24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
which was created according to God,
The new man was created by God. This happened at one point (aorist tense). Instead of being alienated from God’s life, Christians are a new creation positionally (2 Co 5:17).
“According to God” is according to the standard of who and what God is in Himself.
in true righteousness and holiness.
The “true” here is set in contrast to the “deceitful desires” of verse 22.
“Righteousness and holiness” are the elements in which God created the new man. Righteousness and holiness here are God’s righteousness whereby He created the “new man.” God created the new man in the sphere of righteousness and holiness.
PRINCIPLE:
Our new man was created by God for His own purposes.
APPLICATION:
Whereas the old man is wholly sinful, the new man is wholly right with God. The new man has attributes created by God whereby he can grow into the image of Christ. The believer’s new man, however, can enter a process of being changed into the image of Christ (Ro 8:29).