New pattern

A New Pattern for Living
The Old Nature vs. The New Nature
I. Introductory Remarks.
In this lesson we will be exploring what it really means to put off the old nature and why
it is an important aspect of our salvation. This is more of a doctrinal statement on the
need for change and letting go of past sins than a message on how transformation
comes about.
In much of today’s Christianity there is a lack of true conversion and transformation in
the lives of those who are attempting to follow Christ. Many are being seduced by a
watered down version of Christianity that doesn’t challenge people to put off the old
nature by being crucified to the world.
We must keep in mind that the goal or the ultimate destiny for the Christian is to come
into the fullness of Christ, being changed or transformed into His image.
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of
the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by
the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 4:1-3 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received
mercy, we do not lose heart. 2
But we have renounced the hidden things of shame,
not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation
of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3
But
even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
The above Scriptures not only show us how being changed and transformed into the
image of Christ is our ultimate destiny, but they also show us that when we fail to
change as we have been directed, it affects our ministry to those who are perishing.
II. The Foundation of Change – Colossians 3:1-4.
In this passage of Scripture the apostle Paul is dealing with the character of the new
man that is being formed in every Christian who has come to know the Lord Jesus
Christ and His saving power. Paul is making a transition from theological statements to
practical precepts in Christ. He has laid a strong doctrinal foundation in the preceding
chapters on Who Christ is and now his attention turns to how Christians should live their
lives.
In these verses Paul lays the foundation for effective change in our lives. Because our
lives have been raised with Christ, our lives are to be different. They are to reflect a
new pattern of life.
1. Not Carnality but Christ.
A New Pattern for Living Page 1

Colossians 3:1-2 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are
above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2
Set your mind on things above,
not on things on the earth.
Colossians 3:1-2 (NLT) Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your
sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of
honor and power. 2
Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down
here on earth.
The operative word here is “Set.” We are set our mind and affections on things that are
above – the realities of heaven. If we are to see true and lasting change in our lives, it
means setting all of our affection on Christ and His kingdom. The person who has been
raised with Christ sees things from the eternal perspective, which should result in
having their whole pattern of life on earth being dominated by this perspective.
We once walked according to the world, but now God has raised us up together in His
likeness and made us to sit in heavenly places with Christ.
Ephesians 2:5-6 (even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with
Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6
and raised us up together, and made us sit
together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Carnality does not produce faith but rather unbelief and defeat. Think of the ten spies
who came back with a bad report after being sent out by Moses to spy out the land.
They came back with a defeated report based on unbelief, because they were not
seeing things through God’s perspective. On the other hand, Joshua and Caleb came
back full of faith with a good report because they new where they were seated. They
had set their minds on the realities of heaven. They knew where they were seated.1
2. We Have Been Hidden In Christ and Crucified to the World
The reason for the call to this new pattern of living and heavenly mindedness is the fact
that, in Christ, the believer has died to the world and his life is now hidden in Christ.
Colossians 3:3-4 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4
when Christ
who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
"Hidden" expresses a permanent condition created by God in Christ. The fact that the
Christian's old sin nature has been crucified with Christ and buried together with Him in
baptism and that he is now liberated, resurrected to live a life pleasing to God, must be
accepted "by grace ... through faith", just as was the initial salvation.
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ
lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of
God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

3. Putting Away & Putting to Death the Sins of the Past.
Being crucified to the world means that we are now in a state where we are actually in
the process of putting away or putting to death the sins of the past.
Colossians 3:5-7 (NLT) So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you.
Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don't be
greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry. 6
God's terrible anger will come
upon those who do such things. 7
You used to do them when your life was still part of
this world.
To be heavenly minded does not mean living in the clouds. The believer who obeys the
apostolic charge to aim at the things above will be involved in spiritual warfare here on
earth as he or she puts to death the sinful flesh and allows the new nature to find
outward expression in a godly life.
The word “so or therefore” found at the beginning of verse five signifies the transition
from doctrine to practice. The connection between doctrine and duty is very important
because in the end, we really behave as we truly believe. We express what we fully
confess. In other words our actions are based upon what we believe and confess.
Romans 8:12-13 (NLT) So, dear Christian friends, you have no obligation whatsoever
to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13
For if you keep on following it, you will
perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you
will live.
1 Peter 2:11 (NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, you are foreigners and aliens here. So I
warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls.
The idea in the above Scriptures is that we are to live in heaven so that may really live
on earth. As a result the following evil desires will be done away with.
 Fornication – Sexual sin between non-married people.2
 Uncleanness – Uncleanness or impurity embraces every manifestation in look,
word, and deed of the immoral spirit. We are to avoid all appearances of evil.
 Passions – Inordinate affection and sensual appetites.
 Evil Desires – Lusts which lead to sinful actions3
 Covetousness – Idolatry, which is anything that is set up as an idol of their own
making in place of God.
Covetousness and idolatry are very dangerous and perhaps more so than the others
because they may assume a cloak of decency or respectability.
Colossians 3:6-7 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of
disobedience, 7
in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

The wrath of God is directed against the devil, his angels, and sin, which destroy those
for whom Christ died. But it is also coming upon those who pridefully refuse the only
remedy for overcoming the power of sin: Christ’s atoning death.
In light of the reality of God’s coming wrath, Paul exhorts the believers to destroy the
deeds of the flesh. If we don’t kill them, they will eventually kill us.
4. Putting off the Garments of the Old Nature.
Colossians 3:8-9 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice,
blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9
Do not lie to one another, since you
have put off the old man with his deeds,
The expression put off is a strong one calling for a complete putting off from oneself of
all that pertains to the old life. We are to strip off completely the former habits which
cling to us like an old garment and fling them away like an outward suit of clothes. The
following habits are as follows:
 Anger and Wrath – Associated with anger is wrath or vengeful rage. When
anger boils up there is wrath.4
Proverbs 29:11 A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back.
 Malice – Anger and wrath are bad, but malice is worse because it is more rooted
and deliberate. It is anger heightened and settled.5
 Filthy Communication – This would involve swearing, coarse talking and
jesting. As Christians our language should be pure and holy.
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is
good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
 Lying – A false statement or piece of information deliberately presented as being
true; a falsehood. Lying is anything meant to deceive or give a wrong
impression.
Lying is contrary to the law of truth and the life of love. It is both unjust and unkind and
works to destroy faith and to weaken our fellowship with one another. Lying is a part of
the devil’s image in the soul, for the devil is the father of lies.
John 8:44 "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to
do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because
there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he
is a liar and the father of it.
We see from the above Scriptures that it is being asserted that when in regular contact
with fellow believers and even non-believers we must speak the truth since the old man

and his practices have been put off in Christ’s death. We are to have no part with false
speaking or any of these repulsive habits. They are not fitting for saints of God.
III. Concluding Remarks.
Notice that the words “putting off’ imply something we do. Some Christians never quit
practicing sinful habits because they expect the Lord to do it all. The truth is, the Holy
Spirit will help us when we decide we are going to get serious and put these areas to
death in our lives. They Holy Spirit is our helper.
Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He
who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His
Spirit who dwells in you.
Colossians 1:28-29 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all
wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29
To this end I also
labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

I. Putting on the New Nature.
In this portion of the lesson we will be exploring what it really means to put on the new
nature and why it is an important aspect of our salvation. This is more of a doctrinal
statement on the need for change by clothing ourselves in Christ and His nature than on
how the transformation comes about.
We must keep in mind that the goal or the ultimate destiny for the Christian is to come
into the fullness of Christ, being changed or transformed into His image.
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of
the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by
the Spirit of the Lord.
In the previous lesson we looked at those traits or patterns of our old way of life that
Christ commands us to put off. We saw that we are to put away sins of the past such
as fornication, uncleanness, passions, evil desires and covetousness. We also saw that
we are to put off things such as anger, wrath, malice, filthy communication and lying. In
this lesson we will be focusing our attention on those character traits that are essential
for us as new creations in Christ.
Colossians 3:9-10 (NLT) Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old evil
nature and all its wicked deeds. 10
In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-
new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ,
who created this new nature within you.
We must realize that active response to God’s will involves constant change. The
character traits that we will be discussing in this lesson are traits that should be a part of
all our lives in varying degrees. We need to realize that Christ desires to develop these
character traits to their full potential in our lives.
The new man is created in true righteousness and holiness, meaning that if Christ is
truly a part of our lives and we are walking in His righteousness we are going to be
taking on His very nature.
Ephesians 4:23-24 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24
and that you put on the
new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
2 Peter 1:4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises,
that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lust.
Commentary Note: These "precious promises" have a purifying effect on the believer's
life (cf. 1 John 3:3). Conversion involves a definite break with the corruption caused by
evil desire. In coming to know God through Christ, not only do believers escape the
corruption of sin, but also Christ renews and restores the divine image in them.

The provision of the divine nature through repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ
and the power of the Holy Spirit belong to the divine sovereignty of the Lord. But the
application and the fulfillment of these is the human responsibility of every believer. The
seeds6
of these character traits come with being born again by God’s Spirit, but the full
development of His divine nature in our lives is our responsibility as we labor together
with Him. The Bible says, “We are to put on the new man.”
God has positionally given believers all things that pertain to life and godliness. It is the
believers’ responsibility to take what God has given and use it for the glory of God.
Our goal as Christians is to have our negative characteristics and habit patterns that
have been formed in us by our sinful, fallen nature to be transformed into Christ like
characteristics and for the new man or nature to come forth that God has created.
II. The Essential Christ like Characteristics of the New Nature.
Colossians 3:12-15 (NLT) Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves,
you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness,
and patience. 13
You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person
who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14
And
the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all
together in perfect harmony. 15
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your
hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be
thankful.
The above characteristics from Colossians 3:12-15 are essential characteristics that
must be in each and every one of us if we are to grow into balanced and mature
Christians with the power and anointing of God flowing through us. These are the
characteristics that enable others to receive the gifts and callings in our lives. These
are traits that keep us from becoming wild tares7
in the kingdom of God.
 Brief Descriptions of the Above Character Traits.
1. Tender Mercies – This is a heartfelt compassion that is expressed with tenderness
of the heart. Because God comforts us through His mercy, we are able to comfort
those who are in need as well.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4
who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we
may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we
ourselves are comforted by God.
2. Kindness – Kindness has to do with being of a friendly nature, a person who is
generous, hospitable, good and warmhearted. It is often exhibited in acts of
kindness that show consideration, sympathy and understanding towards others. A
kind person is very courteous and thoughtful towards others.

3. Humbleness of Mind or Humility – Humility has to do with being aware of your
own shortcomings so that you don’t exalt yourself above others. It also has to do
with showing an attitude of deferential respect. You are satisfied to be lowly and
unpretentious.
Pride comes in all shapes and sizes. Some of us put ourselves on a pedestal from
which we judge the faults of everyone else. Others are so self-effacing that they cannot
take their eyes off themselves and their own inadequacies. A poor self image is not
humility. Still others swing like a pendulum from one extreme to the other. Paul exhorts
us neither to exalt nor to belittle ourselves, but to think with sober judgment.
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you,
not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God
has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
We are to be clothed with humility, because God resists the proud.
1 Peter 5:5-6 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all
of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists
the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 6
Therefore humble yourselves under the
mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
4. Meekness – Meekness is strength under control and has to do with a consideration
for others and a willingness to waive your rights. It is important to keep in mind that
neither meekness nor gentleness is to be confused with weakness.
The meek are those people who humble themselves before God, because they
acknowledge their utter dependence upon Him. In consequence, they are gentle in
their dealings with others. You can be tender and gentle with people because you have
given control of your life to God and you don’t have to “win” all the time.
2 Timothy 2:24 (NLT) The Lord's servants must not quarrel but must be kind to
everyone. They must be able to teach effectively and be patient with difficult people.
5. Forbearing and Forgiving - To exercise forbearance means to endure, bear with,
put up with by Christians towards one another. Forbearance and forgiveness are
qualities of meekness and patience in action.
The forbearing person will remain calm whatever the provocation and will keep clear of
unkind reactions. The forgiving person must go even further and wipe clean from his or
her heart all bitterness and irritation.
If we expect forbearance and forgiveness from God, we must be able to forbear and
forgive others as well.
Forbearance and forgiveness go hand in hand.

Mark 11:25-26 (NLT) But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a
grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too." 26
(NKJV) "But
if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."
Luke 17:3-4 (NLT) I am warning you! If another believer sins, rebuke him; then if he
repents, forgive him. 4
Even if he wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns
again and asks forgiveness, forgive him."
No matter how much you are sinned against you must be willing to forgive. We must
continually be willing to forgive others as Christ has forgiven us and continues to forgive
us.
6. Love – Love is the crowning grace of the new nature, because love is the glue that
holds everything together.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not
parade itself, is not puffed up; 5
does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not
provoked, thinks no evil; 6
does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7
bears all
things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8
Love never fails. But
whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease;
whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
Each of these character traits show how we as Christians are to be clothed and how we
are to behave in our dealings with others, particularly with fellow-believers. These are
character traits that will enable the body of Christ to come forth as one new man.
III. Simple Faith Principles For Putting On The New Nature.
Think of Peter, a man who was a profane fisherman who later became a powerful man
of God as his character was transformed – a man whose very shadow healed people.
This is the kind of transformation God.
1. Believe In Christ and What He Has Accomplished.
The first step of faith in this process of becoming new is that of believing in Jesus Christ
– Who He is and what He has accomplished for you. You must believe you are a new
creation in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things
have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Commentary: A new creation, a new heaven and a new earth, are promised in the
Word of God (cf. Isa. 65:17; Rev. 21:1). By the New Birth the Christian has already
undergone the fundamental change; he is a new creature of the sort that belongs in the
new creation.
The incorruptible seed8
of God’s word has been planted in your hearts, which is
intended to bring forth the new creation and divine nature of God within you.

Let this be the confession of faith that comes out of your mouth. You are no longer in
bondage to sin. You have been made completely new in Christ. Believe and speak
what Christ what Christ has made you to be.
2 Corinthians 4:13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is
written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak,
2. Understand that God is the Enabler.
Romans 8:11 (NLT)The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.
And just as he raised Christ from the dead, He will give life to your mortal body by this
same Spirit living within you.
The apostle Paul’s ambition was to present every man perfect in Christ with an
understanding that it is God who is working mightily on our behalf. It is the Spirit of God
that quickens us and then we respond in obedience.
Colossians 1:28-29 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all
wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29
To this end I also
labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.
Notice that it says, “His working which works in me mightily.” God is working in a mighty
way, but if we are not exhibiting an intense exertion in a violent manner we end of
frustrating the grace of God. “The violent take the kingdom by force.”9
The important thing to keep in mind when pressing into the character of Christ is that it
is His Spirit who is working mightily on our behalf, taking us through the metamorphous
or character transformations, but we must co-labor with Him in the process otherwise
we will frustrate the grace of God
3. Understand that Habits are a Part of Your Makeup.
Habits are a part of our makeup. Whenever one does something long enough it
becomes a habit. Habits can be hard to change because of the fact that they have
become unconscious responses.
The key to change is to start becoming aware of your habit patterns by allowing God to
reveal them to you.
Putting on new clothing is not always comfortable. You old clothes were comfortable
even though they may not have looked very good. You old ways may have become
comfortable, but they no longer look good in the kingdom of God.
You may say, “Being kind is not comfortable to me, forgiving is not natural to me or
humbleness of mind is not natural.” The answer is to keep doing them until they
become comfortable. That’s how change comes.

Illustration: How do baseball or football players do what they do so well? By practice,
disciplined practice until it becomes second nature. Your new nature must become
second nature to you, but that will only happen as you add diligence to your faith.
2 Peter 1:5-6 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue,
to virtue knowledge, 6
to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to
perseverance godliness,
IV. Concluding Remarks.
Galatians 6:14-15 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15
For in
Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new
creation.
If we have truly been saved and converted the New Creation in Jesus Christ will begin
to come forth in our lives; and our character will have gone through a transformation.
Remember, these traits start out in their infancy and mature more and more as we grow
in the Lord Jesus Christ. The seeds of the transformation process were planted when
you were born again with the incorruptible Word of God.

1
Numbers 13:17, 25-29, 30-33
2
1 Corinthians 5:9-13
3
James 1:15
4
Ephesians 4:26 & Proverbs 10:19
5
1Peter 2:1-2
6
1 Peter 1:23 – having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible…
7
Matthew 13:24-30 – The Parable of the Wheat & Tares.
8
1 Peter 1:23
9
Matthew 11:12

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