Practical Steps for Putting on the New Self

It's no secret that I'm the most selfish person I know.  And I hate that!  Having read through Jerry Bridges' The Practice of Godliness, I am still not Godly (selfless or humble or content or thankful or joyful or holy or self controlled or faithful or peaceful or patient or gentle or kind or good or loving) in the perfect way God requires.  While working to cultivate these traits of the new self (Ephesians 4:20-24), I am trusting Christ's imputed righteousness to me that makes me perfect in God's sight and trusting the Holy Spirit for help while still living in this imperfect body.

Bridges gave some super helpful tips (I first learned them from my sweet, wise, well-educated hubby) on how to fulfill the commandment of putting on the new self (the person we are in Christ).  While we recognize that the fruits of the Spirit are inner dispositions produced only by the Holy Spirit, we do have a responsibility.  Here's how to fulfill it:  (This example was from the love chapter, but it can be applied to any of the Godly characteristics.)

1. Saturate our minds with Scripture (pg 211)

The WORD is the Holy Spirit's primary tool for transforming our hearts and minds.  We must be people of the WORD.  We must read it, meditate on it, and pray it.  Renew our minds (Romans 12:1-2) with Scripture that describes love and specifically shows us its importance.

For example: I am meditating on (trying to memorize) the following verses to cultivate love for others in my heart and mind:

I Corinthians 13:1-7

Romans 13:8-10

2. "Pray for the Holy Spirit to apply His Word to our hearts and to our daily lives" (pg 212)

Pray!  Ask God to work in a mighty way in your heart and mind to help you desire and live out the fruit of the Spirit (Phil 2:13).  When you fail to be kind, loving, content, etc., confess your failure to the LORD and ask Him to continue to help you grow in that area and be more sensitive to such occasions.

For example (love):

Pray, "May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you," (I Thes 3:12).

3. Obey

This is the most difficult step for me, especially as I feel the tension in my heart between the fleshly desire to be angry, discontent, unloving, etc. and what I know in my mind to be the Godly response.  I am so comforted by my favorite verse Philippians 2:13: for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.  It is God who gives me the desire and the will to obey!  So so awesome.  So I pray that God would do that in my heart and then I obey, as if He has already done that work in my heart (even if I don't feel it yet).  But this has to be done with reliance on the Holy Spirit - the only One who is strong enough to enable me to act in future grace!

For example (love): "We must do those things that love dictates," (pg 212) such as not doing our neighbor harm, meeting their needs, forgiving their wrongs against us, putting their interests above our own, and reaching out.

Bridges ends the love chapter with, "As we do our part, we can count on God to perform His, not because our working obligates Him to work, but because He is a gracious and loving God, and He wants us to become gracious and loving children of His," (pg 213).

I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit was sent to help me when I fail so miserably by trying to do it on my own.  God is so good - He foreknew all that we would need to live lives of Godliness.

If you haven't read this book yet, head over to Amazon and purchase it!