Colossians 3:3-4
Your old independent self was crucified, and you are now hidden with Christ in God. [4] And as Christ himself is seen for who he really is through you, who you really are will also be revealed, for you are now one with him in his glory!
God has taken our humanity still full of weaknesses and inadequacies and placed us hidden away in Christ. God has placed us into the very life of Christ so that in Him when I am weak that I am strong, for, in my weaknesses, His strength is made perfect. This is the wonder of our union with Christ. Apart from Him, I can do nothing, but because I have now been joined to Him, He is able to articulate His likeness through the platform of my inadequacies. My weaknesses become lost in Him, and through my need moment by moment, He is glorified. That is the new self. My rags for His riches. His strength for my weakness. The weaknesses are there, but they become useful reminders that Christ is my life, and as long as I choose to abide in Him one situation at a time, His power is on display, but if at any moment I choose to do things on my own and by my own strength then my weaknesses become dramatically exposed. Yes, it is true that even though the old independent self; the old man, is dead and gone, we can walk in deception and act like the old self, tragically missing in that moment the opportunity of experiencing the glorious liberty of Jesus Christ demonstrating His resurrection power through our unique humanity. The new self is the self that is in union with Christ and abides in Him abides and all that He is. Therefore I am only behaving as the new creation when I am resting in His ability. One day all of our weaknesses will be taken away when we receive our new glorified body that will live forever in union with Christ without ever even experiencing temptation, but until then, in this fallen world, we get to experience the miraculous ride of being lifted up daily above our fallenness through the indwelling and glorious life of Christ. Oh, how great a salvation.