Marks of the New Man

By Brian Mitchell     Have you ever heard someone say after some particularly refreshing experience in their life, like a vacation, that they “feel like a new man.” I am sure that all of us have, but what I want us all to understand is the fact that through our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, we all ought to feel like a new man or woman. I want to begin today by examining some Scriptures which are very much relevant to the theme of our lesson tonight entitled “Marks of the New Man.” The following are some Scriptural references to the new man.     “Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the Word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Pet. 1:23). “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). Through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ we have been born again to new lives—we are new people in Christ.     What is the significance of being a new man (generic use of the word for the remainder of the article)? It means that we are to live a new life--Rom.6:3-4. If we have been buried with Christ in baptism, into His death, then we must rise to walk in newness of life. As we shall see in this lesson, we are to bury the old man of sin and put on the new man renewed in the image of our Lord and Savior Christ.     How is this possible? How is it possible to live one day for self and next day and rest of our lives for the Lord? That is the power of the gospel and the Bible is full of examples of how the gospel has changed lives—1 Cor.6:9-11. Those whom Paul wrote to in Corinth had been fornicators, thieves, and drunkards among other things. Now they were living new lives in Christ because of the fact that they had been washed, sanctified and justified in the name of Jesus Christ.     How do I know if I am a new man? It is clear from the NT that Christians have been born again to new lives in Christ. How do I know if I am living the life I am supposed to be living? It is to this that we will direct our attention as we consider what Paul teaches on the subject in Col.3:1-11. Here Paul describes some of the marks of the new man. What are they? Do you possess them?     Important Note!!! If you have been following along you know that I have thus far preached through Paul’s epistles as they appear in order. That is until today—in this lesson I have purposefully swapped the order of Philippians and Colossians. That is because tonight I want to consider the marks of the new man and next week from Philippians, I want to discuss how we can maintain this new life through our relationship with the Lord.     Renewed according to the image of Christ. This is the goal of the Christian life and the end of the new man. Is there anything different about your life? It is important to notice that everything we have discussed in this lesson assumes that one has been raised with Christ. Notice again Paul’s words in v.1 “if then you were raised with Christ.” In order to walk in newness of life one must first put on Christ in baptism. Have you put on Christ?

- Brian Mitchell serves as a minister with the Jackson Church of Christ in Jackson, MO. He may be contacted through the congregation's website at https://www.jacksonchurchofchrist.net