¹⁷ With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. ¹⁸ Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.¹⁹ They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

²⁰ But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. ²¹ Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, ²² throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. ²³ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. ²⁴ Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

There’s a new way to live. You don’t have to live like you “used” to live. Sometimes this requires breaking away from people, relationships, habits, or jobs that are associated with the “old” life. 

Confusion is not from God. God is clear and direct but also mysterious in some things; not confusing. God has given many clear directives about living and life. Following those directives will help clear up any other confusing things. Sometimes I may want a “why” before doing what god wants and that’s what I would call “confusion” but God says to “do” and then the confusion will evaporate. 

Before Christ, there was no power to see the Light. Christ has come and allowed there to be Light in that darkness. People have to choose to turn on the light in their lives. 

It’s easy to simply “wander” in the wilderness. Look at the Israelites. Wandering is for lost people. People of Christ should not wander for they have purpose and meaning in life. If we wander it is because we have been drawn away by the delights of this world.

Have I closed my mind, hardened my heart to anything God is saying to me? Am I living with any sense of shame? Am I finding pleasure in the wrong ways? Am I practicing the wrong things? Christ has called me to a different life and these are questions I must address continually as life moves along.

It is important to take the things I learn about Christ and His life and put them into practice.

Learning is demonstrated in actionable ways.

Christ wants me to live out my faith, to put Christ on display through how I live.

Throw off the old, put on the new. The idea is there has to be a transition from old to new. There has to be a letting go and a taking up. There has to be a putting “off” and a putting “on”. This is the principle of Replacement. Everywhere God tells us to get rid of something, He also tells us to take on something else.

If there is a void in our lives, it is because we have failed to replace something old with something new. 

Renewing your mind and thoughts each day is important. It is essential to the life that overcomes.

Allow new thoughts, perspectives and directives to come from the Lord as you embrace each new day. 

God created me to be holy and righteous and therefore it is possible. It will not happen because of my “self-will” but by His Spirit and power I can become all God created me to be: holy and righteous.