Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.” vss. 9-10
Colossians 3:8-11
Once we have begun to imitate Christ in all that we say and do, it will of course have an effect on our behavior. We’ll put aside anger, malice, and slander and adopt truthfulness as our new standard. People will know us for our integrity and marvel at the way we speak well of others, even those who might be our opponents. But we should not expect that all these changes will occur overnight. The work of the Spirit takes a lifetime, and even when we clothe ourselves with Christ, there will continue to be renewal and growth. We have been created in the image of God, and that divine DNA is our greatest gift. It’s in that DNA that the Spirit does its work, constantly engineering and equipping, snipping away at malfunctioning genes, until our whole being is in accordance with God’s original design. And bit by bit, by the grace and power of God, we become the incredible loving beings that we have been designed to be. It’s not an easy process. Some have been badly damaged by toxic relationships and ill-treatment in childhood environments. Others are victims of abuse and deceit! The work of renewal is difficult when the original image has been distorted. It may even take a lifetime, but by God’s grace it does happen!
Thought for the Day: How’s the renewal going in me?
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