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Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
This week:
Colossians 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices
10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
17 And 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.
There are two ditches, one on either side of the road when you’re walking with Jesus:
One is LEGALISM. – this says: “You can earn God’s favor. You can be good enough.”
One is LICENSE. – this says: “It doesn’t matter how you live. God loves you and doesn’t really care.”
How can Paul say this all this? Isn’t he being legalistic?
He’s just been saying, Jesus is enough, the false teachers are wrong… Legalism won’t work, it doesn’t change your heart, don’t worry so much about what to do or not to do on Sabbaths, Christ has taken the certificate of our debt to the law, and has cancelled it, don’t listen to these teachers who tell you “don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”
Then he turns around and says, “put to death these things” “do not do this” “rid yourselves of these things.”
Isn’t that legalistic?
What’s the difference between legalism and the Christian ethic, real sanctification, real holiness? So here’s the answer as I understand it:
• Legalism focuses outward, sanctification focuses inward.
There will always be observable outward differences, but that’s not the focus.
Look at these 11 sins Paul lists. Which of them is fixable by a rule? By setting guidelines, by arranging barriers? Ultimately, NONE. There are perhaps wise things that you could do to prevent the temptation to sexual immorality (and I try to do those!).
• Legalism is sin management, sanctification is sin death.
Legalism is an effort to manage sin without real sanctification.
In other words, I might know there are some things in my heart not right, but I can make some rules and take care of that. I can put a bunch of guards in place to keep me from needing to die to myself, and I can make sure that everyone around me has exactly the same set of safeguards, and if people don’t have them, I can unChristianize them.
It’s an attempt to regulate sin, without a real death to self, and putting to death the hidden sins of the heart.
You have died, now put to death. You have died, and are dying.
Things you must put to death:
Colossians 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry…
8 rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
• Sexual immorality
This is a junk drawer term for all kinds of sexual perversion. If it’s not one man, one woman, in marriage, it fits in this category.
• Impurity
A general word for every kind of moral corruption. “whitewashed tombs full of … impurity.” It can be hidden.
• Lust & Evil desires
Not all lust is wrong, but this context is: Longing after that which is forbidden.
Thomas Costain's history, The Three Edwards, described the life of Raynald Ill, a fourteenth-century duke in what is now Belgium. Grossly overweight, Raynald was commonly called by his Latin nickname, Crassus, which means "fat."
After a violent quarrel, Raynald's younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him. Edward captured Raynald but did not kill him. Instead, he built a room around Raynald in the Nieuwkerk castle and promised him he could regain his title and property as soon as he was able to leave the room.
This would not have been difficult for most people since the room had several windows and a door of near-normal size, and none was locked or barred. The problem was Raynald's size. To regain his freedom, he needed to lose weight. But Edward knew his older brother, and each day he sent a variety of delicious foods. Instead of dieting his way out of prison, Raynald grew fatter.
When Duke Edward was accused of cruelty, he had a ready answer: "My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills." Raynald stayed in that room for ten years and wasn't released until after Edward died in battle. By then his health was so ruined he died within a year. . . a prisoner of his own appetite.
Dave Wilkenson.
Many people are prisoners of their own desires.
• Greed (which is idolatry)
Greed is a love for money and things. It often expresses itself in ways that are unhealthy:
- Oppression of people
- Workaholism
- Dishonesty
How many would agree that there are people who are greedy rich people on Wall Street?
Now, this is trickier: How many would agree that there are greedy people poor people in South OKC and Clovis, NM? Yep.
Poor people aren’t exempt from greed. They just tend to express it differently.
- Payday loans
- Gambling, lottery, casinos
- Stealing, cheating
- Rent-a-Center
- Lying about your situation to get more benefits
Leo Tolstoy once wrote a story about a successful peasant farmer who was not satisfied with his lot. He wanted more of everything. One day he received a novel offer. For 1000 rubles, he could buy all the land he could walk around in a day. The only catch in the deal was that he had to be back at his starting point by sundown. Early the next morning he started out walking at a fast pace. By midday he was very tired, but he kept going, covering more and more ground. Well into the afternoon he realized that his greed had taken him far from the starting point. He quickened his pace and as the sun began to sink low in the sky, he began to run, knowing that if he did not make it back by sundown the opportunity to become an even bigger landholder would be lost. As the sun began to sink below the horizon he came within sight of the finish line. Gasping for breath, his heart pounding, he called upon every bit of strength left in his body and staggered across the line just before the sun disappeared. He immediately collapsed, blood streaming from his mouth. In a few minutes he was dead. Afterwards, his servants dug a grave. It was not much over six feet long and three feet wide. The title of Tolstoy's story was: How Much Land Does a Man Need?
Bits & Pieces, November, 1991.
• Anger & rage
The great Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini was legendary for his fits of rage. The librarian of one of Toscanini's orchestras was particularly vexed by the maestro's habit of throwing valuable musical scores at the musicians when angry. Watching closely, the librarian observed that Toscanini's first act when enraged was to take his baton in both hands and try to break it. If the baton snapped, Toscanini usually calmed down and rehearsal continued. If the baton did not break, he began hurling scores. The librarian's solution? He made sure the conductor had a generous supply of flimsy batons on hand for rehearsal!
Do you make other people work around your anger?
Jim Taylor in Currents tells the following story about his friend, Ralph Milton: One morning Ralph woke up at five o'clock to a noise that sounded like someone repairing boilers on his roof. Still in his pajamas, he went into the back yard to investigate. He found a woodpecker on the TV antenna, "pounding its little brains out on the metal pole." Angry at the little creature who ruined his sleep, Ralph picked up a rock and threw it. The rock sailed over the house, and he heard a distant crash as it hit the car. In utter disgust, Ralph took a vicious kick at a clod of dirt, only to remember -- too late -- that he was still in his bare feet.
Anger and rage –
Anger can be quiet; rage might not be. “Thumos” passion - - breathing hard.
Do you make other people ______work around_______ your anger?
Anger can be ____godly______& _____righteous____, or ___sinful____ & _____self-centered________.
Sinful anger always leaves behind ______destruction_______.
• Malice
Basic word for hard-hearted wickedness. Just a basic foolish, naughty, careless, devil-may-care, who cares who I hurt, attitude.
• Slander
Word literally is blasphemy, but that’s not always toward God -- in this case it just means speaking evil things about someone else.
Instead of speaking it about them, go speak it to them. If you won’t say it to them, you should consider not saying it about them.
• Filthy language
Are you willing to speak of things, and speak about things that should not be said?
Remember, Jesus said that out of the abundance (overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. What comes out of your mouth is in your heart.
If what comes out of your mouth is filthy, then your heart is filthy, and it’s time to clean up your heart and your mouth.
• Lying.
There is a negative aspect of holiness/sanctification – putting off.
There is a positive aspect of sanctification – putting on.
Paul switches from the negative to the positive:
…you have taken off your old self with its practices
10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
17 And 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.
• It looks like Jesus.
10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
• Is not racist or exclusive.
11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Don’t you love this verse?
You’re welcomed in. You. And your brother. And your brother from another mother.
• Compassion & kindness
• Humility
• Gentleness
• Patience
• Bear with and forgive one another
• Love
HANDOUT:
From last week:
Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
This week:
Colossians 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices
10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
17 And 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.
How can Paul say this? Isn’t he being legalistic?
• Legalism focuses ____________________, sanctification focuses _________________________.
Look at these 11 sins Paul lists. Which of them is fixable by a rule?
• Legalism is sin _________________________, sanctification is sin _____________________.
Sanctification is both ___________________ and ______________________.
You have died, now put to death. You have died, now die some more.
Things you must put to death:
• Sexual immorality
• Impurity
A general word for every kind of _________________________________.
• Lust & Evil desires
Longing after that which is __________________________.
Many people are prisoners of their own _____________________________.
• Greed (which is idolatry)
This demonstrates that idolatry in the NT is a _________________ issue, and that worship is broader than just _______________________________.
• Anger & rage
Do you make other people ______________________________ your anger?
Anger can be ____________________& _______________________, or ________________ & ____________________________________.
Sinful anger always leaves behind _______________________________.
• Malice
Basic word for hard-hearted ___________________________. A foolish, naughty, careless, devil-may-care, who cares who I hurt, attitude.
• Slander
If you won’t say it _______ them, you should consider not saying it ______________ them.
• Filthy language
What comes out of your mouth is what’s _________________________.
But sanctification is not just “take off/put to death” it is also “put on.” What is the character we are supposed to put on?
• It looks like ________________________.
• Is not __________________ or exclusive.
• Compassion & kindness
• Humility
• Gentleness
• Patience
• Bear with and forgive one another
• Love
