Stay Within His Will

Introduction

We continuing in our study of the letter to the Colossians. As you may remember from the first week of our journey, we discussed how most of the epistles are occasional, meaning that the apostles where writing in response to a specific situation, occasion or questions that would arise from the specific congregation. Also as we all have all things in common, it was expected that the churches would copy and forward the letters they received to other churches,

which is the reason why we have so many manuscripts of the NT. There are approximately 5,800 Greek manuscripts which were in circulation throughout the first centuries AD. In addition, there are aprox. 10,000 Latin manuscripts and 9,300 manuscripts in other languages and these documents can be trace back to their origins.

And so, now this ancient Word of the Living God is opened to us in English as the uncompromised final authority concerning our life now and the life that is to come, it behoove’s us to pay close attention because it all testifies of Jesus

The Author and Finisher of our faith,

The One who Was, Is, and Is to come

The Creator and Sustainer of all things

The Redeemer and Owner of all things

The One who is the Son of God and moreover God the Son.

Today we will be examining the Word of the Lord in chapter 3:6-9

Colossians 3:6–9 (LSB)

6 On account of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,

7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.

8 But now you also, lay them all aside: wrath, anger, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.

9 Do not lie to one another, since you put off the old man with its evil practices,

Jumping back into the vices, this passage begins with, “on account of these…” While this portion of the series is jumping back and forth between the vices and corresponding virtues, it is helpful to keep in mind there is an internal flow to the letter. The “these” in verse 6 are the vices listed in verse 5. Paul is stating because of those vices (3:5), the “wrath of God is coming…” (v. 6). What is the wrath of God? According to Strong’s Greek Lexicon, the Greek word for wrath (orgē) is from a word that describes an internal motion that precedes an explosion.

In the Pauline context, the wrath of God refers to God’s righteous judgment against sin. The point here is that God does not ignore the vices listed in 3:5, and there are consequences for those whose lives are defined by those actions.

We must understand that our God is gracious and merciful but not at the expense of Him being just. Hell is not a popular topic of conversation even among professing Christians

Those who are evermore making light of hell are probably doing it in the hope of making it easy for themselves.

The Pleading Of The Last Messenger, Volume 33, Sermon #1951 - Mark 12:6-9

Charles Spurgeon

Some of you may wonder, but I sinned in the ways described on vs 5: sexual immorality, impurity, evil passions and desires, and greed. Does that mean that He is angry with me? Am I subject to the wrath of God.

The way it is described, the vices of 3:5 are the lifestyle and habit of sin. It doesn’t excuse occasional sins and bad choices, but what Paul has in mind here isn’t that, there is a remedy for that.

1 John 1:9–2:1 (LSB)

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

No, what Paul is talking about here are people who embrace sin as normal. Consider the brother who makes inappropriate comments and gestures to women, someone comes and tell’s you, can you believe what John Doe said to me? “well thats just him”… this is a lifestyle that is not only acceptable to the individual, but acceptable to those he lives around..

It is to those who live in perpetual unrepentant sin that God’s wrath is coming.

And to be sure, Paul reminds them, “this is who you used to be” this was your identity… but it is not who you are anymore… you are now in Christ. This is both admonition and encouragement…

But if you notice the vices on vs 5 were more of things done, they are sinful actions taken from the heart all the way to the hands. On verse 8 is more of words spoken to people or of people, again, from the heart out through the lips.

Colossians 3:8 (LSB)

8 But now you also, lay them all aside: wrath, anger, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.

Lay aside

put aside

put off

to strip oneself of

to give up

put to death.

And the list, which is a continuance from the previous beings with words that are basically synonymous which implies great intensity.

Wrath, anger, quick or bad temper, exasperation, it can even be translated as hateful. It is an intense anger that implies a passionate outburst.

Malice: hateful feelings, ill will, meanness, a desire to do harm.

Again this starts in the heart but once there in goes out into action, or in this case words:

Matthew 5:21–22 (LSB)

21 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not murder’ and ‘Whoever murders shall be guilty before the court.’

22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be guilty before the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

Starts in the heart, ends in speech or deed which is our next two in our list of vices;

Slander: blasphemy, insults, defamation. It is to speak against someone in such a way as to injure their reputation.

escrologia: abusive language, filthy language, filthy talk, filthy communication, foul language, dirty talk, shameful language… It involves themes which are disapproved of in the culture.

Jesus Himself said that such talk puts you in danger of hell because it reveals the content of your heart

Luke 6:45 (LSB)

45 “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil. For his mouth speaks from the abundance of his heart.

All of the profanity you can spew out at the slightest provocation is simply your heart vomiting from its abundant content.

James echoes all of this when he writes,

James 1:19–22 (LSB)

19 Know this, my beloved brothers. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;

20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

21 Therefore, laying aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in gentleness receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But become doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

You hear lay it all aside, put it all to death, then go ahead and lay it aside and put it to death.

People of God should have a better grip on proper vocabulary.

On this same issue concerning our speech, that is, the tongue

James 3:9–12 (LSB)

9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God.

10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

11 Does a fountain pour forth from the same opening fresh and bitter water?

12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can saltwater produce fresh.

Fig trees produce figs, olive trees are the ones that produce olives and vines produce grapes. Christians do not produce profanity.

And the last one on this category of vices is lying to one another. It is not enough for you not to lie to God, who cannot be fooled by anyone, but you are not, as the world does, attempt to fool one another.

To lie / means departing from the truth in communication with each other. It is falsehood in word or deed.

The apostle here is not suggesting that the Colossians had been practicing lying, he is just warning that all of these including lying must be avoided. That this is how life should be lived everyday.

Proverbs 12:22 (LSB)

22 Lying lips are an abomination to Yahweh, But doers of faithfulness are His delight.

Abomination is a strong word which is reserved to a small group of specially detestable and heinous sins in the eyes of the Lord, and lying is one of them.

Ok so he says put off the old man with its evil practices…