Trading Shadows for Substance
Christ didn’t fine-tune the old man—He gave us a brand new frequency.
Devotional Credit:
Abide Above – Terminal Condition—Eternal Position
Photo Credit:
Unsplash
Today’s reflection from Abide Above invites us to consider not just our rescue from sin, but our relocation from Adam to Christ. The writer emphasizes that our spiritual journey is not about improving the old man but exchanging him—entirely—for the new man, who is Christ in us. Many believers experience the Christian life as a tug-of-war between two identities. They may say they are “in Christ,” yet still operate as if they belong in Adam. But God has made a definitive shift: He changed His man—from the fallen Adam to the risen Christ—and we are to align with that change in both understanding and experience.
We were not merely patched up or improved; we were crucified with Christ and raised in Him. We don’t straddle two lives. In God's view, the old man is dead, and our new life is hidden with Christ in God. The temptation to cling to remnants of the old identity often stems from not fully grasping that we are accepted in the Beloved—not on the basis of our performance, but because Christ perfectly glorified the Father on our behalf.
When we live with this clarity, we are freed from striving and comparison. The goal is not to balance our behavior between the two Adams, as if 60% Christ-likeness is acceptable. It is full surrender, not self-improvement. It is not “Christ helping me be better,” but “Christ being my life.” The moment we shift from trying to improve Adam to trusting Christ within, the weight lifts. We begin walking in the Spirit rather than carrying the burden of reforming the flesh.
We have put off the old man. We have put on the new man. This is not aspirational—it is actual. And now, we are renewed in knowledge after the image of our Creator. Our role is to reckon this true, yield to it, and walk it out in trusting dependence upon the Spirit of Christ who lives in us.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
Beloved, I have made you new. The old man was crucified with Christ, and you no longer owe him your allegiance. In My eyes, the old has passed away—behold, the new has come. You are not called to manage the old life but to walk in the newness I’ve already placed within you. Your spirit is now joined to Mine. I am your life.
I am not asking you to divide your heart between two men. I invite you to see what I see: you are fully accepted in the Beloved, complete in Him, and renewed in knowledge after My image. When you fall into patterns from your past, I am not distant. I am within you, nudging your heart back to the truth—your life is Christ, and Christ is enough.
Let your mind be renewed to this reality. The flesh will offer its familiar logic, but its power is broken. The old law of sin and death no longer governs you. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free. Walk by My Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. I am faithful to remind you—not of your guilt—but of your new identity. I lead you not by shame, but by the gentle assurance that we are united, and I will never leave you.
So lean not on your understanding. Trust Me to live through you. The Son of God loved you and gave Himself for you—not to give you a second chance in Adam, but a new beginning in Me. Rest there.
Scripture References: Colossians 3:9–10, Galatians 2:20, Romans 8:2, Romans 6:6, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Colossians 2:10, Romans 6:11, Galatians 5:16, Romans 5:1–11, Ephesians 1:6, John 15:4, 1 Corinthians 6:17
Real-Life Analogy
Think of trying to tune a radio. The old static station is full of noise—it’s familiar, but frustrating. You can’t fix it by adjusting the volume; you have to change the frequency entirely. That’s what God did. He changed the frequency of your life from Adam to Christ. He didn’t ask you to clean up the static—He gave you a new signal entirely.
Today, if a conversation pulls you into old patterns—defensiveness, worry, self-pity—pause. Instead of trying to react better in the flesh, quietly acknowledge the static is not yours to fix. Trust the Spirit to respond as Christ in you. Let Him be the frequency others hear through your voice. Yield to His presence, and say, “Lord, I trust You to respond through me in this moment with Your peace, patience, or wisdom.” Watch how He does.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You that You have already relocated me from Adam to Christ. I no longer live under the old system—I’ve been made new. You didn’t ask me to fix what was broken; You crucified the old and gave me Yourself. Today, I rest in that reality. I walk in that truth. And I rejoice that I no longer have to improve the flesh, but instead trust the indwelling life of Christ to express Himself through me. You changed Your man. And by grace, I agree. Amen.