Having it and putting it on are two different things.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 5: 23-24)

For most of us after going through a process of tossing here and there on the matter of faith, we come to a conclusion that by believing and receiving Christ and Christ alone God gives us the authority to become His children. That is where spiritual life starts. It also means that we are a new creation, a new self. I think having a new self and putting it on are two different things. Having a new self is a gift from God and there is absolutely nothing we do to attain it. But putting the new self on is a continuous attitude of our heart. (Again, it is an attitude of heart, it is not a work.)

It is up to us to 'put on' the new self and 'put off' the old self. The fact is that the old self is gone for ever but we can still act as the old 'caterpillars' though we are butterflies. Here in Ephesians, Apostle Paul is encouraging us to 'put off' our old self, our former way of life, life of hopelessness, life as the children of darkness. He says, 'to be made new in the attitude of our minds' and to 'put on the new self' which is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Our new self is created to be like God! The imparted righteousness is no less that His own righteousness. It is amazing!

We enter God's tapestry, we are His children who are truly righteous and holy. There is nothing we can do to add or subtract from it. It is a done deal. But we still have the potential to act as the 'old person'. It is the attitude we develop over the time by the renewing of our mind, enabling us to set our heart on the things above. Romans 12:2 reminds us about the continuous transformation by renewing of our mind.

NLT says to 'throw off' the old self and 'put on' the new self. NLT also does a good job on verse 23: it says, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. So it is the Spirit who does it or we allowing the Spirit to do it, we allow the Word of God to do its work in us on a daily basis.

AMP says, Be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness.

We have the coat, it is ours but we can still hang it there in the closet or wear it. it is up to us! No matter what we do coat is always ours.

Having a 'fresh mental and spiritual attitude' about who we are in Christ is so refreshing, so uplifting, so relieving, so peaceful, but we keep forgetting it. CS Lewis once said, "people need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed."

Are You a Perfectionist?

The following is a partial list of the false and unrealistic assumptions and expectations which contribute to the trap of the perfectionist spirit. Obviously, these attitudes must be changed through the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2) if permanent healing is to take place.

ATTITUDES TOWARD MYSELF

1. I should be liked, approved of, and loved by everybody, especially those important to me.
2. I should be able to do anything and everything perfectly; if I cannot, it’s better not to do it at all, or wait until I can. In other words, I will procrastinate in doing anything until I am convinced I can do it perfectly.
3. I must be perfectly confident and successful before I can consider myself to be a worthwhile person, or before others can consider me to be worthwhile.
4. I really do not have control over my own happiness. My happiness is dependent upon the actions of others and what they think of me, or upon circumstances.
5. The experiences and adverse influences that have occurred in my past cannot be changed, and are therefore ever a part of me, my present, and my future.
6. There is only one true and perfect solution for every problem; therefore, until I find it, I am in despair.
7. I should be able to make and keep everyone around me totally happy; if I don’t, there is obviously something wrong with me.
8. It is my personal responsibility to right the wrongs of this world, to solve its problems, and to correct all of its injustices.
9. Because I did not achieve all of my goals in life, I will always be less than acceptable as a person.
10. Because I have never been able to fully please my parents, friends, and/or peers, I must be less than desirable and worthwhile as a person.
11. I will never be able to be a happy person knowing what (I think) others think about me.
12. Had I been more competent in the care of my father, mother, dog, etc., they would never have died, divorced, or been unhappy in any way.
13. I am totally responsible for the reactions and responses of other people toward me.

ATTITUDES TOWARD OTHERS

1. Others, especially those I consider important to me, should always take care of me, be kind to me, and never frustrate me.
2. Others, especially those important to me, should be able to read my mind and know what I need and want without my telling them. If they can’t or don’t do this, it is because they really do not like or love me.
3. There is no way that people could accept me with all of my imperfections. It is therefore impossible for them to love me. It is therefore impossible for me to love myself. It is therefore impossible for me to love anyone else. I told you I was imperfect!
4. I am afraid of permanent relationships due to my in-ability to be perfect in those relationships. If I cannot be perfect in the relationships that I desire so much, it would probably be better for me not to have any at all, or to wait until I can be perfect in a relationship.
5. No relationship can be successful unless it is perfect in all ways. Therefore, if others do not act perfectly toward me, it is because they do not really want a true relationship with me.

ATTITUDES TOWARD GOD

1. God only accepts and loves me when He can approve of everything that I am, think, feel, say, and do.
2. God may accept me in Christ, but only because He has to according to His character. Otherwise, He would be sick at His stomach over me.
3. God may possibly accept me as I am, but only if in the future I will never think, feel, say, or do anything wrong again.
4. God saves by His grace, but only maintains this relationship with me if I read, pray, witness, serve, and do enough for Him.
5. God holds my ultimate salvation in suspense. At the Great White Throne judgment He will determine whether I will be given eternal life in heaven. God’s acceptance and love for me is only as a result of my being able to live in total obedience to everything that He has told me to do.
6. God is perfect. He wants me to be perfect. Therefore, if I cannot achieve perfection, I am unacceptable in His sight. If this continues, I will ultimately give up trying. Why serve a God that you can never please?

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