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Austin ridge

Time with god

Our Daily Devotional is a bite-sized bible study that appears in your inbox, Monday-Friday!

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July 8

Putting Off the Old Self

GETTING STARTED

There’s nothing like putting on a new outfit. The feel, look, and smell of new fabric and the freshness of wearing something for the first time is like nothing else. Few things signify our identities like clothing. Clothing can identify gender, economic status, social preference, working status, and religious or political convictions.

In Ephesians, Paul compares learning Christ to “putting off” the old self and “putting on” the new self, just like taking off one outfit and putting on a new one. Except this transformation goes much further than the surface of our skin, because this transformation changes how we think, feel, and behave.

  • What does your spiritual outfit look like? In other words, if you were to ask someone close to you to describe your walk with God, what would they say?

READ THE WORD: EPHESIANS 4:17-24 (ESV)

17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

  1. In verses 17-19, how did Paul describe a walk apart from Christ? What are the qualities he mentioned?
  2. In verse 21, Paul gave an essential description of how one learns Christ. What are the imperatives to learning Christ listed?
  3. Verse 23 describes putting on the new self as “renewing the spirit of our minds.” If we came to Christ by hearing and learning the truth that is in Jesus, how might we be renewed?
  4. What connection do you see in your own life to walking in darkness and not having truth in your mind?

RESPOND TO GOD

One of the biggest misconceptions about Jesus is that he came, died, and rose to give us some good-feeling, emotional experience. He’s after so much more. He’s after concrete, permanent transformation in our minds, hearts, and actions. As we renew our minds in God’s Word, we are changed. God’s Spirit convicts us of sin, changes our desires, and makes us more holy. We can’t ignore that putting off the old and putting on the new is a command. We play a part. We must put on the new self, just as we put on our pants. And who wants to go outside before they put on their… truth?

  • Ask God to reveal what prevents you from intentionally spending time daily renewing your mind in his Word.
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What to expect

The goal of Time With God is to help you connect with God through Scripture and prayer. Each of our daily devotionals will allow you to dive deeper into a passage of Scripture and teach you how to apply it to your life.

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A word from our team

Welcome to Time With God! We exist to help you connect with Scripture and grow deeper in your relationship with the Lord. Our daily devotionals will provide you with an easy and accessible way to study Scripture for yourself, whether you are a new believer or a long-time follower of Jesus.

We created Time With God to be one tool among many that you can use to help you dive deeper into God’s Word and learn how to apply it to your life. Through spending regular time with the Lord, we hope and pray you would experience the peace and ever-increasing joy that comes with knowing and following Jesus.

Your daily email includes:

  • An intro that provides greater context
  • A short portion of Scripture to read
  • Follow-up questions to help you dive deeper
  • Ways you can practically apply God’s Word
  • Prompts to guide your time in prayer
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