Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: Sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves as all such things as these: anger, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other since you have taken off your old self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of it’s Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and is in all.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, cloth yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:5-14)

Whoever coined the phrase of “old dog new tricks” in reference to people must have never read the New Testament. It seems the pages of the New Testament are packed with stories of tyrants, prostitutes, thieves and the like being transformed into shining examples of integrity and sacrificial love. In the passage above Paul is painting a picture of what change looks like when Christ takes his place as lord in someone’s life. It may seem like a list of do’s and don’t that he’s asking his readers to fallow to be right with God, but we know that this is not what it is, from reading the chapter before this. Paul never strays from the message that its Christ’s indwelling presence in the believer’s life, that is the origin of this process, of being renewed in the image of the Creator. What he is doing is painting a picture of what the presence of Christ looks like as Christ doesn’t just teach the old dog new tricks, but actually changes the Dog. So what Paul is saying in essence, is that since you’ve had a spiritual heart transplant and now you live in the light of God’s love and grace, don’t let the old life lingure, Make decisive choices to say goodbye to it and live out of the love and truth of Christ’s indwelling presence. And for 2000 years this message has been proving that the power of God’s grace stands the old saying “You can’t teach an old Dog new tricks” on it’s head.