“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.” Ephesians 4:22-24

I’m still in the mode of New Year’s Resolutions—there are all kinds of things I want to change about myself.  However, maybe I need to rethink this effort. In the January 7 devotional from the book that Glenn gave us, Live in Grace, Walk in Love, Bob Goff says we don’t need resolutions, we just need to “go love everybody.” In other words, Just Do It. And last Sunday, my pastor said we don’t need a resolution, we need a revelation, quoting from Jeremiah 33:3.

Regardless of whether we make resolutions or not, most of us do want to be better, we want to make changes, and we would like to make them stick. There are theories about change that involve behavior, meaning that we can act or behave our way to change. However, the effectiveness of this approach varies, and often is not sustainable. According to God’s Word, real transformative change is to first set our hearts on things above, to adopt the mind of Christ. There is so much wisdom in this passage below from Colossians 3:1-17. I tried to omit some of it for brevity, but the message is just too important. I hope you will read it carefully and see the logical progression of transformation:

1. Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
2. 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. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
3. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
4. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
5. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

When we begin to understand this passage from Colossians, then the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5:20-22 begins to make more sense: “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.”  If in our hearts we are angry, in Christ’s kingdom that is just as bad as actually committing murder. We must first experience a heart change before we can truly fully obey Christ’s teaching.

Chameleons can change their colors and change them back again. However, when caterpillars transform into butterflies, they will never be caterpillars again. Change is hard, and for people, transformation is impossible without the Holy Spirit. We do see from the passage in Colossians that we are called to do something: to “set our minds”, to “put to death” the bad stuff, to “clothe” ourselves with the good stuff, to “let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts”, and to “be thankful.”  I used to think that through self-control, I could do anything; however, as I repeatedly learned the hard way, I actually couldn’t make needed changes stick through my own efforts. I clearly remember the relief I felt when I finally came to understand that self-control is actually one of the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). In other words, we have self-control and the ability to make changes and to be transformed only through the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit. As a believer, the Holy Spirit will help us to accomplish all these important changes, if we are doing them “in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2)

In Christ,

Judy