Victory over Sin

Lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and . . . be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self.

–Ephesians 4:22–24

The Bible says deprivation never leads to sanctification. Ascetism, or denying yourself of pleasure, does not make you more like Christ. That’s why Paul warned against asceticism in Colossians 2. Let me share two practical applications from this passage for us today.

First of all, if you have not yet trusted in Christ as your Savior, perhaps you think, I need to clean up my life first. Until I get rid of this habit or this relationship, I’m not worthy to come to Christ. Don’t fall for that lie. The fact is, you and I can never clean ourselves up sufficiently to earn God’s forgiveness. When we come to Jesus Christ, we come just as we are, and the blood of Christ is sufficient to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. There’s nothing you can do to add to what Christ has already done for you.

Second, if you are a Christian, maybe you’re having a difficult time gaining victory over old addictions, habits, and ways of living. You’ve tried to put restrictions on your behavior, but you feel like the apostle Paul, who said, “The good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want” (Romans 7:19). Now, there are some behaviors you need to say no to. But focusing on the negative is not enough–you need to accentuate the positive as well.

In Ephesians 4:22–24, Paul wrote, “In reference to your former manner of life, . . . lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and . . . be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” If you want to have victory against sin, yes, you need to lay aside those behaviors that are contrary to the Word of God. But that’s not enough–you also need to be renewed in your mind through the Word of God and actively put on the new self.

That’s what Paul said in Colossians 3:1. There were no chapter divisions in the original letter, so this verse follows right after Paul’s warning against asceticism at the end of Colossians 2. He wrote, “If you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” Next week, as we begin Colossians 3, we’re going to see that being heavenly minded means to focus on Jesus Christ and to become more like Him. That’s how you attain victory over sin in your life.

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Today’s devotion is adapted from “The Pleasure Principle” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2012.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.