Bible Reading: Mark 2:22
In biblical times, wine was stored in wineskins. Wineskins were bags made from the skin of animals, such as goats. Newly made wine was always stored in newly made wineskins. To put new wine in old wineskins was foolish. Old wineskins were likely to burst if reused.
Jesus used wineskins to emphasize that with Him as our Lord and Savior the habits and ways of our old, sinful lifestyle must be put aside. Our old ways can't coexist with God's ways in our new lives.
We can't continue trying to earn our way to heaven through the law and accept salvation by grace at the same time. We can't run our own lives and give control of our lives to God at the same time. We can't serve God and ourselves at the same time.
When we come to Jesus for forgiveness and salvation, we promise to give Him everything and every part of our lives. We can't hold anything back. If we try to keep any part of our lives for ourselves, our new lives will rupture like old wineskins filled with new wine. We won't be able to contain all the blessings that God has for us. The new life that God has for us will be ruined and lost.
The only way to live and enjoy to its fullest the new life God gave us when we accepted Jesus into our lives is to move away from our old way of living to accept fully the new way of living that life in Christ offers. We can't try to hold on to any of our past habits or faults. The new can't exist with the old.
Have you left your old way of life and fully embraced Jesus Christ and the new way of life that He offers? I hope so.
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for my new life in Jesus. Help me to live it in the way that most pleases You. In Jesus' name. Amen.