The Battle With Our Flesh
Colossians • Sermon • Submitted
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Two weeks ago, we finished Colossians chapter two. We understood that we are complete in Christ and there is not one thing that He has left incomplete in our salvation and there is no one else that we have to answer to. Everything centers on Jesus.
In Colossians three, Paul discusses Sanctification. It is not accomplished in trying to keep rules as he warned us about at the end of chapter two, but in answer to our calling in Christ. When we are called into a relationship with Jesus, it includes a radical change of mind which produces a desire to be like Christ and at the same time different from the world.
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Remember that when Paul uses “if then” in this way he is not asking a question - it is a statement. Since you were raised with Christ. When we come to salvation we are no longer dead, but alive and alive in Him.
buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
Colossians 2:
Since we were raised in Christ - we have two things that Paul instructs.
There are two commands found in theses verses. The first is to seek those things which are above. It deals with our treasure and thus our hearts.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
This deals with our desires. What is it that we hope for, trust in, live for - pursue? The things we hold dear.
The second is to set our mind on things above. They are similar but slightly different. We are to also delight in the things above. Because it is where Christ is seated, it deals with His kingdom. We are to focus on matters related to the rule of Christ in our world.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
While we live in a place that is not the Kingdom, we also live in the Kingdom. We are passing through this place and should not allow it to occupy our thoughts and dreams. Instead, we proclaim by our living and our words what it means to live in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
While we live in a place that is not the Kingdom, we also live in the Kingdom. We are passing through this place and should not allow it to occupy our thoughts and dreams. Instead, we proclaim by our living and our words what it means to live in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
When we come to Christ we are called away from earthly things. We are called to life.
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
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In verse one, Paul reminds us that we are resurrected with Christ. and here in verse three he reminds us that we also died in Christ. If we died in Christ, we now live in Him as a new creation.
Our lives are now hidden with Christ in God. Some people believe that here Paul is talking about us being safe in God through Christ, but Paul is addressing how we an live and here is the source of our living - it is Christ alone!
The source of our life is Jesus. He enables us to do be and to do what we should. He Himself encourages us to seek Him and His Kingdom.
Paul declares this to us in verse four. Christ is now hidden from the eyes of the world and yet one day he will be revealed to all. We may be dead to the things of the world, but when Christ is revealed, the source of our lives will be revealed with Him.
Why we do the things we do, why we live the way we live, will be made known when we are revealed in Christ. Many suffer today because of their faith and yet, one day those who did not understand the reason for their suffering will know that it was for Christ!
The values that we live with and the pursuit of the Kingdom will be revealed in Christ and it will be a great day for those of us in Christ Jesus, but a terrible day for our friends who see Jesus finally for Who He Is.
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
They will know Jesus as Lord and they will know that they have lived their lives apart from Him. While we will be vindicated, they will be judged. So now, we continue to live lives worthy of Christ and share the Gospel that our friends may also know Him and be called from death to life.
For now, our lives are hidden in Christ. We are misunderstood, belittled, and persecuted. We are looked down upon and made fun of, but one day - it will change as Christ is revealed - This is just a reason for us to keep our minds and our hearts on the things above.
Paul now turns his attention to how we are to live and he begins with things that should be discarded by those who would be the Sons and Daughters of God.
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Colossians 3:
Paul begins with us putting to death our members. This seems unnecessary - if we have died with Christ we are already dead. This is a spiritual reality. All those in Christ have died and are now alive in Christ.
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Paul begins with us putting to death our members - that includes our flesh - our bodies and worldly thinking. This seems unnecessary - if we have died with Christ we are already dead. This is a spiritual reality. All those in Christ have died and are now alive in Christ.
Paul declared in
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
The spiritual reality is sure - but we are still commanded to put to death our members. Our position of being In Christ must now be worked out in us daily. We continue on with our flesh and even though we are positionally in Christ and alive in Him, our flesh lives on and we are to put them to death. Once we are dead to sin, we continue to put to death the things that have a way of coming back up in our flesh.
Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
When we see our flesh rise up in us we are to lay it back on the cross and not allow it to live on.
Preach and Missionary
Preach was not out there sinning - as we may think about it, but his flesh was directing his thoughts and attitudes and they were not from Christ. Her point to him was that he needed to be dead.
Look again with me at these verses
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
Paul begins with a list of five sins related to personal actions. Four of them are consistently referred to in Scripture as sexual sins. To that list he adds covetousness.
Perhaps he begins with sexual sins because of the importance of marriage and the picture that it is of our relationship with Jesus and the Church. Marriage is the closest thing we have to the relationship we have in Jesus. When we think about our sins in this way, and apply them to Jesus and His church, we see how inappropriate they are for us as God’s Sons and Daughters.
Fornication - illicit sexual intercourse - sexual expression outside of the marriage covenant.
If we apply this to Jesus and His relationship with the Church. This would mean we can find intimacy with God in ways other than through Jesus. We know that this is not true - but that is the picture we find in sex outside of marriage. The idea that we can find intimacy outside of God’s plans is a lie sent to destroy what God desires for us!
Uncleanness - general impurity.
Passion - lust - strong desire. Ok in accordance to God’s word, but unchecked it leads to misdirected fulfillment of our desires.
Evil Desire - selfish desires
Covetousness - this is the longing for something that belongs to someone else - or something that we have not yet possessed.
Idolatry - causes us to live for selves - our passions - our desires.
All these things have self as the common denominator. We do this for us. Not for others, not for God, but to fulfill our own desires. Sexual sin is a sin against ourselves, our relationships with others, and our relationship with God.
And, they are a part of our former life and in verse six, Paul reminds us that this is why the wrath of God is coming and once again reminds us that that was how we once lived.
But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
Paul turns to another group of five sins. This list is more social in nature. They also destroy relationships. We are called to live in community together. The Bible says that they will know we are Christians by our love but these things work to divide and destroy relationships.
Anger
Wrath or rage
Malice
Blasphemy or slander
Filthy Language
Dianne - God has not convicted me of that yet.
Listen, if this is a part of your life, you need to hear the word of God - He calls us to put these things off. To remove them from our lives. We need to have someone that we can ask and hear - how am I doing? Do you see more of these things in me? Do you see less?
Paul goes on and says,
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
We do not need to lie to one another. We are all in christ and all one in Him. There is no need to try to cover our sin any longer.
Adam and Eve when they sinned - the first things they did was cover themselves and hid.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
Genesis 3:
We cover for our sins and hide the truth about ourselves from God and each other!
We cover for our sins
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
Colossians
and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
Scripture tells us that there is nothing that we can hide from God. He sees right through us. He looks past the masks and the disguises that we wear and knows our very thoughts. There is no need to try to hide from God. He looks at us and knows our sin and loves us still. He has sent his Son to die for us and to give us life. We are now free from sin and we are pure in Christ.
God has made it where it was not necessary
But Paul tells us not to lie to one another.
You see, there are times when we still try to hide and lie to each other about who we are and how we are doing. We wear the mask so easily
Family coming to church . . .
Dealing with sin and struggling with temptation . . .
God has made it where it is not necessary. We are all sinners saved by grace. We all have flesh that we deal with and we all are made perfect in Christ. Now - lets be honest and lets get to work at putting off the flesh and putting on Christ!
I love thanksgiving . . .
I can’t eat that way anymore
We can’t live that way anymore!
And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
Love covers a multitude of sins.
Love covers a multitude of sins.
We need to learn this! We must love each other deeply - not saying that we are perfect - we are not. We will stumble and fall and mess up. At times our flesh will rise up and we need to be able to be honest with each other and to have others pray for us and encourage us when it happens.
We don’t need every fault broadcast on facebook. We need to lovingly hold each other accountable and we need to be humble enough to admit our struggles and grow together.
Would you pray with me?