farley
Pastor-Teacher Sunday, September 28, 2014 Time to believe God’s facts.The old man was crucified. The old man –in reference to his manner of life - is being corrupted. The old man is mentioned with regard to evil practices. Notice how comprehensive this is. It includes both behaviors and attitudes –thinking. The Greek word for “lay aside” in Col 3:9 is different from the one in Eph 4:22. apekduomai = to take off or strip off clothing wholly to put off from oneself (ἀπό denoting separation from what is put off): apotithemi = to put away (literally or figuratively) To put out of the way figuratively, to cease doing what one is accustomed to doing - 'to stop, to cease.' The old man is someone (lay aside and put in the box like an old set of clothing that is no use to you any more). The old man is not the body of sin, because we cannot put off and put away the body of sin. The body of sin, the flesh, remains with us. But it can sit there idle when by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh. What we can put away are the deeds of the flesh. What is mentioned in Eph 4 and Col 3 in connection with the old man are his PRACTICES. His practices (or way of living) include his thinking and his behavior. Rom 6:6 and Col 3:9 state the fact.
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