Vice Or Virtue (Part 1) Series

Vice or Virtue (Part 1)

Colossians 3:5-12

5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practice, 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. 12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Intro: Romans 6:6 states, And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin. It should not surprise us that Paul informs believers that while they have been crucified with Christ in His death and have been risen with Him in His resurrection that Christians must execute sin in their lives putting it to death.

In salvation, we have been granted a positional reality that is awaiting the final resurrection. Thus, while in Christ I am certainly dead to sin and alive to God, my triumph over sin and death must be worked out in practical living. Each day I must strive to follow the leading and protection of the Holy Spirit that I might abide in Christ. In reality, Christians have died to the penalty of sin, but the power of sin can still lure them away from the intimacy of their salvation b/c their unredeemed flesh is still vulnerable and weak.

Verse: If the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from death, lives in you, then he who raised Christ from death will also give life to your mortal bodies by the presence of his Spirit in you. So then, my friends, we have an obligation, but it is not to live as our human nature wants us to. For if you live according to your human nature, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death your sinful actions, you will live. Those who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s children. Rm. 8:11-14

Be obedient to God, and do not allow your lives to be shaped by those desires you had when you were still ignorant. Instead, be holy in all that you do, just as God who called you is holy. The scripture says, "Be holy because I am holy." 1 Pt. 1:14-16

Quote: There can be no holiness or maturity in a life where sin runs unchecked.

Note: Sin is like a deposed monarch who no longer reigns, nor has the ability to condemn, but works hard to debilitate and devastate all his former subjects. We must never forget so long as we are in this world that sin is still potent, and that success over sin demands and requires the Spirit’s power.

Trans: With this in mind, let’s turn our attention to the responsibility each of us possess to walk by faith and to become fully developing followers of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, in working out our salvation with fear and trembling, it all boils down to a simple concept of Vice or Virtue.

I Vices of the Old Life to be Abandoned (5-11)

Verse: 5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practice, 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.