The phrase “put off the old man” comes from Ephesians 4:22, which says “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.” This verse is part of a larger passage in Ephesians 4 about living a new life in Christ.
The “old man” or “old self” refers to our pre-salvation state – who we were before coming to faith in Christ. The old self was dominated by sin and corruption. As Ephesians 2:1-3 describes, we were “dead in trespasses and sins” following “the course of this world” and living to gratify the “desires of body and mind.” This old self was deceitfully led astray by sinful desires and did not submit to God.
When we repent and put our faith in Christ, we become a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our fundamental identity changes as we go from being “in Adam” to being “in Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:22). Ephesians 4:24 describes the new self as being “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Whereas the old self was corrupted by deceitful desires, the new self is characterized by righteousness and holiness in alignment with God’s original design for human nature.
The process of salvation begins the transformation from old self to new self. However, remnants of the old self remain during our earthly life. That’s why Ephesians 4:22 instructs believers to “put off your old self.” This is something we must continually do – rejecting and resisting the attitudes and desires associated with the old, sinful nature.
What are some practical ways we can “put off the old man”? Here are a few key principles from Scripture:
- Renew your mind – Reject worldly thinking and values by saturating your mind with God’s truth (Romans 12:2).
- Crucify the flesh – Consider yourself dead to sin’s power and do not let it reign in your body (Romans 6:11-12; 8:12-13).
- Clean out sinful habits – Make no provision for the flesh by removing sources of temptation and patterns that promote sin (Romans 13:14).
- Pursue godliness – Focus your energy on virtues like love and good deeds rather than self-indulgence (1 Timothy 6:11).
- Put on Christlikeness – Replace vices with fruits of the spirit like kindness, patience and self-control (Galatians 5:22-24).
In summary, “putting off the old man” means intentionally fighting against sin’s lingering influence in our lives. The power of sin has been broken by Christ, but we must continually reject sinful attitudes and behaviors while embracing Christlike virtues through the Spirit’s empowerment.
This struggle against sin will last throughout our earthly lives. We will not completely eradicate the old self until we receive our glorified bodies at the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:50-54). Yet day by day, we make progress in putting off the old man when we humbly submit ourselves to the ongoing renewing and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
1. Renewing the mind
One key way we put off the old self is by renewing our minds. Romans 12:2 instructs us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Our thinking must be reshaped to align with God’s truth rather than worldly wisdom.
Colossians 3:9-10 exhorts believers to “put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” As our minds are renewed in the knowledge of God, we become more Christlike. Right thinking leads to right living.
Practically, mind renewal involves regularly reading and meditating on Scripture, praying, attending church, studying theology, and exposing ourselves to edifying Christian teaching. The more we fill our minds with biblical truth, the more readily we will identify and reject old sinful patterns of thinking.
2. Crucifying the flesh
In addition to renewing our minds, putting off the old man requires crucifying the flesh – putting to death the sinful desires still at work within us. Galatians 5:24 declares, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” This speaks to our position in Christ.
But practically, we must also live in line with this spiritual reality by continually denying sinful desires as they arise. Romans 8:13 says, “If you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Through the Spirit’s power, we mortify sin.
Paul spoke of his own struggle in this area: “I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27). Crucifying the flesh requires self-denial, self-control and intentional mortification of sin through the power of the Spirit.
3. Removing sources of temptation
Eliminating influences that stir up the old man is key in putting it off. Romans 13:14 instructs, “…put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” We must restrict the flesh’s opportunities.
For example, someone struggling with lust should install internet filters or apps that limit access to inappropriate content. Or someone prone to drunkenness may need to stop going to parties or bars that expose them to alcohol abuse. We must clear out the corrupting influences awakening our sinful tendencies.
The book of Proverbs frequently warns against allowing sinful enticements into your life: “My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent” (1:10); “Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes” (6:25); “Do not enter the path of the wicked” (4:14). Carefully restricting fleshly influences is key to putting off the old man.
4. Active pursuit of godliness
Putting off sin is only half the battle – we must also put on righteousness and pursue godly habits and character. Colossians 3:5 says “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you…and put on the new self.” It’s not just eradicating vices but also cultivating virtues.
So we don’t merely control fleshly impulses, but seek positive growth through spiritual disciplines like Bible study, prayer, fellowship, generosity, and doing good works. We were saved to walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). As 1 Timothy 6:11 exhorts, we must “aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.”
The old man thrives in passivity and atrophies in the presence of righteous living. Actively pursuing holiness and good works helps weaken sinful tendencies.
5. Displaying the fruits of the Spirit
Cultivating Christlike character is essential in putting off the old man. As we grow in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and other fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), there is less room for sinful attitudes and behaviors.
For example, the more we grow in love, the less we will exhibit hatred, discord or jealousy. The more patience we develop, the less we will respond in anger or revenge. As we display the Spirit’s fruits, the works of the flesh are pushed out.
So abiding in Christ and surrendering to the Spirit’s work of producing godly character in us helps dismantle the remnants of the old self. The fleshly desires that once dominated us lose their grip as we display the new nature given by God.
6. Examples from the Bible
Many biblical figures illustrate the struggle between the old and new natures. For example, the apostle Peter often displayed characteristics of his “old man.” He made rash promises he couldn’t keep (Matthew 26:33), rebuked Jesus (Mark 8:32), and denied knowing Christ at his arrest (Mark 14:71). Yet after being restored and filled with the Spirit, Peter powerfully preached the gospel and modeled servant leadership in the early church.
We also see Paul alternatively describe himself as “chief” of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) and blameless regarding righteousness under the law (Philippians 3:6). Both descriptions reflect the warring natures he felt within. Yet Paul modeled putting off sin and putting on Christlikeness, saying “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
Even Christ-followers like Moses, David and Elijah at times gave in to the desires of the flesh. Yet ultimately, by God’s strength, they overcame through faith (Hebrews 11:39-40). Their examples give us hope in our daily struggle against indwelling sin.
7. It’s a lifelong battle
Why must believers continually put off the old self if we have become new creations in Christ? Our salvation begins the process of inner renewal, but the residual effects of indwelling sin remain during our earthly lives. Complete deliverance awaits glorification.
Paul describes this lifelong struggle in Romans 7: “I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind” (7:22-23). He longs to please God yet confesses, “I myself serve the law of sin” (7:25).
Because Christ dwells in us by His Spirit yet sin remains, believers experience a constant internal struggle. But we have hope of victory because of the Spirit’s empowering presence: “If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13). The war wages but the decisive victory has been won by Christ.
One day the struggle will be over. As 1 John 3:2 promises, “When he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” We will finally attain sinless perfection in his presence. But until then, we must daily put off the old and put on the new by the Spirit’s enablement.
8. It requires humility
Attempting to put off the old man in our own power leads to legalism or hypocrisy. Rules can restrain sin but cannot remove sinful desires. The Pharisees were experts in rule-keeping yet full of greed and self-indulgence (Matthew 23:25). Rules have no power to transform the heart.
True transformation requires humility. We must own our helplessness to kill our sinful urges and rely fully on the Spirit’s empowering and delivering grace. Through humbly depending on Christ’s redemptive work, past defeats become future victories. As James 4:6-7 says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God.”
Putting off the old man is not achieved overnight. At times we will stumble. But as 1 John 1:9 reminds us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” In humility, we repent and press on in the strength He supplies.
9. It leads to freedom
The continual process of putting off the old self and putting on Christ leads to increasing freedom from sin’s tyranny. Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). Applying God’s word delivers us from slavery to sin.
Romans 6:18 promises, “Having been set free from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness.” Whereas sin once dominated us, now righteousness characterizes our lives as we walk by the Spirit day to day. We experience the freedom Christ purchased through His redeeming work.
This freedom is not the ability to sin without consequence. Rather, it is power to do what is right and fulfilling. We are freed from chasing fleeting pleasures to pursue the eternal joy for which we were created. Putting off the old man leads to liberation to live as new creations.
10. Conclusion
Putting off the old self requires daily vigilance and dependence on the Holy Spirit. Though challenging, the liberating promise of Scripture is that we can overcome the debilitating power of indwelling sin. We do this by continually renewing our minds, crucifying fleshly desires, eliminating temptations, pursuing godliness and growing Christlike virtues.
For believers in Jesus, the old sinful nature no longer defines us. United with Christ, we are new creations being progressively renewed into His image. One day that renewal will be complete as we receive resurrection bodies free forever from sin’s presence. Until then, we tap into resurrection power to walk in newness of life and righteousness.