FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE OLD MAN

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE OLD MAN

Here is the last installment of observations of this "old man" That Paul
instructs us to PUT OFF. I need to clarify that Ruth Paxson actually
wrote this stuff in 1928 not 1945.

SELF- CONSCIOUSNESS - "the old man never forgets himself; wherever he
goes he casts a shadow of himself before. He is constantly occupied with
photographing himself and developing the plates. He is chained to
himself and as he walks one hears the clank of the chains. He is often
morbidly self-introspective.

SELF-EXALTATION - "the old man" is absorbed in his own excellencies; he
overestimates himself and his abilities; he thirsts for admiration and
praise and he drives on flattery. He secretly worships at the shrine of
"self" and he wishes others to do so publicly.

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS - "the old man" loves to dress himself in the
garments of morality, benevolence and public-spiritedness. He even
patronizes the church and often assists in drives for raising money for
philanthropic and religious purposes, heading the list of donors with a
handsome gift. He keeps a double entry account book both with the church
and with the world and expects a reward both on earth and in heaven.

SELF-GLORYING - perhaps "the old man" resents this plain delineation of
himself as he really is and thinks the condemnation too sweeping.
Immediately he begins to enumerate his good qualities, his amiableness,
geniality, tolerance, self-control, sacrificial spirit and other
virtues. In do so he takes all the credit to himself for what he is,
exhibiting ill-concealed pride and vanity.

Is this delineation of self true or untrue? You have three ways by which
you may judge and decide:

1. What God's Word says of Him
2. What you have seen of his manifestation in other lives
3. What you know to be true of YOURSELF!!!

In light of our own experience is there one of us who would not have to
confess to everyone of these hateful manifestations of self at some
moment in a greater or less degree? We each of us know what a
hydra-headed monster that old "I" is. Luther knew it and said "I am more
afraid of my own heart than of the Pope and all his cardinals. I have
within me that great Pope SELF!" adapted from LIFE ON THE HIGHEST PLANE,
by Ruth Paxson.

The value of this exercise is not on option #2 above. The value of this
exercise is allowing God to show you from His Word (#1) what you know to
be true of YOURSELF (#3). PUT OFF THE OLD MAN - BECASUSE HE WAS
CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST AT THE CROSS!!!! More on the good news throughout
this week.

I am going to format this past three days into a resource that you can
download from our website. Watch for details.

Great Quote: It takes less time to do something right than it does to
explain why you did it wrong.