A Slow Burial
Learning to put the old self to death
This is the fourth in a series of posts addressing foundational truths essential to living the Christian faith. [see below for previous posts]
Our dilemma with fitness
Interest in physical fitness surges a few times throughout the year. The holiday season, when we all tend to eat more than our bodies need, is a prime example. This carries over to New Year’s resolutions to get physically fit.
Summertime also brings a renewed interest in physical fitness for those who go to the beach or lake to catch some sun. Some gyms are even open 24 hours a day for the diehards. But many of us struggle to stay consistent when it comes to fitness, including our spiritual fitness.
Inconsistency is an issue for many of us with our spiritual lives and growth. We may know what is needed for spiritual growth and strength, but struggle to move beyond the initial experience of making Jesus the Lord of our lives.
Knowing isn’t doing
Just knowing what we’re supposed to do doesn’t make it happen. I may know that a healthy diet and exercise are essential for being physically fit, but if I don’t make changes and act on those changes, I won’t become physically fit.
It works the same way with spiritual growth and health. I may know how to read the Bible, stay in fellowship, pray, worship, serve, and so on, but if I don’t do these things consistently, I can’t expect too much in the way of spiritual fitness.
And yet, there’s more to it than doing things that lead to spiritual growth and fitness. There is an internal struggle we must contend with and overcome.
Hard questions
Because we’re set in our ways, it’s hard to make significant changes in our lives. We need to ask some hard but important questions of ourselves.
What are specific ways I can grow beyond my present spiritual state?
What can I do to overcome habitual tendencies I’ve held most of my life?
Once I know what needs to change, how do I make these changes?
Just as commitment and discipline are needed to maintain physical fitness, the same is true for spiritual fitness and growth. But why does it always seem to be such a struggle?
Our struggle
Our internal spiritual struggle exists because of two warring natures—one is old and dead, but the other is new and alive. The old nature is more familiar to us, like a long-term, ingrained habit.
Habits like biting your nails are often done subconsciously. We do it without realizing it. This is the problem we have with our old nature, our old way of life. It’s our go-to, our internal inclination.
How can we break away from this old way of life?
How can we break free from it?
Just quoting Scripture won’t make it go away. It won’t just fade away with time by doing all the right things. Nor is it about modifying our behavior. It’s a matter of our will. Our self-centered, selfish will is embedded deep within.
The death of us
Previously, I wrote about a hidden life. This hidden life is our new life, our new nature given to us by God when we enter into a personal relationship with Him.
But this new life we have in Christ is like the life contained in a seed or seed pod. The seed pod has to die for the new life hidden in the seed to come to life. Jesus spoke about this: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24).
In an earlier post, I looked at this need to die to self. The Bible speaks of putting this old way of life, or old self, to death. But is it understood by most Christian believers? Maybe at a basic level of knowing it, but knowing how to do it is another thing altogether.
Here’s what the apostle Paul said about this in Colossians—
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 (Colossians 3:5-9 NIV)
A choice and a commitment
So, how do we put such things to death?
Notice the figurative language used—“since you have taken off your old self with its practices.” The image is that of taking soiled clothes off. It’s an intentional choice and act. It doesn’t just happen.
What’s the key?
Think of it as a slow burial.
Theologically, we can know we are a new creation in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15) with a new nature (see Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26; 2 Corinthians 3:3), but our struggle is with letting go of the old self and its ways. It requires a continued choice and commitment on our part.
Paul speaks of this struggle in Romans, Ephesians, and Colossians.
For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. (Romans 7:19) [see Romans 7:14-23 for context]
But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires… (Ephesians 4:20-23)
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices (Colossians 3:5-9)
Burying what’s dead
We need to realize that the old way of life and its nature are dead to us. It no longer holds life for us. That is, it doesn’t fulfill us but empties us and holds on to us with a death grip.
Putting the things mentioned above to death requires us to acknowledge that they only breed death for us spiritually. They are a dead end in themselves, and they need to be buried in the past. Buried with Jesus.
Jesus died to put such things to death on the cross, and He removed their power through His resurrection (see Colossians 2:13-15).
After realizing this, we need to choose not to go back to these old ways of life, the habits of our old selves. We do this by choosing not to live that way, be that way, and do such things. This is the way we will bury the old self.
Again, it is like taking off old, soiled clothes. And yet, it is not all our own effort to accomplish this. That is the work of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, if indeed we are born again.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13)
In the next post, I’ll look at the next step beyond putting off the old self and ways to die to ourselves.
Until then—
What seems to hold on to you from your old way of life?
How is it a dead end for you now?
In what ways can you bury it for good?
