"Ephesians 4:22 commands Christians to ""lay aside the old self which is being corrupted by the lusts of deceit."" The old idolatrous self pursued desires outside of the parameters of God. Lusts of deceit typically promise immediate gratification but hide costs over the long term, resulting in repetitive satisfaction of seemingly innocuous lusts. Corruption nevertheless sets in. Repetition ossifies lusts, and the old self is practically defined by the lust which is now an habitual practice. The periodic drinker becomes a drunkard, the occasional gossiper an egregious slanderer, the ""recreational user,"" a full blown drug-addict. The costs are now plainly evident, but the fool characteristically doubles down, and rationalizes his slavery. (""I can quit anytime I want, he loudly protests"") The fool originally contracted the lusts of deceit to serve the old self; now lusts are the master and the old self the servant, who has been thoroughly corrupted by the lusts of deceit. The Scriptures address this root of deception: ""The foolishness of fools is deceit."" (Proverbs 14:8) The practice of engaging lusts (foolishness) among fools reinforces self-deception. In any event, the foolishness of fools doesn't instantly leave when saints confess Christ. The episode notes that the old self is presently BEING corrupted by the lusts of deceit. All Christians are in the process of sanctification in which the Holy Spirit helps the believer identify with the new man in Christ, which is ""created in righteousness and holiness of the truth."" (24) This identification founded on TRUTH is the antidote to the DECEIT of fools. Believers then must regularly put on Christ, while they lay aside the old self, making no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. (Romans 14:17)
Identify with the Costs as Well as the Benefits
This episode applies the death, burial and resurrection of Christ to sanctification, specifically how we gain the victory over sin. Romans 6:7 states that our old self was crucified with Christ, in order that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin. Victory over sin begins with identification with the historical fact that our old self was crucified with Christ, and the result is that we are no longer slaves to sin. The key variable linking this historical fact with liberation from sin is the degree we identify with Christ's death, burial and resurrection. The goal, that "the body of sin might be done away with," largely depends on our active application of the death of Christ to our own sin. And the application of the resurrection, as we learn in later episodes, is that we rise to the newness of life. So before we naturally identify with the resurrection of Christ, we should also readily identify with Christ's death, which energizes us to mortify the flesh.
Repentance from the Old Self
This episode contains my personal testimony of the futility of merely repenting from transgressions without repenting, turning away from the old sinful self. Many Christians see their salvation experience primarily in terms of resolution of sin-debt, without dealing with the primary culprit: the old self, the flesh. Sanctification is so designed to bring every believer to abandon hope of living the Christian life in their own flesh. This repentance from the old self (the full expression of repentance from dead works) lays the foundation for life in the spirit.