Colossians 3.5b-Appropriating By Faith Their Identification with Christ Will Protect Colossians From Sexual Sins, Greed and Idolatry
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday May 22, 2016
Colossians: Colossians 3:5b-Appropriating By Faith Their Identification with Christ Will Protect Colossians From Sexual Sins, Greed and Idolatry
Lesson # 73
Colossians 3:5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. (NASB95)
“Immorality” is the noun porneia (πορνεία), which refers to sexual immorality of any kind or sexual sin of a general kind which includes many different behaviors and denotes any type of sexual activity outside of marriage including fornication and adultery and even prostitution.
This word contains the figure of metonymy meaning that sexual immorality is put for the practice of it.
“Impurity” is the noun akatharsia (ἀκαθαρσία) which refers to all types of sexual sins such as pre-marital sex (Gen. 1:18-24; 1 Cor. 7:2), adultery (1 Sam. 21:5), rape (Gen. 34:5), homosexuality (Lev. 18:20), and other sexual deviations (Lev. 18:6-30).
It denotes the state or moral impurity in relation to sexual sin and contains the figure of metonymy meaning that sexual impurity is put for the practice of it.
“Passion” is the noun pathos (πάθος), which means “sexual lust” since it pertains to an uncontrolled sexual passion, lustful desire and evil craving and also contains the figure of metonymy meaning that sexual lust is put for the practice of it.
“Evil desire” is composed of the following: (1) noun epithumia (ἐπιθυμία), “desire” (2) adjective kakos (κακός), “evil.”
The noun epithumia refers to the various lust patterns of the sin nature and also contains the figure of metonymy meaning that various lust patterns of the sin nature are put for the practice of these various lusts.
The adjective kakos means “evil” indicating that these various lust patterns of the Adamic sin nature are contrary to the perfect character and integrity of God and in disobedience to the will of the Father.
Therefore, this word indicates that these various lust patterns of the sin nature are evil in the sense that they constitute living independently of God’s will.
“Greed” is the noun pleonexia (πλεονεξία), which pertains to an arrogant, aggressive, inordinate and insatiable desire to accumulate wealth or more material possessions without any regard for the rights of others and irrespective of need.
This word also contains the figure of metonymy meaning that greed is put for the practice of it.
“Idolatry” is the noun eidōlolatria (εἰδωλολατρία), which pertains to the worship of something created as opposed to the worship of the Creator Himself.
It is not only the giving to any creature or human creation the honor or devotion, which belongs to God alone, but also is putting anything ahead of your relationship with God which would prevent you from doing His will (1 Cor. 10:14; Gal 5:20; Col 3:5; 1 Peter 4:3).
Colossians 3:5 Therefore, I solemnly charge each and every one of you to put to death the members of that which belongs to your earthly nature with regards to the practice of sexual immorality, sexual impurity, sexual lust, evil desire as well as that which is greed which is, as an eternal spiritual truth characterized as idolatry. (My translation)
Obedience to the command in Colossians 3:5 will result in the Colossians experience their sanctification.
Experiential sanctification is only a potential since it is contingent upon the church age believer responding to what God has done for them at the moment of conversion through the baptism of the Spirit.
Therefore, only believers who are obedient to the Word of God will experience sanctification in time.
Specifically, only those who appropriate by faith this union and identification with Christ will experience sanctification.
The command here in Colossians 3:5 echoes the command in Romans 6:11.
In fact, Paul’s teaching in Colossians 3:1-5 echoes much of his teaching in Romans chapter 6.
Paul’s mention of greed in Colossians 3:5 is related to the love of money since being greedy is a manifestation of course of loving money.
The problem of greed due to loving money has plagued the church throughout her history.
It has not only been a problem for all Christians but unfortunately it has been especially a problem for those in leadership positions in the church.
In First Timothy 3:3 and Titus 1:7, the apostle Paul stipulated that in order for the man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher to be ordained to hold the office of overseer, he must be characterized as someone who is not greedy or loves money.
In First Timothy 3:8, Paul taught that those who desired to serve in the office of deacon also must be characterized as not greedy individuals.
This problem of Christians in Ephesus loving money was addressed by Paul in First Timothy 6:3-10.
First Timothy 6:3 If and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that someone does teach false doctrine, in other words, they do not agree with sound words, namely that which originates from our Lord who is Jesus who is the Christ, specifically, that teaching which is for the purpose of godliness. And we agree that there are some who do teach false doctrine. 4 Then, they are arrogant. Consequently, they understand absolutely nothing. But rather he possesses a sick obsession with pointless debates, yes in fact pointless arguments about words from which he does cause envy, dissension, slanders, evil suspicions. 5 Men incessantly arguing, who are corrupt with regards to their mind as well as defrauded of the truth who are presuming a counterfeit form of godliness is a means of gaining wealth. 6 However, combined with contentment, godliness is, as an eternal spiritual truth a means of superior gain 7 because we brought absolutely nothing into this world so logically neither we, for our own benefit, are, as an eternal spiritual truth able to take anything out. 8 However, because we possess supplies of food as well as clothes, we must be content. 9 However, those who desire to be rich, as an eternal spiritual truth, fall into temptation which is a trap resulting in many foolish as well as harmful lusts, which indeed by virtue of their evil and sinful nature, as an eternal spiritual truth, plunge these men into experiencing destruction, yes and a sudden one at that! 10 For you see, the love of money is, as an eternal spiritual truth, the root cause, which produces all types of evil actions. Certain individuals, because they selfishly possess an insatiable desire for it, wandered away from the Christian faith. Consequently, they impaled themselves with many intense sufferings. (Author’s translation)
“The love of money” is the noun philarguria, which refers to “avarice,” which is an excessive or insatiable desire for wealth.
This word speaks of a form of idolatry, which originally meant the worship of idols, or the worship of false gods by means of idols, but came to mean among the Old Testament Hebrews any worship of false gods, whether by images or otherwise or the worship of the Lord through visible symbols (Hos 8:5-6; 10:5).
The love of money is thus a form of idolatry in the sense that it is putting acquiring money ahead of love for God, which is demonstrated by obedience to the Word of God (John 14:15).
Therefore, since avarice or an insatiable love for wealth is idolatry, it violates the first of the ten commandments, which is to never have any gods before the Lord, which would include money or materialism (Exodus 20:3).
The love of money thus violates the commandment to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength (Matthew 22:37).
The problem of Christians loving money was not only a problem in Ephesus for Timothy but also for Titus on the island of Crete according to Titus 1:11.
In Colossians 3:5, Paul asserts that greed is idolatry which as we noted is a violation of the first and second commandments of the Ten Commandments which are recorded in written form for Israel in Exodus 20:3-4.
In Romans 1:18-23, Paul describes the entire human race as involved in idolatry.
Deuteronomy 32:17 and 1 Corinthians 10:20 teach that the worship of idols is connected to the worship of demons since the sacrificing to idols is in reality sacrificing to demons who promote the worship of idols.
Scores of references to idolatry appear in the Old Testament.
Joshua 24:2 states that Abraham’s father served idols.
The most noteworthy instance of idolatry in the history of Israel was Aaron’s making of the golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai (Ex 32:1-4).
The mention of greed in Colossians 3:5 brings into view the importance of the Christian being a good steward with his or her finances and possessions.
The believer’s stewardship of treasure will also be evaluated by the Lord at the Bema Seat.
Scripture has 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith, but over 2,000 verses on the subject of money.
Money is an extremely important issue because a person’s attitude toward it is so determinative of his relationship with God, on fulfilling his purpose in this life, and on his character.
Financial planning is biblical and is a means to good stewardship, to freedom from the god of materialism, and a means of protection against the waste of the resources God has entrusted to our care (Proverbs 27:23-24; Luke 14:28; 1 Corinthians 14:40).
Financial planning should be done in dependence on God’s direction and in faith while we rest in Him for security and happiness rather than in our own strategies (Proverbs 16:1-4, 9; Psalm 37:1-10; 1 Timothy 6:17; Philippians 4:19).
Financial faithfulness ultimately flows out of the recognition that everything we are and have belongs to the Lord (1 Chronicles 29:11-16; Romans 14:7-9; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20).