Weblog Entry - 02/20/2005: Volume 73 - Putting on the New Man by Milt Rodriguez

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02/20/2005: Volume 73 - Putting on the New Man by Milt Rodriguez"

Putting on the New Man

"But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old man, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth."
Eph. 4:20-24
The New Man - An Established Fact
The scriptures tell us that the one new man has already been created (Eph. 4:24) in righteousness and holiness of the truth. The creation of this new man took place on the cross (Eph. 2:11-16). It was through crucifixion that our Lord brought the two groups together (Jews and Gentiles) and created one new man, the Body of Christ.
This is an established fact and is always spoken of in the scriptures in the past tense. However, even though the new man has been created, he still has to be brought into existence into this realm. Remember, God wants a visible, expression or image of Himself in this realm. Fist, we need to fully understand who this man is, then we need to see how he comes into full view in this realm.
Abolishing the Enmity
Ephesians 2:15 tells us that Christ abolished the ritualistic ordinances of the law in His flesh and thus created the one new man by bringing the two into one. He did this by removing the wall between them - the rituals of the law. Then He brought them both into one Body (vs. 16) through the cross. This gives us a clearer picture of the one new man; he is the Christ, the Body of Christ!
What divides us from one another is legalism and rituals. When our Lord was crucified all the ordinances were nailed there on the cross (Col. 2:14). These ordinances are the rituals, forms, and ways that we live and worship. These ordinances were abolished forever on the cross. In the New Man we must drop all dividing practices and receive Christ as our All.
All distinctions and differences are abolished in Christ!
All racial, social, cultural, and national differences have also been abolished in the new man. It's very important that we understand that in Christ none of these things exist (Gal. 3:27, 28). There are no distinctions by race, culture, background, nationality, sex, or ordinances (law) of any kind. There are no divisions of a person's financial or social status. There are no divisions according to one's religious background or heritage. All of these things have been abolished in Christ. There are no Germans, Englishman, Spaniards, Africans, Asians, or Americans in Christ. There are no Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, or Pentecostals in Christ.
". . . and have put on the new man who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him, a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all." Col. 3:10, 11
In this passage we can see something which is monumentally important in relationship to the one new man. The new man is not a place where all peoples from all nations, backgrounds, etc. are brought together. It is not an ecumenical movement where the different denominations are brought together. It is not an inter-racial or international organization for tolerance among peoples of all nations and cultures. It is not an interdenominational or non-denominational organization either. It is a total abolishment of all these things!
In the new man there is only room for One Man - Christ! This is one man, not many in this sense. Christ is all. The word "all" here means all persons. But yet, He is in all (persons). He is the All in all. In the one new man, He is the All in you and the All in me. He is the All in all of us! Since Christ is All, there is no room left for any other persons. There is no room left for Russians, or Asians, or Italians. There is no room left for Mennonites, or Quakers, or Roman Catholics. There is only Christ!
The Way that the New Man Comes into View
Now we need to see the way in which God will get the visible expression of this one new man.
". . . that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind."
There must be a transformation that takes place in order that the new man can be made visible in this realm. This transformation happens by the renewing of our minds (Ro. 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:18). By the renewing of our minds we are transformed into the image of Christ who is the Person of the New Man. Even though this renewal happens in our mind, it begins in our inner man, our spirit.
This is the regenerated spirit of the believer which has become one with the indwelling Spirit of God (I Cor. 6:17). As we learn to fellowship and behold Christ in our spirits, that life spreads into our mind, thus becoming the spirit of our mind. We then begin to think the thoughts of God because His Spirit has now infiltrated our mind. We no longer think as separated, independent individuals, but now we thing corporately, as the one new man. Now we no longer see the divisions and distinctions of the world and the flesh, we only see the oneness that is in this new man. We see Christ as All and in all!
This is accomplished by each one of us turning inwardly to behold and fellowship with our indwelling Lord. As we turn to Him, see Him, love Him, and feed on Him as our Life, we are renewed in our mind. Please understand that the purpose for this renewal is the one new man. Every place in the New Testament where it speaks of this renewal of the mind it is in the context of the Body of Christ. The renewal is for the Body life. The renewal is for the New Man. As the Body of Christ, the church needs Christ as its life, whereas, as the New Man, the church needs Christ as its person. This person is a corporate person and lives out His life as an expression of the corporate fellowship within the Triune God. God's corporate life is visibly expressed by this corporate New Man!
written by Milt Rodriguez