Personal Attitudes (Part 2)

ME:

Title: Personal Attitudes

Colossians 3:1–10 (ESV)

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.

7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.

8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices

10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

If you remember last week I told you that we would be looking at three groups that are found in this Chapter in the book of Colossians.

Last week we looked at the first set of vices dealing with Sexual Sins.

These were vices that this church has already dealt with (have victory over by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit) and Paul was just reminding them of this.

Good Job .... Keep it up .... Keep your eyes fixed on the Things above (1&2).

This week we will look at Verse 8 where we find the next group of vices dealing with the tongue.

Transition Statement: All of us have our ways about us, right?

WE:

I use to not really care about what clothes I wore.

Then I got married!

My wife has helped me with my fashion.

Before I leave for Church I will ask, “How do I look?”

The approval phrase is, “That looks good on you.”

I joke and say that I am nothing more than her “KEN” doll she gets to dress up.

Shelly likes dressing up .... different style close .... and she works really hard in getting it right.

When I come home from church on Sunday I walk into our bedroom and say, “Shelly, your closet threw-up all over our bed again.”

Why? Because she is searching for that right outfit that looks good on her.

Turn to the person on your left and say, “You are dressed very nice today.”

Now turn to the person on your right and say, “Can you believe what the person on my left is wearing?”

I would be safe to say that ever person in here has, at least, a hand full of clothes to pick from. You might have a whole closet full.

You spend a lot of time picking something out that will look good on you.

Transition Statement: In this pericope, Paul uses the illustration of clothing to help this church understand something.

GOD:

Paul states, “8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.”

The people of this church would have understood what Paul was meaning when he states, “You must put them .... away.”

The Greek word for this phrase is (Apotithemi) which means to Lay aside, take off as in a garment.

In the ancient world—in which the average person might have owned only a single garment, and robes became a part of one’s inheritance—this was a particularly strong image.

Clothes would have had to be in dreadful shape to warrant their being thrown away—an appropriate metaphor for the terrible nature of sin’s filth.

Not just the fact of getting rid of filthy clothes but an identity change.

According to Roman law, different classes of people were to wear different kinds of clothing to designate their status within society.

In this context, to change one’s clothing would signal a change in one’s social status.

For Paul the metaphor implies a decisive change in behavior.

You are no longer who you once were.

In this verse Paul is saying, “Now that you have become victorious from that life of sinful conduct, see that you stop yourselves of these vices.

Paul doesn’t command them to rid themselves of these vices as for them to never be in the world again.

His command grows out of the transformation that already has occured as the new creation life spills over into them.

This is what Paul is meaning, “Take these garments off! Put them all (Away).”

It doesn’t look good on you!

What doesn’t look good on them?

Paul list out 5 vices (things that don’t look good on a follower of Christ).

Anger - (Orge) Natural Impulse,

Self-centered anger directed toward others stemming from animosity

Anger (orge) is a settled feeling, the slow, seething, smoldering emotion that boils below the surface.

A powerful emotion that only God can be trusted to exercise it fairly

Romans 12:19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, ″ says the Lord.”

Anger doesn’t look good on you!

Wrath - (Thymos) Rage (NIV)

The boiling agitation of the feelings, a sudden violent anger.

Rage (thumos) is a quick, sudden outburst, the blaze of emotion which flares up and burns with intensity.

Rage doesn’t look good on you.

Malice - (Kakia) opposite of virtue: behavior showing high moral standards.

Behavior showing low moral standards.

Wickedness as an evil habit of the mind.

The Amp. Bible translate it as “Bad feeling toward others.”

Malice doesn’t look good on you.

Slander - (Blasphemia) defamation of character.

To slander someone is to injure their reputation.

This term is sometimes used in reference to God; but in this context, it probably refers to slanderous speech against another person.

It covers any type of vilifying of man, either by lies or gossip.

The Christian is commanded to “slander no one” (Titus 3:2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.).

Slander doesn’t look good on you.

Obscene Talk - (Aischrologia) vile/obscene language

Refers to shameful speech

Refers both to obscene language and to slanderous speech.

In Colossians 3:8 the term might combine these meanings and refer to the use of obscene, coarse language when abusing another person.

Obscene Talk doesn’t look good on you.

What we find in this group of vices is what comes from the mouth.

What pours from the mouth is birthed in the heart.

What Paul is telling this church is what the transforming power of the Holy Spirit has done with the sexual sins in your life .....

..... He can transform these vices (Anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene talk) as well.

Transition Statement: Where should this be evidence? Where should the proof be? IN THE CHURCH

YOU:

Paul writes to this church so that there would be this unification.

This needs to be exhibited within the church so it can flow out into the world.

The world should be looking at the church and saying ..... “That sure does look good on you.”

We should be walking down WalMart and people look at us and say, “I don”t know what your wearing but it sure does look good on you.”

I am wearing Jesus!

What does wearing Jesus look like .....

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; .

This is what are wardrobe should look like.

This is what looks good on you.

Examples:

Walking through walmart and heard a gentleman in the next isle singing “Jesus, Jesus, theres just something about that name.”

What was he wearing?

Transition Statement: What are we wearing?

WE:

Its been proven “medically” that these vices don’t just do harm to other people but ......

Physically, they do MORE harm to you!

Are you still wearing some, if not all, of these vices?