Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. (Colossians 3:9-10)

The New Man

At the beginning of each year, resolutions are made to become a better person in the next year than one in the previous year. Much of this cultural awareness comes from the awareness of time, twelve months, and each passing year. December 31 and January 1 are never different in their composition than any other day, but the acuity of what these dates represent brings out renewed feelings of change and resolve. Losing weight and getting in shape is at the top of the resolutions list. What is a gym in January becomes a donut shop in February. Quitting bad habits, getting out of debt, and traveling are common themes for the new year.

Using the change of year as a motivation to improve life is a noble aspiration. Like losing weight, most have to do with the physical and temporary. Diets are quickly forgotten. The determined spirit of January 1 gives way to the rhythm of life in March and April. Life finds a steady path of doing what has always been done. In reality, few people make spiritual goals the priority of their lives. There are many good and noble resolutions, but they all focus on short-term goals that will all fade away. Establishing good habits in the relationship with God will have eternal consequences.

Paul wrote about having goals in life. He reminds the saints at Philippi to seek after the new man. As people of God seek the higher calling of Christ, the Christian changes his mind to be more like Christ. Many things need to be taken out of life. Starting a new year must begin with removing harmful things before any good things can succeed. Sexual immorality, desiring money and things of this world, anger, and filthy language are some of the traits Paul says need to be taken away. It will be impossible to fill the heart with the spirit of God if these things persist in life. Lying to one another is sinful and must be taken away. The first resolution is to get rid of those things that are harmful.

The new man in Christ renews himself in the Spirit of God. When those things that harm are taken away, the void must be filled with kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering, and forgiveness (to name a few). A new man is someone who is new. What makes them new is the new things they put into their lives. Instead of the old ways of living, the Christian seeks to renew himself as a new man with new things to show the world the newness of Christ. This takes time to process all the wrong things and implant the good ones. Changing from old to new is not easy, but the rewards are eternal.

Seeking the things above will make a marriage better. Wives and husbands are becoming new in Christ. Children renew their spirits to be obedient to their parents. Fathers become a new man to guide the home in the covenant of godliness. Employees and employers are better at showing the world how the Christian is a new man. The world sees a bright light shining in a dark world. A new man prays a lot. They walk in wisdom, redeeming the time. Their speech is seasoned with grace. The new man is evident to all. If you want to have one single resolution for the new year, resolve to be a new man in Christ. The rewards will be found in your example before others and your faith before God. Be a new man.