Colossians 3:1-11
Colossians paints a Beautiful picture of Jesus. It’s a great theology of who Christ is. Commentators describe it as “ A Relentless Christology.” In this passage - there are three imperatives (commands). And a couple of lists.
Remember - it’s not a checklist to be saved. It’s not a checklist to a “higher experience” in Christ.
But because you’ve been saved - this is who you are. This is how you should live.This is what your life should look like. We should strive to look more like Jesus every day.
The first imperative.
1. Put these to Death
Imperative 1: 5 put to death therefore what is earthly in you:
The Greek word is nekroo - put to death
Definition of “put to death” – to cease completely from activity, with the implication of extreme measures taken to guarantee that these things stop —The idea is whatever it takes, these things will cease in my life.
The “already/not yet” vibe that exists in the Bible.
Hebrews 10:14 – For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
You are already made perfect, but also being made perfect at the same time.
We have died to sin’s penalty, but the power of sin can still be strong
Our flesh is weak. That is why we must continually put sin to death by yielding to the Holy Spirit.
“Therefore” links 5-11 with 1-4 - it’s all a cohesive flow.
Because you share in Christ’s death and resurrection
Because your life is hidden with Him
Because you will one day be revealed when He comes in glory
Because you’re constantly focused on Christ and heaven
You must kill sin in your life.
• You must separate from the sinful patterns of your former life.
What are they?
The List:
• sexual immorality,
• impurity,
• passion,
• evil desire, and
• covetousness, which is idolatry.
• The idea here is eliminating everything in your life that is contrary to godliness.
When Paul tells us to “put to death” he’s using a special figure of speech that means you are to kill the sins that are associated with the members of your body. Not actually the members of your body.
There were, in the middle ages - people who would go around punishing themselves for their sin.
• Let the inside be controlled by the Spirit and the body’s actions will follow.
Matthew 12:34 – overflow of the heart the mouth speaks
The lists are sample lists - they are not comprehensive. They do include some of the more intense versions of sin.
This first list (verse 5) moves from the acts, to the motives.
immorality (the act)- porneia - sexual sin. to engage in sexual immorality of any kind
Any form of sex or sexual activity outside of marriage would fit here.
1 Corinthians 6:18 – Flee from sexual immorality...
impurity (the motive)- goes beyond the act to evil thoughts and intentions of the mind.
Matthew 5:28 – everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
passion - this is sexual passion set loose in the body (the act).
evil desire - sexual lust created in the mind (the motive).
“The devil made me do it” - this phrase was phrase popularized by Flip Wilson about 30 years ago. Sorry, but it’s simply not true. The devil did not make you do it.
The word for “desire” in Colossians 3:5 is epithymia. We see the same word in James:
James 1:14-15 – But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (epythemia) 15 Then desire (epythemia) when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
This “evil impulse - the basic human tendency toward sin, is in you, not an outside source.
covetousness or greed the evil root (motive) from which all these other sins spring.
• Bottom Line: this is all idolatry. You’re worshiping yourself, not God.
Sexual sin is always linked with idolatry.
Idolatry is worshiping yourself. Desiring more than what God has given you.You need to be content with what you have. With what God has given you.
John Piper says:
• God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.
The covetous, greedy, idolatrous person isn’t satisfied in Him. He’s looking for something more.
Why: a. you have died
This looks back to v. 3 – you have died. Died to the old self
You do not have two natures: You were a slave to sin, now you are a slave to righteousness.
But - you live in the sin-influenced body of flesh. You will have a struggle with sin.
John MacArthur explains it this way: Sin is like a deposed monarch who no longer reigns, nor has the ability to condemn, but works hard to debilitate and devastate all his former subjects.
You were dead, but have been made alive. Through the Spirit, you can conquer the sinful flesh.
• The Spirit’s weapon is the Word
Ephesians 6:17 – the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
When you are strong in the Word, you overcome the evil one
1 John 2:14 – ...you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
We are commanded to be filled with the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 5:18 – And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
This is the same as allowing the Word to dwell richly in you
Colossians 3:16 – Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
We must kill sin by the power of the Spirit through the Word.
• Putting sin to death is not optional
Puritan Richard Baxter said - kill it before it kills you.
Why is Paul so emphatic about us putting sin (and specifically these sins) to death?
b. they bring God’s wrath
6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.
Romans 1:8 – For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
Romans 2:5-8 – But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
• Sin isn’t a joke to God.
It shouldn’t be a joke to us. It shouldn’t be a joke to you. When was the last time you laughed about sin?
When did you last allow a sinful situation entertain you? Was it a TV show you watched where the theme or the situation was sinful? Was it a magazine? A movie? Website?
These things should be a part of your past.
The warning of judgment in this verse emphasizes the need to take seriously the sin in our lives and do away with any and all sinful conduct. It’s vital because God will visit His wrath upon those who continue to practice them. Continuing to practice these is evidence that you’re not saved.
Putting them to death is possible for a believer. He has given us what we need for this, right?
• God’s wrath is tied directly to His holiness.
It’s the necessary reaction of a holy God to sin.
• God takes sin seriously. We should too.
This should point us toward engaging seriously in striving toward holiness.
1 Peter 1:15 - be holy in all your conduct
The second reason we should put these things to death is this:
c. it belongs in your past
7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.
When you were dead, before God made you alive. Living here refers to your old way of life.
• This is what you WERE. Not what you ARE.
Ephesians 2:1-5 – And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ... 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
While v. 6 was the general theological principle Verse 7 now applies it.
• There should be a contrast
There IS a contrast between the way believers live and the way lost people live. It should be obvious that there’s something different about you. (so that when you proclaim the Gospel - your life backs it up)
Charles Spurgeon writes this: Christian - what hast thou to do with sin? Has it not cost you enough already? You got burned once, will you play with fire again? What? You’ve already been in the jaws of the lion, will you step into his den a second time? Have you not had enough of the old serpent? Did he not poison all your veins before? Will you play on the hole of the asp and put your hand over it?
Don’t be so crazy! Don’t be so foolish! Did sin ever give you any real, genuine, deep, lasting pleasure? If it did, then go back to the old drudgery and wear the chain again if it makes you happy. But - since sin never did give you what it promised, but deluded you with lies, don’t get caught in the same trap twice. Be free and let the memory of your former slavery keep you out of that trap again.
Don’t be so crazy! Don’t be so foolish! Did sin ever give you any real, genuine, deep, lasting pleasure? If it did, then go back to the old drudgery and wear the chain again if it makes you happy. But - since sin never did give you what it promised, but deluded you with lies, don’t get caught in the same trap twice. Be free and let the memory of your former slavery keep you out of that trap again.
Paul passionately pleas with them to life in a way that honors Christ - in accordance with who they ARE!!
Which brings us to the second imperative:
2. The Old & the New
Imperative 2: 8 But now you must put them all away:
anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
• These sins aren’t personal - they’re social
The first list went from acts to motives. It included Personal sins.
This second list includes “social sins.” Mostly speech. These are corporate
They’re communal. Sins committed against others.
The pattern here is reversed. Staring with motive and moving to the actual acts themselves.
“Put aside” - the idea of taking off dirty clothes.
In the early church - those getting baptized would take off their old clothes before baptism and after, they would be given a new, white robe. Paul is reminding them of this. The physical act that pictures the spiritual reality.
Anger - deep, smoldering, resentful bitterness. The settled heart of the angry person.
wrath - sudden outburst. Fire that flares up briefly then it’s gone.
They go together - the churning and boiling of anger often shows itself in wrath.
malice - moral evil - the vicious nature which is bent on doing harm to others.
slander - blasphemia - blasphemy - slander -
Do you know that
• To slander people is to slander God.
He created them. (If I create something - a painting, dinner, whatever - and you say it’s awful, you’re insulting me, right?) When we slander people, we slander God’s creations.
Matthew 5:22 – But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
Slander is a sin – sin is something that God takes seriously. You’re insulting GOD!!! The Holy One - the Creator of the Universe....
Ephesians 5:4 (– Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place
Imperative #3 - do not lie to one another.
3. The Final (follow up imperative) - do not lie
Jesus is the truth.The Gospel is the truth. We are people of the truth
Lying is not of the truth. It’s part of the old. So it should not be part of the new.
Remember: we are being knit together in love, right? Lying to each other causes that to unravel.
How to win the battle against the flesh:
1. Starve the flesh -
Don’t feed anger or resentment (it’s not about you)
Don’t cater to sexual lust (Romans 13:14 - make noprovision for the flesh)
2. Crowd it out with God’s grace
Colossians 3:1 - focus on heaven
Philippians 4:8 - think about these things
Colossians 3:16 - saturate yourself in Scripture
It’s not just “I read my verses today” (that’s checklist) - it’s intentionally filling yourself with God’s Word
It’s letting the Word dwell in you richly.
• God’s Word is the fuel that brings growth.
The goal of knowledge is to be conformed to the image of the one who created Him.
To become more and more like Jesus
Verse 10 - image of its creator - “image” refers to Jesus.
Christ is the paradigm for the believer’s life.
• The goal is to be like Jesus.
Romans 8:29 – or those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
That’s our goal because it’s the goal that God has for us as believers.
• A genuine believer WILL be growing toward sanctification.
If you cannot discern any legitimate spiritual growth, then you have every reason to question your faith.
4. These Categories don’t matter
11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but
There are implications for the church. There are no categories. There’s no place for snobbery in the body.
We all started out with the same need for Him. The gospel broke down the dividing wall between “classes” or “Jew/Non-Jew”
• He’s talking about the body of Christ.
The things that used to separate us should not anymore. We’re all equal.
• The differences that exist in the world don’t have any real meaning in the Christian Fellowship.
Christ is all - the high Christology of Colossians never ends
Christ brings unity because He indwells His people.
Galatians 3:28 – you are all one in Christ Jesus
Christ is THE great principle of unity. In him all differences merge.
Reflection Questions
• What are you committed to? most committed to?
Are you committed to Christ?
Are you committed to making every effort to look more likeHim? How are you doing that?
What specific steps are you taking?
• How are you making provision for the flesh?
Are there areas where you’re dabbling in sin?
Are you starting down that path in any way?
• Are you committed to personal holiness?
1 Peter 1:15 - be holy therefore as He is holy
Do you know what it looks like? Where to look?
Relationships - are your relationships what they should be?
Are your primary relationships with believers who are also committed to holiness?
• Are you going to be obedient or not?
This is the bottom line. You’re either going to be obedient to God’s Word or you aren’t.
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