To the Ends of the Earth: Character – Week 2, Day 4 - God's Word is Forever
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Put off the old man that belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new man, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22–24
Often when we hear about purity, we think of it in terms of guilt and shame. Yet Paul spoke of putting off our old ways in terms of peace and the power of the renewing presence of Christ. Rather than focusing on the past and our guilt, we need to fix our eyes on the joy that comes when we stop conforming to the world and start allowing Christ to transform our lives into his image.
When we try to take up the fight against impurity — especially sexual impurity — in our own strength, we find ourselves defeated. Inevitably, we will stumble in a moment of weakness. This creates a cycle of guilt and shame, and for many men, even despair. Only when we allow the grace of Jesus Christ to penetrate our souls can we see our failures in light of his forgiveness and restorative love. A man restored through the love of Jesus becomes a mighty witness of the awesome power of God to turn sinners into saints. Men come to Christ when they see in other men how Jesus can take a hardened heart and transform it through his perfect love. Truly free men are men who have put off the old self and put on Christ. They are free to live apart from sin and free to call others to leave the ways of sin as well.
Questions for reflection
Where has the cycle of sin played itself out in your life because you relied on your own strength, rather than relying on Christ?
How are you learning to put off the old man in order to become a better witness of the Gospel through living the life of the new man?
How can you pray with and for a brother this week, that he may turn to Christ and rely on his grace for strength in the fight against sin and temptation?
Praying with Scripture
Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom 12:2)
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Mark C. McCann is an author and Ministry Consultant with more than 30 years of writing and ministry experience. He has published articles for a number of Catholic magazines and websites including St. Anthony Messenger, Emmanuel Magazine, Liguorian Magazine, Catholic Stand, the Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference, and Homiletic and Pastoral Review. He recently published the 4-volume Catholic men's devotional, To the Ends of the Earth, as well as the 2021 Advent Daybreaks devotional and 2022 Lenten Daybreaks devotional with Liguori Publishing. He has also released his End Times novel series, Jacob's Dream: The Vision and Jacob's Dream: The Final Battle. He was a radio host and producer for 8 years at a Connecticut Christian radio station and has worked as a Catholic religion teacher/campus minister and a parish youth minister. He has also served the Norwich, CT Diocese as a Youth Ministry Director and Family Life Director. He currently lives in Connecticut with his Proverbs 31 wife, where together they have brought up three incredible children. He strives each day to live out his call to be a man of words. You can learn more about Mark and his writing at www.wordsnvisions.com.
