That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24 (NKJV)
The moment you gave your life to Christ, you received a “new nature…created in God’s image.” (Ephesians 4:24, AMPC). This means that you are not at all who you used to be.
I’m not saying that you suddenly became a perfect angel in that moment. You see, although the new nature you received in your spirit is God’s nature and perfect, you are not so perfect, even though you are a new creation, indwelt by the Spirit of God. You are a work in progress. Now you need to “let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2, NLT).
Today’s verse refers to this process as putting off your former conduct, and it’s something you will continue to do throughout your life. Listening to Holy Spirit and reading God’s Word helps you to replace your old beliefs and ways of thinking with God’s.
Throughout this process, it’s important to remember that you aren’t a bad person who needs to change. You are a child of God! That’s your new identity, and it’s not something you can earn through good behaviour; it’s something Jesus earned for you and you received as a gift when you decided to trust in Him.
You have the nature of God! The more you renew your mind in God’s Word to find out who He is and who you are in Christ, the more you will begin to make choices that reflect that true nature in you!