COLOSSIANS 3:5-7 DYING TO SELF OR THE OLD LIFE PART 1

It may surprise us to read that holiness starts with a negative action: ‘Therefore put to death …’ (v. 5); later we have the positive side: ‘Therefore … put on’ (vv. 12–17).

These appeals are undoubtedly of a high moral and spiritual standard and they will challenge and search the soul; but they must not be rebelled against nor neglected. It is the Christian’s calling to seek God’s grace so as to walk in a holy manner. Paul exhorts them to refuse to yield to the appeal of sin: ‘Put to death your members’. We possess a fallen human nature, but the call is to subdue the passion and power of the flesh (cf. 1 Thes. 4:3, 7).

Holiness negatively considered (vv. 5–11)

Sinful self-indulgence (vv. 5–7)

Col 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

The word mortify means “put to death.” Because we have died with Christ (Col. 3:3), we have the spiritual power to slay the earthly, fleshly desires that want to control us. Paul called this “reckoning” ourselves to be dead to sin but alive in Christ (Rom. 6:11). Our Lord used the same idea when He said, “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out” (Matt. 5:29–30).^[i]

John Owen’s said The choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, ought yet to make their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin.^[ii]

The reliance on the Holy Spirit to help us overcome sin is the only way that works.

All other ways of mortification are vain, all helps leave us helpless; it must be done by the Spirit…Mortification from self strength, carried on by ways of self-invention, unto the end of a self righteousness, is the soul and substance of all false religion in the world.^[iii]

1Sa 15:32 Then Samuel said, "Bring Agag king of the Amalekites here to me." So Agag came to him cautiously. And Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." 33 But Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." And Samuel hacked Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.

Not only was Paul negative in this paragraph, but he also named sins; and some people do not like that. These sins belong to the old life and have no place in our new life in Christ. Furthermore, God’s judgment falls on those who practice these sins; and God is no respecter of persons. God’s wrath fell on the Gentile world because of these sins (Rom. 1:18ff), and His wrath will fall again. “Because of these, the wrath of God is coming,” Paul warned (Col. 3:6,).

Five self-indulgent sins of the flesh, mind and heart are listed here. Christians must put them all to death.

‘Fornication’ is sexual immorality in general and includes sex outside of marriage which is contrary to God’s law.

‘Uncleanness’ is moral impurity of all kinds and has an inward reference here to the mind and thoughts including “lustful impurity that is connected with luxury and loose living.”.                                 ‘Passion’ is lust that uses others for self-gratification. It describes a state of mind that excites sexual impurity. The person who cultivates this kind of appetite can always find opportunity to satisfy it^[iv]

‘Evil [wicked] desire’ is a craving for evil things. desires lead to deeds, appetites lead to actions. If we would purify our actions, then we must first purify our minds and hearts.

What we desire usually determines what we do^[v]

If I create in my children an appetite for candy, then I must satisfy that appetite. If they become overweight and unhealthy, then I must change their appetites, and I must teach them how to enjoy foods other than sweets. “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Ps. 51:10) should be our prayer; for it is out of the heart that these evil desires come (Mark 7:21–23).^[vi]

 ‘Covetousness which is idolatry’ is not a reference to stone or silver gods or goddesses, but to a greedy heart. Greed is idolatry. Literally, it is ‘to have more’—thus adultery is idolatry, as it wants more.

        Covetousness is the sin of always wanting more, whether it be more things or more pleasures. The covetous person is never satisfied with what he has, and he is usually envious of what other people have. This is idolatry, for covetousness puts things in the place of God. “Thou shalt not covet” is the last of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:17). Yet this sin can make us break all of the other nine! A covetous person will dishonor God, take God’s name in vain, lie, steal, and commit every other sin in order to satisfy his sinful desires.^[vii]

Col 3:6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

Do believers in local churches commit such sins? Unfortunately, they sometimes do. Each of the New Testament epistles sent to local churches makes mention of these sins and warns against them. I am reminded of a pastor who preached a series of sermons against the sins of the saints. A member of his congregation challenged him one day and said that it would be better if the pastor preached those messages to the lost. “After all,” said the church member, “sin in the life of a Christian is different from sin in the lives of other people.”

“Yes” replied the pastor, “it’s worse!”

          God hates these sins. They are against his moral law (Exod. 20), and those who do them are called ‘sons of disobedience’ (v. 6); unrepentant sinners will feel the just wrath of God (Matt. 10:28; 25:19–30; 2 Thes. 1:8–9).

 

     Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

             John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.

              “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32

 

          Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. 

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            The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

 

^[i] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 134). Victor Books.

[ii] VI:7.

[iii] VI:7.

^[iv] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 135). Victor Books.

^[v] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 135). Victor Books.

^[vi] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 135). Victor Books.

^[vii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 135). Victor Books.