Dark Night of the Soul: A Term Paper

Creating a New Self

4. Discuss the nature of the already/not yet and the indicative/imperative tension in the New Covenant.

Colossians 3:10 says, "Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him."

We have been disconnected from the old version of ourselves that has been controlled by its sin, but we still experience that old self in random, unexpected bursts. We are now in Christ, yes, but we still sin. We are both old and new combined - we have been fully forgiven of our sins but we have not reached a place where we are truly holy. We are still struggling with our old nature.

Ephesians 4:21-24 says, "Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy."

Unfortunately, this is not a one-time event. It isn't that we find God and throw off our entire old life, never to be controlled by our old nature again. This is something that has to be done repeatedly. Just as we created a habit with our sin, we have to create a habit for our holiness.

The emphasis for this process is in verse 23. It says that the Spirit renews. We cannot renew our thoughts and attitudes. Those are things we have to give over to God to be fully transformed and renewed.

Our lives will still end up being a tightrope between the flesh and the holy, but as we walk with the Spirit we start to create a new self; each day becoming slightly different from who we were the day before. And with this more complex, deeper transition, instead of just becoming grand holy people, we also become people who have a deeper relationship with God, a deeper wisdom, and a stronger peace.

Those who attempt to walk into their new selves without the Spirit, will end up with none of those things, and ultimately, the holiness their soul craves will never come into being, because the source of holiness is disconnected.

So what does the Spirit do, exactly, to show us the unholiness within us?

He sends us through trials.