Holy Living
Colossians 3:1 (NIV)
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
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 practices 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.”
I want to begin today’s sermon with a small exegesis of the words being described here. Let’s first take a look at the works of the flesh that St. Paul is demanding of the church at Colossae.
Anger:
Anger was an interesting word to delve into, especially in the context in which St. Paul is using the term. Anger, as he used it, has a synonym (according to Webster’s) that is equated with it.
Wrath: means an intense emotional state induced by displeasure - is likely to suggest a desire or intent to revenge or punish.
When we look at anger for what it is, it is an ugly thing. It is a reflection of our fallen nature at one of its worst. Someone doesn’t do what we think or say or perhaps injures us in a perceived or real way and wrath begins to form in our hearts because we want revenge on them for this or that. We even want to punish that person because…”How dare they do this to me or my loved one?!”
Do you suppose that when Christ said to turn the other cheek he was merely relaying a good spiritual principle that is to be debated and ruminated over by scholars for millennia or do think he meant what he said…”Someone has hurt you…do not hurt them back.” Instead he went even further by commanding, “Pray for those who hurt you with malice or anger.” Quite the opposite of what our human heart and the world in which we live demands as “satisfaction.” The Lord has said “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.” and we had better conform to that model or scripture says further “You will be judged as you judge.” So, that means that every time you condemn a person for lying, cheating, manipulating, gossiping, etc. You will be judged on the Great Day in the exact way that you have condemned that person and their actions. We had better start living by God’s command.
Rage:
Rage is another interesting word study. With rage we find that it is something I have to confess I have been guilty of from time to time while driving on the road or what not, so I am acquainted with this little guy.
Rage: violent and uncontrolled anger, a fit of violent wrath.
When that guy cuts you off in the middle of the road, is rude or (fill in the blank), a person can get a wee bit frustrated and then behave in a manner that’d make the devil blush. You know who you are.
St. Paul reminds us that that type of outburst does not advance the kingdom of Christ and if left unchecked and unrepented of, can separate you from the relationship that Christ wishes to have with His Bride. We must always strive to be peaceful even when we want nothing more than to exact some sort of harm on the person who is the focus of our rage. Again, we must pray for them and try to step into their shoes, because we don’t know if that person just lost a loved one, got some terrible news, or has given up on life. In any one of those scenarios that person does not need a raging person in their face, rather they need to see the light of Christ reflected upon each of our faces so that they can get a true understanding of the God of Peace and Comfort which we serve.
Malice:
Malice is another word which we don’t see used too often today but seems to permeate itself through the Church. I have seen too many succumb to the vice of malice in their life and it has driven to heartache, misery, and/or expulsion from the Body of Christ. This sin is one of the most insidious because most of us won’t see it coming until we are deeply in the act.
Malice: means the desire to see another experience pain, injury, or distress - implies a deep-seated often unexplainable desire to see another suffer.
It also has sister words:
Spite: implies petty feelings of envy and resentment that are often expressed in small harassments.
Grudge: implies a harbored feeling of resentment or ill will that seeks satisfaction.
The biggest example that I can give from my own experience was when my father pastored a small church here in Oregon. We had started the little church from scratch and were eager to build something for our Lord. My father was a relentless preacher and used sound, biblical apologetics. His preaching drew in people from the community and his love for the people endeared him to them. One day a new family came into the church. The father of this family was a seminary graduate and was “on fire” for God. Or so it seemed. A year passed and this man worked his way into the leadership of the church which now numbered around 75 souls. He was being groomed for the Associate Pastor position and we all believed him to be a genuine man of God until one Sunday. We noticed that half of the congregation was shunning the other half of the congregation. When we inquired as to what was going on, this man said that he was the rightful pastor of the church because my father was unworthy.
As time rolled by, we found out that this man had begun to do private “bible studies” with members of the congregation. In these “bible studies” he would provoke animosity against my father by saying things such as “Pastor Cloud doesn’t preach right. He doesn’t talk right. He doesn’t do things the way I think they should be done because I’m college educated. He is a heretic for believing in the infallibility of scripture. He doesn’t stand the right way; look at him when he preaches, he gets too excited. Oh, I think he may even being stealing money from the church…” On and on it went until one day we read in the local paper a public “editorial” against my father for his “sinful” ways. This merry band of gossipers and backbiters had publicly defamed my father to the town. We finally left the church because my father’s name had been tarnished and the people who were in the church were against him. At least a good majority.
Later, we learned that this “holy man,” who spread discontent and innuendo in the church, was sleeping with another man’s wife, milking the people of money and had, ultimately, torn the church in two. The saddest part of all was the fact that there were new Christians in the congregation and when the fiasco happened, they left the church and never returned. That is heart-wrenching to me to think of glorious souls which had been searching for a godly example, only found the world settled squarely in the church. After that, several people came and sought forgiveness from my father for believing the lies that had been spread and backing the “outed” true heretic. My father forgave them instantly, yet never quite recovered from the blow that was delivered by those he had loved. We even have contact with one couple that was involved in that, even to this day. I harbor no ill feelings, but am ever watchful of the same shenanigans in this church. Grudges, spiteful behavior, and jealousy ran its course and destroyed a beautiful congregation that had once worshipped God as a family.
Slander:
Slander has a good example in the previous story I related so I won’t go into that too much, but it is also one sin that is self-seeking to the extreme and seeks to build oneself up at the expense of another’s reputation.
Slander: the utterance of false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another’s reputation.
This sin specifically breaks the commandment to never bear false witness against a person. Anytime you make a statement that may not be true of another person, you are guilty of this sin. You had better do your homework before you open your mouth to condemn or spread gossip of another person. If it’s true, it’s true. If it’s just a hunch or a “feeling” then get on your knees and repent of the sin of slander.
Filthy Language: (i.e.) Cursing
In today’s society, cursing is almost second nature to most individuals and even to those within the church. When I walk down the street I constantly hear curse words of all flavors and some so expertly woven into expletives it makes the mind stop and think what these people are even talking about. Sometimes you can make out a coherent word or two but it’s mostly profanity coming from the average Joe. This should not be the case in the church as well. St. Paul reminds us of this fact.
Cursing: to use profanely insolent language against - to call upon divine or supernatural power to send injury upon.
Swearword: a profane or obscene oath or word.
I wont go into the swear words that fit this criteria but I think we can figure out which words fit the bill. It is unflattering at the very least to hear someone curse or say something in anger. Most of us, probably, have been guilty from time to time of this, but we are reminded that that sort of conduct does not become a Child of God and should be avoided at all costs. Scripture asks us a very deep question about this sort of behavior from Christians…”Can sweet and bitter water come from the same source?” Most of these words can become a force of habit, but breaking this habit is in the direct will of the Father.
Lies:
In today’s society we tend to break down lying into two categories: the white lies and the black or dark lies. The little white lies are used to ingratiate yourself like, “Oh that’s such a pretty dress” when you really want to say, “Yuck! That dress is horrible.” The dark lies usually ranger from outright fallacies to fallacies which tend to promote yourself at the expense of someone or something else. “Yup, ol’ Joe is quite the drunkard. He lies in his sick and passed out most of the time.” When you’re actually saying, like the “good” Pharisee in scripture, “I’m glad I’m not like him.” Or even thinking, “This will fix Joe, next time he’ll think twice about messing with me.”
Lying: marked by or containing falsehoods - to make an untrue statement with intent to deceive - to create a false or misleading impression.
Lying seems to fall into several categories that I’ve already discussed and is one sin specifically mentioned as a damnable sin. A mortal sin, if you will. Rev. 21:8 states, “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
St. John equates lying with sorcery, murder, atheists, sexual sins, and idol worshippers. Why? Because it causes so much harm when it is perpetrated, that God specifically calls out those people who lie for any reason at all. There is no white lie and dark lie with God. It is a lie.
So what are we to practice as a true Christian? It wouldn’t be fair if I told you the disease without showing you the cure.
Compassion: sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.
We should always try and understand another person without prejudice or malice.
Kindness: tender and benevolent affection.
Tender and benevolent affection. The same things that we wish done to us, we should do to others. I think I see the “Golden Rule” being played out in this one.
Humility: the quality or state of being humble.
Do things for God and others without announcing it and without seeking glory for the act. “Don’t let your right hand know what your left hand is doing” fits the bill here.
Gentleness: the quality or state of being gentle; especially : mildness of manners or disposition
Being a gentle person that is slow to wrath and does not seek to hurt or belittle others for any reason. Lift others up with a kind word or expression.
Patience: bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint - manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain - able or willing to bear.
These are great definitions for patience. When you think someone isn’t quite what you think they should be or someone does something to you whether knowingly or not, be patient with them and don’t seek revenge.
Forgiveness: allowing room for error or weakness.
I love that definition. Allowing room for error or weakness. If someone errs or is weak and commits acts against us or loved ones, we are compelled to forgive. Colossians even states we are to forgive as God forgives. That’s a tall order, but it is an order that we must comply with in order to exemplify Christ to this world which is seriously lacking in forgiveness or any understanding as to who God truly is. If they don’t see it in us, where will they see it?
Love: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV)
Webster’s can’t hold a candle to this definition. Love is the supreme directive that God has given us through Christ. If we fail to show love, we fail at being a Christian. And if we fail to be a godly example of a Christian, then why are we in church?
As I close today’s sermon, I want us all to reflect on these words as we walk the Christian path. I want us to ask ourselves, “Do I reflect God’s ways or do I reflect the world’s ways?” If you reflect God, keep up the good work. If you reflect the world, change the choices you are making and come into God’s grace for healing. He wants nothing but the best for us and it is by living by these standards that we can gauge the health of our Christian walk. Amen.
