“Taking Off the Old, Putting on the New”
Colossians 3:9-10
Colossians 3:9-10
King James Version
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him
By the help of the Holy Spirit and from the reading in your hearing from the Word of God, I would like to just for a little while and try and preach with my message, “TAKING OFF THE OLD, PUTTING ON THE NEW”.
This book, the Book of Colossians, is considered one of many of Paul’s famous “Prison Letters” he wrote to different churches as well as individual persons in order to convey a message of hope to those who seemed to be helpless and answering unanswered questions.
To note, verses 5 and 8 combined together in this letter by Paul, Paul has giving us a ten-item list of worldly sins we as Christians should remove from their lives just to name a few: sexual immorality, jealousy, revenge, slander and so on.
Paul turns to the subject of lying to one another in
details. ALL believers, no matter of class, race, background, age, gender, or ability that we are all part of the same family (Colossians 3:11; Galatians 3:28). Instead of being petty and deceptive, believers are to treat one another well and speaking well speaking truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15)
Let’s go to the Book of Proverbs 6:16-19 which tells us: “Here are six things God hates,
and one more that he loathes with a passion:
(1) eyes that are arrogant,
(2) a tongue that lies,
(3) hands that murder the innocent,
(4) a heart that hatches evil plots,
(5) feet that race down a wicked track,
(6) a mouth that lies under oath,
(7) a troublemaker in the family.” (MSG)
You noticed, it mentioned lies twice in this Scripture from out of the Book of Proverbs which should tell you that God do not like lies and don’t want us to lie on one another just as Paul suggested in his letter to the Colossians.
Here are some suggestions I found during the study and research of this message:
I.TAKE OFF THAT OLD SELF. Have you ever had an old coat or jacket that you love to wear? It’s your favorite but you just don’t and won’t get rid of it. You had so long until it’s falling apart. Then your friend, a member of the family perhaps your wife or husband ask you to please get rid of it and buy another one. Paul suggest strongly that we all should give up that old person, that particular sin out of our lives. Just like that old garment, it will wear on you so until it seems like it’s part of you. That old thing called sin is dragging you down is that old garment you carried around with you so long until the more you try to shake it, the more it squeezes you and choke you like a python squeezing the life out of you until you can’t catch your breath. Tupac Shakar was going to a Mike Tyson fight and Evander Holyfield went to witness to Tupac but Tupac told him “he can’t right now because he’s having fun and enjoy life but maybe I will next time”.
As you all know, Tupac was gunned down on the streets of Las Vegas like a common criminal and his life taken away from us—what a talent! Having fun and enjoying life the way he did is that old man Evander Holyfield tried to tell him but it was too late! Paul is warning us about having that old man, that old self that we should shed it and put on the new.
II.PUTTING ON THE NEW SELF. Ok, you finally gotten rid of that old garment that you try not to get rid of in the first place and finally, put on the new garments. You look in your “Spiritual Mirror” and you see a brand new you.
A garment of peace, 2 Thessalonians 3:16 “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you”.
When God takes away that old garment replacing it with a garment of joy, “Consider it pure joy my brother and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance” James 1:2-3.
When God takes away that old garment, He’s replacing it with a garment of love, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses” Proverbs 10:12.
Then, God takes away that old garment replacing it with the garment of hope, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not weary, they will walk and not be faint” Isaiah 40:31.
Paul is encouraging all of us to take off that old man; those sins that weigh you down. All of the stuff you’ve been carrying by God’s standards the lies Satan tells you to keep you in chains as a slave for his will and not of the will of God.
A final word to those who do not know Christ in the pardon of your sins, REPENT, turn away from your sins and
Admit
It starts with admitting that you are a sinner.
…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Romans 3:23
That’s right, the Bible says that everyone has sinned—including you. It’s probably not hard for you to think of some of the ways you’ve broken God’s Law. Sin is a problem because it separates us from God, who is without sin (1 Peter 1:16). Sin is also a problem because of the penalty involved.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23
Just as we earn wages for the work we do; we earn wages for our actions. And the Bible says that sin earns us death. That means eternal death, or separation from God for all eternity. But the Bible doesn’t leave us there. The rest of that statement gives us hope for eternal life, through Jesus Christ.
Believe
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16
Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…
Acts 16:31
What does it mean to believe in Jesus? The Bible says Jesus Christ is God’s son, sent here to die in our place.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
Sin can’t go unpunished, but God does not want anyone to die (2 Peter 3:9). That’s why He sent His son Jesus Christ to die in our place. How can this be?
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21
Jesus Christ lived his entire life without any sin. He had to be perfect, in order to die for the sins of others. And in doing so, he paid the penalty for your sin.
When you truly admit that your sin has separated you from God, and when you truly believe that Jesus Christ died to make it right, there is only one way you can respond.
Commit
…if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
Romans 10:9
Jesus Christ gave His life in exchange for yours. What could you possibly offer in return, but to live your life for Him? When you submit your life to Jesus Christ as your Lord, you become a part of God’s family, and the way you live your life—the choices that you make—will show it.
But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:13
AMEN.
