The Lingering Old Self

            Of course, as Paul recognized throughout his epistles, we still struggle with “the old self.” The habits of our mind and body, programmed as they are by the pattern of the world (Rom. 12:2), continue in force. They have been crucified with Christ—they are in fact “old”—yet we play an important role in recognizing this and thus in discarding them. Growth in the Christian life is primarily a matter of “put[ting] away [our] former way of life, [our] old self” and “be[ing] renewed in the spirit of [our] minds . . . [clothing ourselves] with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:22–24). But this discipline is predicated on knowing who we already are in Christ. It is because of who we already are that we have the assurance of what we shall eventually become.

            As we put off the old self and put on the new, as we come to see ourselves as we really are (in Christ) and no longer as we once were in the lie of the old self, we increasingly conform to the image of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:29; Col. 3:9–10). When we yield to the Holy Spirit within us and are transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2), Christ is increasingly “formed in” us (Gal. 4:19; cf. Eph. 4:7–9).⁵ We progressively see ourselves as we are in Jesus and thus increasingly look and act like Jesus. And this is how the world comes to know the reality of Jesus Christ and through him the reality of the triune God. They see him in us and experience him through us.

- Greg Boyd   "Repenting from Religion"