Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts…put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22, 24 (NKJV)
Many people work hard, hoping that they’ll one day be good enough to get in on God’s love. But the truth is, we can never be perfect enough! And thankfully, we don’t have to be. Jesus was perfect for us, and we receive the acceptance He earned when we decide to trust in Him. When we make that decision, we receive a “new nature…created in God’s image” (Ephesians 4:24, AMP). Do you know what this means? You are not who you used to be.
I’m not saying that you suddenly become a perfect angel when you give your life to Jesus. You see, although the new nature you received in your spirit is now Godlike and perfect because it was created in His image (Ephesians 4:24, AMP), your habits, thoughts, actions and beliefs aren’t so perfect. You need to “let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2, NLT).
Ephesians 4:22 refers to this process as stripping yourself of 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, remember that you aren’t a bad person who needs to change. It doesn’t matter how many bad habits you have; you are a child of God. He loves you unconditionally, accepts you as you are and forgives every mistake.
Study who you really are in God’s Word. Then you’ll be empowered to be who God created you to be.