Col. 3:1-8 (vv5-8)

Let’s read .

As is Paul’s method of teaching normally goes, is to arrange his material in this way: to give an exposition of Christ and the gospel with an explanation of what it means to live in the world inline with those Christ-centered truths previously mentioned.

So, doctrines of faith (what we are to believe concerning Christ) and taught which are then translated into corresponding behavior and conduct.

We began last week to hear the exhortation in 2:6 of what it means to continue to live or to walk in Christ.

We said last week that it starts with Whom we seek and where and what we set the desires upon.

If we’re seeking after Christ in glory, where everything centered around Him, our lives too,

will bear witness that we’re centered around Christ as well.

We spoke last week of intimacy with Christ and communing specifically with Christ through grace.

He enjoying the graces that He is producing in us and through us and us feasting upon His glory.

And we said that Deep intimacy with Christ produces Kingdom life through the church.

So we attempted to open up, some of what that intimacy with Christ looks like and then for tonight, we see what this produces.

We’ll pick it up in v5 as we think about some of the Particulars of the Kingdom.

Paul is going to spell out clearly what kind of conduct is expected of one who belongs to the Kingdom of Christ.

— Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.

To put to death means to slay.

This is dealing with sin in a much stronger manner than most folk in our churches will think about practicing today.

However, if you wish to demonstrate Kingdom character in your conduct,

you must slay your sin in your life.

You must deal forthrightly with sin in your life or you will never have victory over it and get it out of your life.

Since we have this heavenly mind-set, we ought to be eager to get rid of behavior that doesn’t reflect that mind-set.

After all, v3 says that “you died...” Therefore v5 says “put to death...” Which is how Paul’s mind thinks of the Christian life.

Become what you are!

We who have

died to “the elements of the world” (3:3; 2:20) and

to the power of sin ()

because of our union with Christ are to “become” dead to sin in the realities of everyday life.

But this “putting to death” of sin is not only demanded by our incorporation into Christ; it is also empowered and effected by it.

Union with Christ, because it puts us in a

new relationship to sin and

brings us into the sphere of the Spirit’s power,

will impact the way we live.

Ultimately, then, the command “put to death” in this verse must be viewed as a call to

a call to respond to, and cooperate with, the transformative power that is already operative within us

respond to, and

cooperate with,

the transformative power that is already operative within us.

With the heavenly mind-set we look at the things that belong to the earthly nature.

Those faculties that (in the old sphere of life) are used in the service of sin and unrighteousness

but that in the new realm are to be given to Christ.

Just like — ...For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification.

The language Paul uses here, then, reflects the general biblical view that the human body,

while not itself sinful,

is particularly susceptible to the influence of sin.

is particularly helpful in our understanding of what Paul is asking of us in .

Moo, D. J. (2008). The letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (p. 256). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.

— because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

So, on the one hand Paul is saying that the Colossians have already died,

yet on the other hand is telling them that they must put themselves to death.

Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of Colossians and Philemon (Vol. 6, pp. 143–144). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

How can both be true?

The answer is that: as long as believers are still living on earth their practice and their position do not completely coincide.

As to their position, they are even now perfect, without any sin, wholly justified!

Their old self is dead and buried (). Now it is true that their practice is in harmony with this, but only in principle.

Even the holiest men and women in this life have only small beginnings of this obedience to God’s commands.

Even so, with earnest purpose they begin to live, not according to some of the commands, but all of the commands.

This is the progressive character of sanctification that is being taught.

While with respect to the new life which was imparted to them by the Holy Spirit

believers are so closely united with Christ

that they are said to be with him in heaven (),

yet the old life is still of the earth as well as on earth.

But there is no reason for despair.

The very presence of the new life, the life “in Christ,” enables believers progressively to put to death the earthly nature, which is what we’re slaying!

What’s the earthly nature? v5 continues first three of five specific manifestations of the earthly nature has to do with sexual sin...

Moo, D. J. (2008). The letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (pp. 255–256). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.

Theses are the sins for the slaying.

sexual immorality.

This refers to any kind of sexual sin. It makes the heart list of Jesus in that come from within and defile us.

— For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders,

This sin is a mark of the flesh. — Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity,

— Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity,

Sexual immorality will bar a person for heaven: -10— Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males, no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom.

impurity.

This term refers more generally to any kind of moral corruption and is listed along side ‘sexual immorality’ is several scriptures (; ; ).

Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of Colossians and Philemon (Vol. 6, p. 144). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

lust.

This is desire. Many times it refers to something forbidden including sexual desire.

— Therefore God delivered them over in the desires of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves.

— For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you keep away from sexual immorality, that each of you knows how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not with lustful passions, like the Gentiles, who don’t know God.

evil desire.

Evil desires are the root of all sin. — No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone. But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.

greed, which is idolatry

Greed is the inappropriate desire for more. To covet more.

Greed is the source of the other four sins. Greed, which is idolatry.

There are multitudes of things that entice and entrap us in alternatives to the love of God.

— Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. — Keep your life free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for he himself has said, I will never leave you or abandon you.

The parallel is from — For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Vice lists (v5) in the NT often conclude with a reminder that God will judge the kind of conduct outlined in the list ( ; ; ).

— Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient,

Here’s the support for the slayings.

The PUNISHMENT. Judgment is a good reason to slay your sin as we’re being directed.

In the New Testament, in contrast, the vice lists function to depict the lifestyle of people

who are in enmity with the holy God of the Bible and

who thus suffer eternal condemnation.

The “vices” are therefore elevated to a whole new level of seriousness.

So we don’t “not do” the list in v5, so that we can be good moral people in society.

Moo, D. J. (2008). The letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (p. 258). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.

The warning of judgment (dear church) in this verse

underscores the need for us to take seriously the exhortation that, we believers, do away with such conduct.

Putting to death sins like those mentioned in v. 5 is vital because God will visit with His wrath anyone here, who continue to practice them.

And putting to death sins like these is possible (even “natural”) because God has given his people, through his Spirit, a new power to conform their conduct to God’s holy demands.

In Paul’s day, to view this term “wrath” in relation to the Greek gods would be a problem for us.

Moo, D. J. (2008). The letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (p. 258). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.

The Greek god’s wrath was erratic and selfish anger.

But the scriptural notion of God’s wrath runs in quite a different direction.

It is tied directly to the holiness of God and depicts the necessary reaction of a personal God to any violation of his character or will.

So let us all be warned. Persistent sinful behavior will bring God’s judgment.

These warning passages have such a wonderful design.

It provides encouragement for all of us, as God’s people, to engage

seriously and

passionately

in the process of

divesting ourselves of the attitudes and lifestyles of the world.

v6 says that God’s wrath is coming.

To say that something “is coming” is not to say that something has arrived,

but that it is on the way.

So Paul’s point here is that the final outpouring of God’s wrath is on its way, it is “imminent,”

in the sense that God has predicted it and it could arrive at any time.

— For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things.

— and you once walked in these things when you were living in them.

Here’s another support for the slaying of our sin.

First is was the PUNISHMENT.

Now it’s the PAST. We once walked in these sins. Remember God’s wrath in v6.

Here, we’re reminded of the condemnation that we were all destined to suffer because of our own sinful lifestyles.

So v7 is like this, “You indulged in these very sins when you were still living in the world where such things are typical.”

Right? “You, along with these disobedient people just mentioned, walked in these sins.”

“God will visit his wrath on these kinds of sins. And you yourselves were committing just these sins

at one time—when you were living in the world where such things are typically done.”

SO, the Colossians, having become “new creatures” are no longer absorbed in these vices of former day.

Moo, D. J. (2008). The letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (p. 262). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.

Now their life is hidden with Christ in God (v3).

All this, even though the final victory has been fully won.

The flesh is still opposed to the Spirit and vice versa.

Hence, the command that follows in v8 is very much to the point.

— But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth.

Here we’re all called upon to challenge our past in the Name of Christ!

We’re being told to make a clear break from our past!

Paul is constantly impressing upon this young church the need to have down away with the old non-Christian ways of life.

Once, such things were understandable: but now they are out of the question for those who know Christ.

What then are the young Christians to ‘put away’ so decisively?

Five sins are catalogued in verse 8 (as in verse 5).

It goes without saying that they are chosen with great care.

Lucas, R. C. (1980). Fullness & freedom: the message of Colossians & Philemon (p. 144). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

They are precisely the sins of speech that make harmonious human relationships impossible.

Such evils were at the heart of pagan society, as it is these very things which destroy every dream of human brotherhood today.

And the Colossians would have to acknowledge that anger, wrath, malice, slander and filthy language had characterized life as they had known it.

This theme is beautifully chosen to conclude the first section (verses 1–8), and introduce the second (verses 9–17).

The four imperatives of Christian spirituality focus around the Christian’s relationship to Christ himself.

But such a relationship never stands alone.

By being drawn close to Christ, the Christian is drawn close to all others who love and seek the same Lord.

Union with Christ must lead to unity in the congregation: and to that great subject the apostle is now to address himself, which we’ll see next week.

Lucas, R. C. (1980). Fullness & freedom: the message of Colossians & Philemon (pp. 144–145). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.