What does Ellen White write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "What does Paul mean by the “old man” as opposed to the “new man”? See Romans 6:6 and Ephesians 4:22‑24."
Answer
The “old man” describes the corrupt condition before conversion, in which one is ruled by sinful passions such as anger, malice, and selfishness and has been deceived by Satan’s schemes. This old condition must be crucified and put aside so that the “new man,” created by God’s grace in righteousness and true holiness after His image, may have room. This transformation encompasses the whole being and manifests in a decisive change of character and daily walk in accordance with God’s law.
The Decay of the Old Man and the Renewal in Christ
»Put off the old man concerning the former way of life, which was corrupted by deceitful desires; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that you may clothe the new man, who is created after God in righteousness and true holiness." Once they were corrupt, humbled, enslaved by lustful passions; they were numbed by worldly opiates, blinded, confused, and betrayed by Satan’s schemes. Now, having been taught the truth as it is in Jesus, a decisive change in their life and character had to take place.«
»Knowing this, that our old man has been crucified with Him, so that the body of sin may be destroyed, that we may no longer serve sin." Romans 6:6.«
»Now also you must put all these aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, filthy speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped the old man of his deeds." Colossians 3:8‑9.«
»When God's grace takes possession of the heart, it becomes evident that inherited and cultivated inclinations toward wrongdoing must be crucified. A new life, under new control, must begin in the soul. Everything that is done must be for the glory of God. This work encompasses both the outer and inner man. The whole being—body, soul, and spirit—must be brought under submission to God, to be used by Him as an instrument of righteousness.«
»The natural man is not subject to God's law, and indeed he cannot be so on his own. But through faith, the one who has been renewed lives day by day the life of Christ. Day by day he demonstrates that he recognizes he is God's possession.«
»If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has passed away; behold, everything has become new." By the power of Christ, men and women have broken the chains of sinful habits. They have renounced selfishness. The dishonorable have become reverent, the drunkards sober, the debauched pure. Souls that bore the image of Satan have been transformed into the image of God. This transformation itself is the miracle of all miracles.«
- Regeneration and character change
- Conversion and overcoming sin
- Sanctification through God's grace
Original Sources (English)
Stephan Krol
Founder of EGW Vision
Why I built EGW Vision
Hello, I am Stephan Krol. I started this Ellen White website to make the writings of Ellen G. White and the Adventist pioneers easier to access for everyone.
EGW Vision helps you find topics, statements, and quotes faster, especially when many original sources are not yet fully available in your language. The tool searches semantically, groups relevant content by topic, and presents matching results as clearly as possible in your language.
My hope is that this tool supports personal Bible study, strengthens trust in the original sources, and helps more people discover the message of these writings with clarity, depth, and joy.
