To Put Off

     Sometimes a couple of words can have two different meanings.  It may depend on how they are used in a sentence.  Take for example, the words, "put off." In one sense, they speak about procrastinating. I might say, "I don't want to do this job right now, so I will put it off until tomorrow." We all understand what this means. Procrastination has become a problem in many lives. Soon, tomorrow becomes filled with too many jobs that have been left over from days before. But, the words, "put off" also have another meaning and one that is used throughout the Scriptures. This one speaks about "putting off" a certain way of life. Ephesians 4:22 says, "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;" In these verses, the same phrase has an entirely different meaning. In this case, this is something that you do want to do. In the other phrase, to delay something until a more convenient time, you didn't want to do it. But, in this case, it is good, in fact, preferred, that you "put off" the former way of life and the sooner the better. The Scriptures here indicate that this act is something that you have to do and that it is much like taking a garment and either putting it on or taking it off. In fact, other Scriptures refer to putting on the new man and putting off the old man. Once you make the decision to "put off" the old man or the old way of life, then there needs to be that decisive moment when it actually takes place. You decide not to take a certain path any longer but you decide to take the other path that has been put into your life. It is much like a fork in the road where you make a definite decision to go either one way or the other. In the case of spiritual things versus worldly things, you decide to pursue after the things of God rather than the things of the world. So, this is a case where you need to put off the old way of life. But, it doesn't stop there. If you decide to put off the old way of life and do nothing to replace it, the old way of life will soon be back. This is why the Scriptures often speak of putting off something and then immediately putting on something. In this case, it is the "new man."And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:24). So, while "to put something off" can refer to procrastination, it can also refer to an act whereby we decide to change our lives from the old way of doing things to the way of God. Which way are you pursuing?  Praise God that He says what He means.