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Putting Off to Put On (Psalm 119:101)

I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word.
Psalm 119:101

Far too many professing Christians define the Christian life by what they do not do rather than by what they do. This is a terrible misrepresentation of the Christian life.

The psalmist teaches us this very succinctly. He has determined to keep away from evil so that he may keep God’s word. To assume that you are pleasing to God because you spend all your effort trying to keep away from evil is useless if you are not determined to keep God’s word.

In New Testament terms, we are taught to put off and put on.

…that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Ephesians 4:22–24

When the Holy Spirit renews us (Titus 3:5), it is so that we can put off the old self and put on the new self. Now we are learning to live out the Christian life.

Look how this is described in simple yet profound terms:

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
Romans 13:14

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children…
Ephesians 5:1

…the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
1 John 2:6

As you anticipate another week, make sure that your effort to avoid evil is so that you can determine to live out the Christian life in a way that brings praise to Almighty God!

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Rocky Wyatt

Rocky Wyatt came to know the Lord as a young teenager and began working in youth ministry when in college. After serving in churches in Utah, California and Colorado, Rocky moved to Texas to serve as Youth Pastor at Countryside Bible Church. He served there for 26 years where he eventually moved from youth ministry to serve as an Associate Pastor.

Over the course of his ministry, Rocky has always had a desire to train men for pastoral ministry in the context of the local church. In 1992 he started XL Ministries, an organization that is committed to helping churches establish intensive internships for pastoral training. In 2020 he left his position at Countryside Bible Church to become the Executive Director of XL Ministries and now works full time assisting churches in training men for ministry.

He is co-author of The Youth Ministry Training Manual, a textbook for training youth pastors, and has also written multiple other resources for use in various local church ministries. He is currently working on a book to encourage churches to take the primary responsibility to train pastors.

Rocky is married to Pamela, has two sons and daughters-in-law, and ten grandchildren. 

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.1 Corinthians 15:58