7. “In Christ” (1) - Old vs New Self

📖 Bible Discovery

💡 Focus Passage

Col 3:1-14

This passage is one of many that highlights the contrasting character of the “old self” and the “new self.” Since we have become a new creation in Christ, the old has passed away and the new has come.

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:

What are “the things above” and how do they contrast with “the things on earth?” (cf. Rom 8:5-9; Phil 4:8-9).
- How should we seek the things above and why is this important?
Reflect on a recent example where you have seen aspects of the “old self” show up in your words, attitude, or actions.

🌱 Main Teachings

Put off the “old self.”
If we want to pursue the “new self,” we must first understand what our “old self” looks like in order to set it aside.
A. What is the “old self”?
- Refers to the person we were and the spiritual status we had before we died with Christ in baptism (Rom 6:3, 6-7)
  - Includes our former way of life, corrupted by deceitful desires and evil practices (Eph 4:22; Col 3:9)
  - A slave to sin; dead in sin (Rom 6:6, 17; Eph 2:1)
  - A stranger and alien to God; separated from Him (Eph 2:12, 19)
B. What is the conduct of the “old self”?
- Obeying the lusts of the flesh (Rom 6:12; 7:5; Eph 2:3)
  - Walking in what is earthly: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, greed, idolatry, etc. (Eph 5:3-7; Col 3:5)
  - Practicing what is displeasing to God:
    - Anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene speech, lying (Col 3:8-9)
    - The deeds of the flesh (Gal 5:19-21)
- Following the course of the world (Eph 2:2)
- Walking as the Gentiles do (Eph 4:17-19; 1 Pet 4:3-4)
C. What are the consequences for the “old self”?
- Unable to inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:21; 1 Cor 6:9-10)
- Wrath of God (Col 3:6)
- Death (Rom 6:23; 7:5)
Put on the “new self.”
In contrast to the “old self,” we can now take a closer look at what it means to put on the “new self” and live in newness of life.
A. What is the “new self”?
- Our new spiritual status and being, which was raised with Christ and is alive to God (Rom 6:4, 11)
  - A new creation (2 Cor 5:17)
  - Freed from sin (Rom 6:6-8)
  - Fellow citizens and members of God’s house (Eph 2:19)
B. What is the conduct of the “new self”?
- Renewing the mind to continually become more like Christ (Col 3:10)
  - Putting on the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 13:14)
  - Putting on the new self, in true righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:24)
  - Imitating Christ (Eph 5:1-2)
- Exemplifying godly virtues to please God (Col 1:10)
  - Compassion, kindness, humility, patience, forgiveness, love (Col 3:12-14)
  - Holiness (1 Pet 1:14-16)
  - The fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23)
- Walking worthy of our calling and status (Eph 4:1; Col 1:10)
  - Walking by the Spirit (Gal 5:16) and in the light (Eph 5:8-10)
  - Serving as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1) and instrument of righteousness (Rom 6:18-19)
C. What are the consequences for the “new self”?
- Freedom (Rom 6:6-7; Gal 5:1, 13)
- Sanctification and eternal life (Rom 6:22-23)
- Brought near to God; peace and reconciliation with Him (Eph 2:13-16)

Further Study (L7)

👣 Practical Actions

Reflect on ourselves.
- Identifying whether we are truly walking as a new creation in Christ requires that we take time to honestly reflect on ourselves. Consider whether our daily lifestyle, thoughts, and actions reflect a walk as the old self or the new self.
- Areas to reflect on:
  - Our actions - What do we spend most of our time on? What do we say and how do we say it? What is the quality of our time with God? What are we looking at, listening to, or consuming on a daily basis?
  - Our relationships with others - parents/children, between spouses, employer/employee, with church members; How do we navigate conflicts, challenges, or emotions?
- We can also put this reflection and self-examination to prayer.
  - Ask God to search us, that we might know what areas we need to improve upon, including if we harbor any hidden sins (Ps 19:12; 139:23-24).
Seize opportunities to practice and make changes.
- Fostering the qualities of the new self will take time. But if we are intentional about taking steps to overcome bad habits and adopt new character, we will slowly find ourselves changing to align with the image of the new self.
- Sometimes God allows us to encounter different situations, environments, challenges, and people to help us practice refining our character.
  - Some examples can be found in Further Study (L7).
  - These are opportunities for us to choose to live as a new creation that will please Him and glorify His name.

💭 Food For Thought

What aspect(s) of the new self would you like to pursue and why? How would this improve your relationship with God and/or with others?
Share a time when you felt that God used difficult people or circumstances to help refine and shape you into a better person.

🎯 Challenge Yourself

Activity: Replacing the Old with the New

— Read Gal 5:19-23

Make two contrasting lists, one with the deeds of the flesh and one with the fruit of the Spirit. Study and reflect for yourself what each means and what they might look like in today’s terms (e.g., What does idolatry look like in modern-day society? How might it look for someone to demonstrate goodness in their daily life?)
Underline the works of the flesh you notice have been prominent in your own life. Write down specific examples or situations in which you have observed them in your life.
Circle the aspects of the fruit of the Spirit you struggle to live out and want to pursue more.
Choose one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit to intentionally practice for the upcoming week.
- If applicable, jot down specific people, times, or situations where it may be difficult to demonstrate that quality (e.g., where the attitudes, behaviors, or habits of the flesh or old self may show up and challenge you).
- Write down specific and practical ways you can practice exemplifying that quality in order to cultivate more characteristics of the new self.
  - Note things you can try in specific scenarios so that when the situation arises, you can practice what you have learned!
- Pray for wisdom and spiritual strength to stay motivated, disciplined, and patient.
Write down opportunities that God gives you to practice in your daily life (e.g., patience with your family, kindness at work, self-control with your time).
- This way you can observe how with more practice and self-discipline, your new inner self will be strengthened to live differently, and your responses to situations will change for the better over time.

7. “In Christ” (1) - Old vs New Self

📖 Bible Discovery

💡 Focus Passage

Col 3:1-14

This passage is one of many that highlights the contrasting character of the “old self” and the “new self.” Since we have become a new creation in Christ, the old has passed away and the new has come.

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:

What are “the things above” and how do they contrast with “the things on earth?” (cf. Rom 8:5-9; Phil 4:8-9).
- How should we seek the things above and why is this important?
Reflect on a recent example where you have seen aspects of the “old self” show up in your words, attitude, or actions.

🌱 Main Teachings

Put off the “old self.”
If we want to pursue the “new self,” we must first understand what our “old self” looks like in order to set it aside.
A. What is the “old self”?
- Refers to the person we were and the spiritual status we had before we died with Christ in baptism (Rom 6:3, 6-7)
  - Includes our former way of life, corrupted by deceitful desires and evil practices (Eph 4:22; Col 3:9)
  - A slave to sin; dead in sin (Rom 6:6, 17; Eph 2:1)
  - A stranger and alien to God; separated from Him (Eph 2:12, 19)
B. What is the conduct of the “old self”?
- Obeying the lusts of the flesh (Rom 6:12; 7:5; Eph 2:3)
  - Walking in what is earthly: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, greed, idolatry, etc. (Eph 5:3-7; Col 3:5)
  - Practicing what is displeasing to God:
    - Anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene speech, lying (Col 3:8-9)
    - The deeds of the flesh (Gal 5:19-21)
- Following the course of the world (Eph 2:2)
- Walking as the Gentiles do (Eph 4:17-19; 1 Pet 4:3-4)
C. What are the consequences for the “old self”?
- Unable to inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:21; 1 Cor 6:9-10)
- Wrath of God (Col 3:6)
- Death (Rom 6:23; 7:5)
Put on the “new self.”
In contrast to the “old self,” we can now take a closer look at what it means to put on the “new self” and live in newness of life.
A. What is the “new self”?
- Our new spiritual status and being, which was raised with Christ and is alive to God (Rom 6:4, 11)
  - A new creation (2 Cor 5:17)
  - Freed from sin (Rom 6:6-8)
  - Fellow citizens and members of God’s house (Eph 2:19)
B. What is the conduct of the “new self”?
- Renewing the mind to continually become more like Christ (Col 3:10)
  - Putting on the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 13:14)
  - Putting on the new self, in true righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:24)
  - Imitating Christ (Eph 5:1-2)
- Exemplifying godly virtues to please God (Col 1:10)
  - Compassion, kindness, humility, patience, forgiveness, love (Col 3:12-14)
  - Holiness (1 Pet 1:14-16)
  - The fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23)
- Walking worthy of our calling and status (Eph 4:1; Col 1:10)
  - Walking by the Spirit (Gal 5:16) and in the light (Eph 5:8-10)
  - Serving as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1) and instrument of righteousness (Rom 6:18-19)
C. What are the consequences for the “new self”?
- Freedom (Rom 6:6-7; Gal 5:1, 13)
- Sanctification and eternal life (Rom 6:22-23)
- Brought near to God; peace and reconciliation with Him (Eph 2:13-16)

Further Study (L7)

👣 Practical Actions

Reflect on ourselves.
- Identifying whether we are truly walking as a new creation in Christ requires that we take time to honestly reflect on ourselves. Consider whether our daily lifestyle, thoughts, and actions reflect a walk as the old self or the new self.
- Areas to reflect on:
  - Our actions - What do we spend most of our time on? What do we say and how do we say it? What is the quality of our time with God? What are we looking at, listening to, or consuming on a daily basis?
  - Our relationships with others - parents/children, between spouses, employer/employee, with church members; How do we navigate conflicts, challenges, or emotions?
- We can also put this reflection and self-examination to prayer.
  - Ask God to search us, that we might know what areas we need to improve upon, including if we harbor any hidden sins (Ps 19:12; 139:23-24).
Seize opportunities to practice and make changes.
- Fostering the qualities of the new self will take time. But if we are intentional about taking steps to overcome bad habits and adopt new character, we will slowly find ourselves changing to align with the image of the new self.
- Sometimes God allows us to encounter different situations, environments, challenges, and people to help us practice refining our character.
  - Some examples can be found in Further Study (L7).
  - These are opportunities for us to choose to live as a new creation that will please Him and glorify His name.

💭 Food For Thought

What aspect(s) of the new self would you like to pursue and why? How would this improve your relationship with God and/or with others?
Share a time when you felt that God used difficult people or circumstances to help refine and shape you into a better person.

🎯 Challenge Yourself

Activity: Replacing the Old with the New

— Read Gal 5:19-23

Make two contrasting lists, one with the deeds of the flesh and one with the fruit of the Spirit. Study and reflect for yourself what each means and what they might look like in today’s terms (e.g., What does idolatry look like in modern-day society? How might it look for someone to demonstrate goodness in their daily life?)
Underline the works of the flesh you notice have been prominent in your own life. Write down specific examples or situations in which you have observed them in your life.
Circle the aspects of the fruit of the Spirit you struggle to live out and want to pursue more.
Choose one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit to intentionally practice for the upcoming week.
- If applicable, jot down specific people, times, or situations where it may be difficult to demonstrate that quality (e.g., where the attitudes, behaviors, or habits of the flesh or old self may show up and challenge you).
- Write down specific and practical ways you can practice exemplifying that quality in order to cultivate more characteristics of the new self.
  - Note things you can try in specific scenarios so that when the situation arises, you can practice what you have learned!
- Pray for wisdom and spiritual strength to stay motivated, disciplined, and patient.
Write down opportunities that God gives you to practice in your daily life (e.g., patience with your family, kindness at work, self-control with your time).
- This way you can observe how with more practice and self-discipline, your new inner self will be strengthened to live differently, and your responses to situations will change for the better over time.