COLOSSIANS 3: 5-11 / Christ Above All Series
PUTTING TO DEATH OUR SINFUL SELF
Some of us would have to admit that talk about Resurrection Living is disturbing. We believe in Christ’s victory over sin, death, and the grave, but we don’t feel much like conquerors ourselves. We know ourselves too well for that. There are thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and habits which mock the reality of the Resurrection Life in us. We are aware of our inability to change some of the things which still debilitate and defeat us. We are discouraged by our old nature.
The Bible deals here with some of the problems of defeated Christians. It will help us to realize that although the crucial battle has been fought and won through our death to self and our resurrection to new life [by our acceptance of Christ’s death on the Cross and His resurrection from the dead], the Holy Spirit must penetrate still deeper and occupy our new nature more and more fully. The Holy Spirit must be continually allowed to apply the power of the death and resurrection of Christ to our life (CIM). For we must appropriate by faith the power of the Cross and the Resurrection daily if we are to walk in daily victory. For the principle of Resurrection Living has the power to conquer the sin of the old man, which adherence to false doctrine or a minute code of regulations never can (2:20-23).
I. PUT TO DEATH SINS, 5a.
II. SINS OF PERVERTED LOVE, 5b.
III. REASONS TO PUT TO DEATH SIN, 6-7.
IV SINS OF ATTITUDE, 8-9a.
V. REASONS FOR PUTTING OFF, 9b-11.
Verses 5-9 solemnly lay on the Christian the obligation to put the old nature to death. Verse 5 teaches us that living the Resurrection life involves a continuous putting to dead of the fleshly nature. “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”
Therefore, once you have your eyes on Christ; once you understand what Christ accomplished on the Cross and the power that is available to believers, “Consider the members of your earthly body as dead." What specifically is Paul asking us to consider as dead? We are to consider as dead the life which belongs to old nature and is ruled by that which by what is earthly. He gives us two lists: one in verse 5 and one in verses 8-9. The first list refers to unholy, perverted kinds of love, and the second list refers to kinds of hate.
Your old nature will continue to debilitate your Christian life if you don’t take action by focusing on Christ’s and the things which are eternal. Let's look at the first lists or the sins we are to consider as dead by the power of the cross of Christ. [These list are not exhaustive, just representative. Look at Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 4:19 & 5:5; Rom. 1:24, 26, 29-32; Rev. 9:20-21, 21:8; 22:15 for similar listings.]
The first vice of the old life that we are called on to appropriated the death of Christ and thereby removing this earthly desire is immorality. Immorality (porneia) refers primary to sexual relationships outside of marriage, but it also includes all kinds of unlawful sexual behavior, including deviations (1Cor 5:1, 10; 6:9 1 Tim. 1:9-10). God looks on immorality as a serious sin. In the Old Testament, it was punishable by death, and God's attitude toward it hasn't changed. He forbids any sexual activity outside of marriage.
Impurity- This refers to evil thoughts and intentions. The evil thought is behind the evil deed; therefore, if you control your thoughts, you'll control your body. That's why Paul says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom. 12:2).
Passion- Passion or lust (pathos) is related to the next item on the list. It is a passive term referring to latent sexual desire.
Evil Desire- This is a more intense passion, and more active than passion. Latent sexual desire becomes activated sexual desire. That creates evil thoughts, which in turn produce evil deeds.
Greed- The Greek word translated as "greed" in verse 5 [is pleonexia. It] literally means "to have more." In this context it means, "to want or have what isn't yours," or, "to want what is forbidden."
The word covetousness refers to a greedy desire to have more and more material things. It's a term that aptly describes today's society. This is a day of stockpiling and amassing as much as money can buy. And our culture seems to encourage this.
Even children are getting an early introduction to materialism. A Midwestern bank now issues credit cards to 12-year-olds. This increases the buying power of the young, who are prone to make purchases based on peer pressure. The coming generation will be highly skilled at “keeping up with the Joneses”
This materialistic philosophy has so dominated our age that it has also influenced the church, as well as the Christians life style. Scripture calls this drive to possess more covetousness, which is idolatry. Jesus said that “one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15). We need to be content with what we have. We need to resist the lie, that the more we possess the happier and more secure we will be.
A man who lived with his elderly aunt expected to inherit her small fortune. But he didn't wait for her to die naturally. The newspaper reported that he killed her by giving her an overdose of medication. He's now in prison.
In 1 Kings 21, we read about wealthy King Ahab, who wanted a vineyard so much that he allowed his wife to murder the owner. God was so displeased that He sent Elijah to tell Ahab that dogs would lick up his blood in the very place where Naboth had been murdered. Not only that, but his wife and every male descendant would be slaughtered. The terrifying prophecy was fulfilled 3 years later (2 Ki. 9:4-10: 11).
We should fear the sin of greed because it leads people to do terrible things. We should hate it because it is idolatry, causing us to value earthly things above God.
I've often wondered about the last three words added to this verse after mentioning covetousness. I've concluded that idolatry describes the true nature of covetousness. It points out that when we covet something we turn the object of our coveting into an idol. We make it our god.
The Bible says that greed amounts to idolatry. You either worship God or self. As one bows to self, evil desires surface, which lead to evil thoughts and then to evil deeds. What the Bible is saying that if we want to get rid of sin, we need to get rid of greed-the core of sin.
Some people make a god of money. They are obsessed with accumulating wealth. All their thoughts and energies are directed toward that goal. For others it's status. They want the manager's job. Or they look at the chief executive officer's position and say, "Whatever it takes, I'm going to get that someday." Or it may be an athletic achievement. A young tennis star said in an interview, "All I've ever wanted is to be number one in the world. It's all I've lived for. Nothing else matters in life. And I won't stop until I get it."
Let's stop and look at ourselves. We all have dreams, desires, ambitions - and it's not wrong to have them. But we must maintain a biblical perspective. When we covet what someone else has, we've gone too far. When we've let our desire for wealth or position become an all-consuming passion, we've turned it into the god of our lives. And that's idolatry! Instead of covetousness, think of something to give instead of something to get. Becoming "rich toward God"(v.21) will cure greed.
We can escape greed's grip. "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (3:2). Focus on our relationship with Christ and look forward to meeting Him when He returns (vv.1-4). Think of Christ and all that He has given you. That's the cure for greed. If we have Christ, what more do we need?
[THINKING it OVER
Why is greed so pointless? (Mt. 6:9-24).
What's more important than possessions? (vv.25 -34).
What do I desire most in life?]
If Christ were to return today, would you leave behind more "treasure” than you have waiting for you in heaven? Learn to hold lightly the things of this earth.
III. REASONS TO PUT TO DEATH SIN, 6-7.
Verses 6 & 7 point out to reasons to put to death our old nature or manner of living. So that none minimize these vices verse 6 points out that God’s wrath will come upon those who do such things. “For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, “
One winter a resort in Breckenridge, Colorado, posted signs instructing skiers to keep off a certain slope. The large and distinct signs said, "DANGER! Our Of BOUNDS!" In spite of the warnings, however, several skiers. went into the area. The result? A half-mile-wide avalanche buried four of the disobedient beneath tons of snow and rock. The tragedy would never have happened if the signs had been heeded.
God, has posted clear warning signs in the Bible to tell us what kinds of behavior and attitudes are off-limits. The Lord loves us and wants to spare us from tragedy. He warned us about lying, stealing, blasphemy, filthy language, adultery, murder, drunkenness, and a host of other sins. Yet, many times we ignore His warnings and intentionally wander into a forbidden area. We convince ourselves that nothing bad will happen to us or that we can turn back if we sense danger.
But God is not kidding. Sinning guarantees His disapproval and opens the door to remorse and tragedy. A person who repeatedly commits these sins may be giving evidence that he has never trully been saved (1 John 3:4-9).
Are you tempted to explore a forbidden area of sin? Don't be foolish. Heed God's warning signs that say, "DANGER! OUT OF BOUNDS!" The cost of obedience is small compared with the cost of disobedience.
So let God through the layers of your conscious and subconscious mind to excavate all the vestiges of our old self, our self-centered nature. Each sin must be recognized, confessed and put to death. For these vices are lighting rods that attract God’s wrath. And though man presently may seem to enjoy his greed they are only walking further under the avalanche of wrath that will fall when God set the straight the outcome of our live.
Verse 7 honestly states that these are sins that characterized the Colossians’ and our pre-Christian experience. “and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.”
Both verbs are in the past tense. We used to walk in them in the life we once lived. But that kind of life or conduct belongs to the past.
IV SINS OF ATTITUDE, 8-9a.
Those who have been raised with Christ are to demonstrate a new attitude toward sin. This new attitude not only applies to lustful sins but it also applies to sins of speech. So next are listed sins of attitude and speech. Verse 8 emphatically marks the contrast of the old life with the new life. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.”
“But now,” in decided contrast to their-our previous pagan state. The imagery is that of putting off or stripping off filthy smelling clothing (Rom. 13:12; Eph. 4:22, 25; Heb. 12:12:1; Jas. 1:21; 1 Pet. 2:1). [This putting off the old is why the tradition developed of putting off street clothing to be baptized in white robes.] For God has broken the power of the old nature in and over believers by His death and resurrection. Now Believers must put faith in that act and in its power to experience the liberation that comes from living in Christ’s resurrection victory.
The second list of various kinds of hate experienced in social relationships is related more to speech than feeling. The first three terms point out sins of disposition or internalized sins. These sins may or may not be expressed in overt action (Mt. 5:22-30).
Anger- This refers to smoldering, resentful bitterness that refuses to be pacified. It becomes a settle habit if not addressed.
Wrath- Anger gives way to wrath (rage-thymos). Rage refers to a temporary blaze of sudden anger. It is like setting fire to straw-it flames furiously, but quickly burns out.
Malice- Malice (kakia) is the result of wrath. It refers to general evil or wickedness. It denotes a vicious disposition which promotes injury to others. It is the sin of ill-will toward others.
Other sins are verbalized. Slander- Slander is also a result of wrath. Every time you slander a person, you slander God. [Jesus said “Whoever shall say; 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell" (Mt. 5:22).] When you insult someone, you are disparaging someone made in the image of God. When you insult a Christian you disparage someone being remade into the image of Christ.
Abusive speech- This word (aischrologia) refers to obscene or abusive language. The combined word carries the idea if foul-mouth abuse. Ephesians 4:29 says, "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear." If you chose to say something, say what is edifying, necessary, and gracious.
A godless verbal environment is bound to corrupt the mind. Our best defense. as Christians is the Holy Spirit who, if allowed to control us; can check a filthy word before it slips out. So powerful is His work in us that He can clean up the coarsest language. In an eyewitness report of the Welsh revival of 1904, G. Campbell Morgan wrote, "The horses are terribly puzzled. A manager said to me, 'The haulers are some of the very lowest [sort]. They have driven their horses by obscenity and kicks. Now they can hardly persuade the horses to start working, because there is no obscenity and no kicks.”
If we have a problem with our language, we ought to pray daily, "Set a guard,. O Lord, over- my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3). We need more puzzled horses. His heart cannot be pure, whose tongue is not clean!
[DIRTY WORDS are now commonplace. Terms that a few years ago never left the locker room are today plastered on T-shirts, printed on bumper stickers, and are brought into our homes on TV. Although it's disturbing to hear non-Christians use bad language, we shouldn't be surprised. God's Spirit doesn't live in them, and they're not guided by His Word.
What's even worse is that swearing and impure language can be heard among Christians. Some families are exposed to so much of the world's foul-mouthed offerings at the movies, on VCRs, and on network TV that they lose their distaste for offensive communication. "What's the big deal?" they ask.
The big deal is God's disapproval. His Word says:
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth" (Eph. 4:29).
...put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language"
“Out of the same mouth proceed blessings and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so"(James 3:10)
We can't do much about the language of people. But we who love Jesus must not stoop to the language of the gutter. “Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking guile” Psalm 34:13. A foul mouth is the mark of a polluted soul.
In verse 9 we find lying. Lying or falsehood is a problem of ill-will toward others. Someone has observed that sin has many tools, but a lie is a handle that fits them all. You need to tell the truth. As people of the truth, we must discipline ourselves to speak the truth. If Christians can't speak the truth, who can? So examine your words and actions. Are they truthful at all times? As Christians, our integrity is constantly tested.
V. REASONS FOR PUTTING OFF, 9b-11.
In verse 9b is the great reason for all the preceding commands; which was already enlarged on in verses 1-4, concerning the Christian’s death and new life by union with Jesus. “[Do not lie to one another,] since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,”
The life of sin is call the old man, the old self. That life was crucified with Christ. The practice of the new life must square with the profession of the new life.
How can you get rid of those sins? There are two ways: One, starve them. Don’t feed your mind with trash. Second push sin out with positive graces. Pour into your mind the Word of God and things that are good and right (Phil. 4:8). God offers us the new life, but He doesn’t force it on us. We must put it on ourselves. We must put it on daily.
Verse 10 condenses volumes into one sentence. “and have put on [been clothed with] the new self [man] who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image [likeness] of the One who created him”
The new man is not only new but is being perpetually renewed. God is penetrating deeper and deeper into each new man transforming us into a fuller and higher likeness of Jesus. This personal relationship knowledge is here call true knowledge. It is the knowledge that make us like Christ. “It takes place as a believer comes to a personal, deep knowledge of and fellowship with Christ.” [Walvoord, John; Zuck, Roy. The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983, S. 681]
Is Christ the sweetest Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star, the Alpha & Omega, the Faithful and True One, the Fairest of Ten Thousand ... to you? If not, then, you need to come to a true knowledge of Him so that you may have the righteous desire to be changed into His likeness.
The things of the old man rob us of the opportunity to become more like Christ, which is why we must put off the old man to put on the new. A wealthy man went DUCK HUNTING with one his employees named Sam so the story goes. They took a horse and carriage, and on the way a rim came off one of the wheels. As Sam hammered it back on, he accidentally hit his finger & let go with a couple of bad words. He quickly fell to his knees, asking God's forgiveness. "Lord, it's so, difficult at times to live the Christian life," he prayed.
"Sam," said his, boss, "I know you're a Christian. But tell me, why do you struggle so? I’m an atheist, & I don't have problems like that."
Sam was silent. Just then two ducks flew overhead. The boss raised his gun and two shots rang out. "Leave the dead 1 & go after that wounded bird,” he shouted. Sam pted at the duck that was fluttering desperately to escape and said, "I’ve got an answer for you now, Boss. You implied that my Christianity isn't any, good because I have to struggle so. Well, I’m like that wounded duck, and I struggle to get away from the devil. But Boss, you're the dead duck! Satan’s got you and your not trying to get away.
That down-to-earth insight is a fit description of the Christian experience. Struggle is evidence that God is at work in our lives [Romans 7:14-25]. Flutter is a sign of life. Strength to go on and find God’s forgiveness for failures. Keep moving! If Jesus lives within you, sin need not overwhelm you.
Verse 11 mentions various distinct groups, cultures and social classes. “[a renewal] in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.”
In the realm of the new man, where people are being transformed into the unifying image of Christ, these distinctions or race, cultures and social classes have no real significance (Gal. 3:28). The Christian community will be different but theses differences will not be barriers to fellowship.
“Christ is all, and in all” teaches us that Christ is the reason for unity. Christ and Christ-likeness is what we need to focus on, not our differences. Loyalty to Him must take precedence over any and all earthly ties.
CONCLUSION
Are you living the Resurrection life today? If you aren’t have you claimed the power of Christ’s victory over the specific sins which rob us of joy and freedom?
Resurrection Living is comes from being surrendered to Jesus and His will for you. Then God can bring cycles of surrender, death, resurrection, commitment and liberation to bear again and again with each aspect of our life.
Would you bow you head? What is defeating you or discouraging you about yourself and your relationships, especially your relationship with the Lord? Point it our, be specific. Then take them one by one and pray:
“Gracious LORD, thank you for showing me what keeps me from your resurrection victory over sin, death, and the grave. I surrender my life again to you. I Claim Christ defeat of this sin on Calvary, and I accept the same Holy Spirit power which raised Him from the dead to also be my victory over it. I yield complete control of my life so that you can make into the new person in Christ yo want me to be. Renew me day by day to be more like Jesus, with whom you are well pleased. For the greater glory of Jesus I ask it. Amen.
