two selves?
section 1
What we believers should come to realize is that the natural self each of us are is weak romans 6:19 in that our old self has been a slave to sin romans 7:14 because we literally sold ourSELFs to sin i kings 21:25 by conforming to its nature romans 6:16, 8:5 . When we come to know Christ the old self’s slavery to sin has been executed romans 6:6 in Christ’s purchase of us by His own life i peter 1:18-19 galatians 3:13 matthew 20:28 . We are given a new self that is free in the nature of Jesus ephesians 4:24 ephesians 2:10 colossians 3:10 .
While the old natural self has been uprooted and therefore is good as dead genesis 20:3 romans 6:11-12 , our ways of thinking, feeling, acting, etc. ephesians 4:22 jeremiah 22:21 are still what we are most familiar and comfortable with jeremiah 13:23 . The old self still seems to be a slave because sin in its nature does not regard what is right and release its former slave ecclesiastes 8:8 romans 7:17 . So effectively, experientially, it’s as if we have two selves in constant conflict galatians 5:17 romans 7:21-23 .
This is why in practice we must mortify the old self’s habits and vivify the new self’s nature colossians 3:5-10 until the old self’s comforts, goals, ideals, emotions, etc. are not only executed but its decaying husk is washed clean away ephesians 4:22-24 titus 2:11-14 . This happens as the new self grows up galatians 4:19 ephesians 4:13 when we learn a new way of thinking, feeling, deciding, responding, etc. romans 7:6 ephesians 4:20-21 romans 12:2 as the practice of Christ’s way transforms us to have a new familiarity, comfort, mindset, desire…way of life hebrews 5:13-14 ii corinthians 5:17 romans 8:29 romans 6:4 .
my notes:
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.
(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife.
Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
my notes:
We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole."
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
my notes:
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, "You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman."
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
I warned you when you felt secure, but you said, ‘I will not listen!’ This has been your way from your youth; you have not obeyed Me.
Can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.
my notes:
As no one has power over the wind to contain it, so no one has power over the time of their death. As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it.
For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.
my notes:
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.
my notes:
My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.
my notes:
For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.
We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
my notes:
section 2
To become truly aware of our own self we must seek out the only One Who can reveal the heart jeremiah 17:9-10 by bringing to light who we really are i corinthians 4:3-5 . When we pursue obeying His nature romans 6:16, 19 we come to find our own nature by the practical, lived out comparison i peter 2:21 romans 13:14 . It is in practicing the life of Jesus that we find how much grace we need to change to actually become like Him galatians 3:24 . For we on our own deceive ourselves galatians 6:3-4 proverbs 28:26 ; usually ignoring the proof of what we produce normally matthew 7:16-18 . Yet the more we walk in the Way of the Lord the clearer the true self becomes…that is what makes you stumble is finally seen as you practice obedience proverbs 4:18-19 . It is this obedience to the Truth that develops this awareness and in turn the correction that teaches us to love God and other instead of loving our own SELFs i peter 1:22 .
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve."
I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
my notes:
Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
my notes:
For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
my notes:
section 3
We need to learn to think of ourSELFs not with delusional, cognitive bias but with the sober-minded thinking romans 12:3 that comes from searching our souls psalm 77:6 in examination of self ii corinthians 13:5 haggai 1:5, 7 by using the Word as the mirror to look at ourSELFs in james 1:21-25 . For it is Truth that sets us free john 8:32 …not self-justification luke 16:15 luke 10:29 .
Once practiced and excelling in this honest self-examination we start to see our relationships be defined by the true love that is growing up within the new self as our own self’s identity is not about self at all, but how we each lovingly relate to God ephesians 5:1 i peter 1:8 and through Him, how we lovingly relate to each other colossians 3:11 psalm 16:2-3 . So, the relevance of self is completely meaningless in our own individuality john 12:24-25 john 8:54 , but it is only truly worthwhile in our relationships in God Himself romans 11:36 romans 8:17 john 15:4-5 and His people ephesians 2:19-22 galatians 3:28 .
Hence, we become who we have been destined to be romans 8:28-30 in Christ galatians 2:20 ii corinthians 5:17 by His grace working in the new self to be like Jesus i corinthians 15:10 .
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
my notes:
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?
Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways.
This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways.
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the Word planted in you, which can save you.
Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
my notes:
He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.
Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
my notes:
Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from You." As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Jesus replied, "If I glorify Myself, My glory means nothing. My Father, Whom you claim as your God, is the One Who glorifies Me.
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.
my notes:
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.
Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of His household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.
my notes:
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified.
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
my notes:
Scripture quotations taken from one or more of the following versions as noted:
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