The life of the new man, Colossians 3:12-17

Today we continue in our study of the epistle to the Colossians.  And as a matter of context, I would remind you that Paul, in chapter three, began by speaking to those who have been saved, to those who have received new life in Christ, saying “since you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”

So from that we learned that since we have a new life in Christ, then our perspective in life should be spiritual, and not physical.  We are to seek those things which come from above, and not the things which come from below.  In other words, our focus should be on Christ and the things of Christ, and no longer should our focus be on the natural, the physical, the focus of the world.  We should walk by the Spirit, and not according to the physical.

But Paul is not advocating that we all go live in a monastery and remove ourself from all creature comforts and from society.  No, we are to be in the world, but not of the world.  Jesus said in John 17 that He sent his disciples into the world, but that they were not of the world, just as He was not of the world.  So if we are not of the world, but we are in the world, then that means the world does not influence us, but we influence the world. Or to use an analogy, it’s like a boat which is in the water, but the water is not in the boat.

And Paul said that the way in which we do that is that we must die to the world in vs 3; "For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Spiritually speaking, we died with Christ on the cross to our sins and the lusts of this world. But in the physical realm we must die to the world as well. However,  our new life is not to be some sort of ethereal, out of body kind of existence, but the spiritual is to be applied in the natural realm, so that our doctrine is lived out physically.  That which is spiritually true must be applied practically in our day to day life while on this earth.

Now to do that, you will remember that Paul gave a list of sinful behaviors which are endemic to this world, and he said that we must put those things to death.  These are things which must be put off, or put to death.  Remember we used the analogy of having taken a bath, and being washed, made clean by salvation, we must throw away or put away those filthy clothes which were representative of our old man, and put on new clothes of righteousness, by godly living. 

So last week we looked at the old behaviors, the old lifestyles which must be put off; and they were immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which Paul said amounts to idolatry.  In addition to those, Paul said put these aside as well: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.  And do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices.

At the new birth, we are born again spiritually.  We receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ which regenerates our spirit.  So now the mind and the body are to be under the rule of the Spirit within us.  The Spirit within us dictates how our mind and body should act. 

As a result, you are a new man, a new creation, old things are passed away, so lay aside the old self with it’s evil practices, and put on the new self, the new body and mind, which is being remade or renewed in the image of Jesus Christ.  We should walk in His footsteps, following His example.  The old sins of the flesh have no part in this new creation.  So in keeping with who we are in Christ, let us put on the deeds of Christ.  That’s what Paul talks about in Eph. 2:10 saying, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

Notice then that Paul begins this section starting in vs 12 by saying, “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on…”  We are chosen of God, holy and beloved. That’s a three fold expression of our salvation.  We are God’s chosen people, foreordained before the creation of the world, elected unto salvation.  God chose us to believe in Him and be saved.

Secondly, we are holy - that is we have been credited with the righteousness of Christ, and set apart for good works.  We have a different purpose.  God has chosen us not for profane things,  but for godliness.  Set apart for good works.  Set apart as a royal priesthood.  Set apart as ambassadors for God. And beloved means we are loved as the children of God. 1John 3:1 says, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are.” We are His offspring.  You love your children in a special way that’s hard to explain.  It’s an unconditional love.  An unfailing love.  That’s the love we have from God when we are born again by Him. Beloved by our Heavenly Father.  And so those descriptions define us as Christians.  And since we are Christians, Paul says we are to put on certain things.

Now once again in our text Paul utilizes the analogy of clothing, put off the old, and put on the new clothing which we have in Christ.  You know, when I was a kid, growing up in a Christian home, we were expected to dress a certain way, to have short hair, women wore dresses and not pants. There was a lot of emphasis on how you dressed outwardly in comparison to the world. But it’s interesting that Paul mentions nothing about outward clothing standards, but he speaks of inward clothing. In the Christian life, Paul is saying, we should be adorned spiritually in the kind of attitudes are manifested outwardly,  that identifies us with Christ, the clothes of righteousness.

The first article of our clothing we should put on according to vs 12 is compassion.  This is a good example of how the KJV’s wording is a little difficult for people today.  In the KJV, it reads bowels of mercy.  We don’t use that expression today, thank goodness.  If you spoke of bowels of mercy today, people might not know what you are trying to say, and quite possibly point you in the direction of the nearest bathroom.  But bowels of mercy actually comes from a Hebraic expression which is best translated compassion.  It’s similar to an expression which we still hear today sometimes, someone may say "I have a gut feeling about something.”  It’s sort of an emotive response.  

Compassion is related to a feeling of sympathy or empathy. We should put on sympathy and empathy for others.  That means you feel what it’s like to be in their position. Jesus was often moved to compassion when He ministered to the people of His day and consequently fed them or healed them.  Because He felt sympathy for them.  He understood their dilemma, their fear, their concerns and His desire was to help them.  Compassion should be a characteristic of the Christian.  Not condemnation, not unconcern, but compassion. Especially compassion for those who do not know Christ.

Secondly Paul says put on the garment of kindness.  Being friendly, generous and considerate.  And I will say that kindness is the result or outcome of compassion.  Compassion should move you to act in kindness.  You feel compassion so you act in kindness.

Thirdly, he says put on humility.  Humility is the opposite of pride, of ego. Humility is the garment of a servant.  Pride and arrogance acts for their own benefit, but the humble acts for another person’s benefit.  Jesus was humble, so we should be humble.   He came not to be served, but to serve.  Phl. 2:5-8 says, "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, [and] being made in the likeness of men.  Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  So humility is being more concerned for other’s well being than for your own ego.

Fourth characteristic we should be clothed with is meekness, or gentleness.  I prefer the word meekness.  Meekness is not weakness.  A lot of times it’s misinterpreted as weakness.  But it actually comes from a word associated with a horse, meaning strength under control.  A horse is very powerful, but he is under the control of his rider.  And so we should exhibit and practice meekness, strength under the control of our Master.

Then added to that list Paul gives patience, or forbearance. Forbearance or patience has to do with recognizing the weakness or shortcoming of another, but accepting it.  Don’t get me wrong, Paul is not saying that we wink at sin.  But it means that we recognize that we are all weak, we are all human, and not expecting perfection in someone else when you are not perfect yourself.  In other words, don’t be quick to judge, don’t be quick to condemn, don’t be quick to retaliate.  God is patient with us, is He not?  I know He certainly is with me. They use the word forbearance sometimes in the loan business.  You owe a debt, but the bank gives you a forbearance.  It means that they will not collect that debt.  When someone offends you or sins against you, you don’t collect.  You don’t bring judgment upon them.

2Peter 3:9 says,  “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” Patience is crucial to bringing someone to repentance.

The next attribute Paul gives is bearing with one another.  It sounds like it might be similar to forbearance. But this means bearing one another’s burdens.  When you see a weakness in someone else, rather than condemn them for it and stand aloof from their problems, stoop to help them bear their burden.  Paul says in Gal. 6:2 “Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”

Next, Paul says put on the attribute of forgiveness.  To forgive means to not bring up those things later on in some argument, to  bring up some hurtful thing from the past and use it against them.  To forgive is to put the offense away.  Many of us have been hurt by someone.  Maybe it was your spouse.  Maybe a loved one or a close friend hurt you.  We are told to forgive them and not bring it back up again.  That’s tough, I know.  That doesn’t mean you have to be a door mat for the rest of your life and let them do it again and again.  But it does mean you are willing to forgive them and not hold a grudge.

In Matt. 18:21-22 Peter said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"  Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”  Forgive, even as Jesus forgave us. In vs 13 Paul says, “forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.” Has the Lord forgiven you of your sins? Then forgive others also.

Then in vs 14 Paul gives us the last thing to put on; “Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”  Some have said in looking at this verse that what Paul is getting at here is the idea of a belt or what they might have called a girdle.  All of their undergarments and clothes would have been girded up with a belt.  It tied everything together. 

And that’s the superlative definition of love; it should be the motivation for all our behavior in this new life.  Not a sentimental feeling towards others.  Sentiment might be nice, but it’s not necessary. In fact, agape love is more likely to be what is expressed when it’s without sentiment.  You may not even like someone, yet you can still love them with a Christian love.  Love is charity.  Love is sacrificial. And it’s a response of our salvation.  We love because He first loved us. And so we should love others even when they are our enemies.  Even when they attempt to crucify us.  Love is a commitment, it’s a decision. And love is the belt of the church that holds us together.

Now that’s the last of the clothing we should put on in this new life.  But there are a couple of other points that Paul makes concerning what we should put in this new life.  The first is found in vs 15; “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.”  What that verse literally says is let the peace of Christ be the arbiter in your hearts.  Now an arbiter is a person with the ultimate authority to settle a dispute.  So what that indicates is that there is going to be a battle in your heart between the new nature and the old nature.  The old nature is still there, but we are not under it’s control anymore.  We are supposed to be killing off the deeds of the flesh.  Because the flesh is at war with the Spirit.

But we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  And as we submit to him as Lord, then we put to death the old man.  He is our peace.  He is the authority in our life.  And submission to Him gives us victory over the old nature.

Paul adds to that peace, to be thankful.  To have an attitude of gratitude.  When we focus on what we have in Christ we should be thankful and that gives us joy and peace.  But when we focus on what we think we are missing out on, then we find that the old nature rises up in jealousy for what we think we need.  We need to remind ourselves to be thankful.

Then in vs 16, Paul says what else we should put in.  “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms [and] hymns [and] spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

So the word of Christ is what we should put in this new man.  This is so important.  The word of Christ is what we feed on. It is the instruction manual for this new life.  It is our comfort.  It is the source of our power.  It is our guide.  I am reminded of Psalm 199:105 which says, “your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  If we are to walk by the Spirit in this new life, then we must walk by the word.

It’s very interesting to notice that in Ephesians we have almost the same wording as this verse and yet it is talking about being filled with the Spirit.  But in Colossians it says let the word of Christ dwell in you.  The characteristic of someone who is filled with the Spirit is not practicing a spiritual gift per se, but the parallel between Colossians and Ephesians shows that the Spirit filled person is the person in whom dwells the word of Christ.

Notice the correlation between these two texts.  Turn to Ephesians 5:18-20 “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,  speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;  always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father.” 

You can see then as you compare this text with the Colossians 3 text the similarities.  Even the structure of the verses are similar.  And what that teaches is that the Spirit filled Christian is the word filled Christian.  The Holy Spirit is the author of the word.  So there is no distinction. Paul says that everything that we do in our assembling as a church, should be done with a view to instruction and admonishing and in the building up of the body. I would suggest to you then that the purpose of singing is to teach doctrine. You can also make the argument from both of these texts that it seems to indicate that the giving of thanks is also the purpose of singing.  And I will not dispute that with you.  However, it does not necessarily mean that, but it could mean that.  

But if you look at the Psalms for instance, you will find songs there which are very much thankful in nature, praising and extolling the virtues of the Lord.  You can also find songs which extol and praise the virtues of the word.  Psalm 119 for example, the longest chapter in the Bible, is all about the word of God.

But this idea that God is sitting around in heaven just wanting us to sing Him some praise songs is really a low perception of the character of God. God is not a narcissist.  He doesn’t need us to repeat you are holy fifty times in a song in order to feel good about himself.  I may sound sacrilegious when I say this.  But I really think that we do God a disservice in a lot of what we call praise music.  God is not so concerned about what we say as what we do.  We cannot give lip service to God, flattering Him and buttering Him up and then think we can go live the way we want.  To obey is better than sacrifice. 

So our teaching is to be the words of Christ.  Our singing is to be the words of Christ. And all that we do is to be done to build up the body in Christ.  So that we are conformed to the image of Christ. 

So what we should put on, what we need to put in, and then finally, what we need to put out.  Our lives should be an outworking of the Spirit of Christ within us.  Vs.16, “Whatever you do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”  What Paul seems to do here is move from the specific to the general, giving as a final word the sweeping statement that whatever you do, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.  The whole natural realm of life, all of our physical life, is to be done under that authority, and under the approval of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord.

I read a story by Dr. Henry Ironside who pastored Moody Church in the early 20th century,  which I will read in closing that hopefully will illustrate this principle.  Dr. Ironside said; “When I was a boy, I felt it was both a duty and a privilege to help my widowed mother make ends meet by finding employment in vacation time, on Saturdays and other times when I did not have to be in school. For quite a while I worked for a Scottish shoemaker, or “cobbler,” as he preferred to be called, an Orkney man, named Dan Mackay. He was a forthright Christian and his little shop was a real testimony for Christ in the neighborhood. The walls were literally covered with Bible texts and pictures, generally taken from old-fashioned Scripture Sheet Almanacs, so that look where one would, he found the Word of God staring him in the face. On the little counter in front of the bench on which the owner of the shop sat, was a Bible, generally open, and a pile of gospel tracts. No package went out of that shop without a printed message wrapped inside. And whenever opportunity offered, the customers were spoken to kindly and tactfully about the importance of being born again and the blessedness of knowing that the soul is saved through faith in Christ. Many came back to ask for more literature or to inquire more particularly as to how they might find peace with God, with the blessed results that men and women were saved, frequently right in the shoe shop.

It was my chief responsibility to pound leather for shoe soles. A piece of cowhide would be cut to suit, then soaked in water. I had a flat piece of iron over my knees and, with a flat-headed hammer, I pounded these soles until they were hard and dry. It seemed an endless operation to me, and I wearied of it many times.

What made my task worse was the fact that, a block away, there was another shop that I passed going and coming to or from my home, and in it sat a jolly, godless cobbler who gathered the boys of the neighborhood about him and regaled them with lewd tales that made him dreaded by respectable parents as a menace to the community. Yet, somehow, he seemed to thrive and that perhaps to a greater extent than my employer, Mackay. As I looked in his window, I often noticed that he never pounded the soles at all, but took them from the water, nailed them on, damp as they were, and with the water splashing from them as he drove each nail in.

One day I ventured inside, something I had been warned never to do. Timidly, I said, “I notice you put the soles on while still wet. Are they just as good as if they were pounded?” He gave me a wicked leer as he answered, “They come back all the quicker this way, my boy!”

“Feeling I had learned something, I related the instance to my boss and suggested that I was perhaps wasting time in drying out the leather so carefully. Mr. Mackay stopped his work and opened his Bible to the passage that reads, “Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

“Harry,” he said, “I do not cobble shoes just for the four bits and six bits  that I get from my customers. I am doing this for the glory of God. I expect to see every shoe I have ever repaired in a big pile at the judgment seat of Christ, and I do not want the Lord to say to me in that day, ‘Dan, this was a poor job. You did not do your best here.’ I want Him to be able to say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’“

Then he went on to explain that just as some men are called to preach, so he was called to fix shoes, and that only as he did this well would his testimony count for God. It was a lesson I have never been able to forget. Often when I have been tempted to carelessness, and to slipshod effort, I have thought of that dear, devoted cobbler, and it has stirred me up to seek to do all as for Him who died to redeem me.” 

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Dying to the old nature, Colossians 3:1-11

In chapters one and two, Paul has expressed a litany of doctrinal principles of our salvation that are true in Christ.  He then expressed warnings about false doctrines that were permeating the church.  But now in chapter three we see a change in his approach.  His concern now is not so much doctrinal as it is practical.  Not that doctrine isn’t practical. It is very much so.  But  the application of doctrine  is what we mean by practical.  

Now as we look at this first verse, we notice that it begins with the word “if.”  In this case that word does not indicate something  questionable, but it would be better if it were translated “since.”  All the doctrine which has been stated previously in Colossians up to this point has established the fact of our salvation.  So Paul isn’t now questioning our salvation with the word “if”, but he is going to build on that fact, and so he begins with “since.”   

Vs 1 then says, “Therefore ( since) you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”  Now to understand what is meant here, we need to flip back to the previous chapter and look at verse 20 which starts in a very similar fashion;  “If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”

We can apply the same translation of the word “if” to “since” in this verse as well. So notice then what Paul is saying.  He says in 2:20, “since you have died with Christ…” And now in 3:1 he says “since you have been raised up with Christ…”  Now that should help us to understand what he’s talking about in vs 1.  He is speaking of our conversion, our death to the old man and spiritual resurrection to new life through our representative Jesus Christ.

Perhaps we can get another perspective of what he is talking about by looking at Rom 6:2-11 “How shall we who died to sin still live in it?  Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with [Him] in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be [in the likeness] of His resurrection,  knowing this, that our old self was crucified with [Him,] in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;  for he who has died is freed from sin.  Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,  knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.  For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

So it should be clear that Paul is referencing our salvation, illustrated by baptism - the fact that we have died with Christ, died to the old sin nature, and in effect buried with Him.  Now that we have died with Christ, the sin nature no longer has control over us.  We are made a new creation. We are raised from death to a new life in Christ. 

So since we have died with Christ, we have also been raised with Him to live a new life.  Baptism symbolizes dying, being buried,  and being raised to new life. It’s an outward illustration of what has transpired inwardly.  If we have died with Him, then we are raised with Him to newness of life.  So that we walk in newness of life.  We walk by the spirit and not according to the flesh.  Our focus isn’t on temporal things, but our focus is on eternal things.

And that’s exactly what Paul indicates here in vs 1. “Since you have been raised up with Christ keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”  So now that we have been converted from death to life, Paul says we are to keep seeking the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  We have a new outlook, a heavenly perspective.  It’s a spiritual perspective. It’s a Christ centered perspective.

Notice a couple of things that Paul says of Christ. Christ is in heaven with God. He is living, eternal in the heavens. He is seated; that indicates that His work is finished. His work of atonement is finished.  And at the right hand of God indicates the place of honor and privilege.  It indicates the place of intercession. 

Consider what Hebrews 7:24-27 says, “but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.  Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.  For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the [sins] of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.”

I like that phrase; “he is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him.” Our eternal security rests in the eternal Son who lives forever, who is above all rule and authority, having paid the price for our sins, who was the perfect, complete and final sacrifice so that we might be made complete and perfect in Him. And He intercedes on our behalf at the right hand of God.  The favored, privileged position whereby He is able to save us forever by His power, and by His righteousness. 

So since you have been raised up with Christ, since you have been reconciled, redeemed, justified, sanctified, cleansed, made new, forgiven, given new life in Christ, then keep looking to Christ as our example, as our Help, as our Comforter, as our Guide, as our Shepherd.  He is our Master.  He is our Lord.  Keep looking to Him for everything relating to this new life. Keep pursuing Christ, keep following Christ.  Keep seeking Christ. 

Now how do we do that in practical ways?  Paul says in vs 2, “[by setting] your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”  The KJV says, “Set your affection on things above, not on things that are on the earth.”  I like that word affection because it indicates this is a matter of the heart.  Now the mind is a part of what is referred to as the heart, but affection indicates what you desire, what you admire, what you like or don’t like.  As Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” So you can think with your heart. The natural man is ruled by his heart, he is ruled by his affections. The heart by the way refers to the seat of your emotions, your will and your intellect. And the result of our salvation experience is that we have a change of heart.  We are given a new heart.  Our heart is cleansed.

In Ezekiel 36:25-27 in speaking prophetically of this conversion  God says,  "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”  So if we are given a new heart then we will have new desires, new affections and a new mind.

So let us focus our affections, our hearts, our minds, on things above. I have a dog at my house named Jackson, a  Siberian Husky. When I sit down to eat at the dinner table, he usually sits up on his haunches with his ears erect, and his gaze fixed resolutely on me.  He isn’t distracted by anything else, he watches me intently.  I sometimes can’t help but think God created dogs to teach us how we are to act in our relationship with Him.

Dogs don’t understand everything we humans are doing.  But they depend on us to feed them, to water them, to take them for a walk.  They are totally dependent upon us whether they realize it or not.  And when it comes to food, they want to sit where they can get an uninterrupted, unobstructed view of everything we are doing. 

Perhaps that’s sort of the idea of how we should set our attention on Christ. Christ is the source of our new life and supplier of every need and so we should be looking to Him for our satisfaction.  Paul understands though that our affections can turn back to the things of the world.  And our love of the world keeps us from unaffected love of God.  Jesus said in Luke 12:34 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

I’m reminded of Lot’s wife.  Remember how the angel of the Lord told them as he was delivering them from the impending destruction, to not look back.  But Lot’s wife did look back, and she was turned into a pillar of salt.  That serves as a great lesson to not look back at the former things of the old life.  To look back with affection on the things of the world leads to destruction.  But now that we have a new life, we have  a new purpose, a new perspective, new desires.  And we need to seek those things which are above, not the things of earth.

That  doesn’t mean that we have to go live in a monastery or something and forego all earthly necessities, or earthly pleasures that God has given us to enjoy like marriage and children or even the work of our hands.  But what it means is those things are not the focus of our lives now.  We are no longer wrapped up in our careers, focused on society, or even all wrapped up in our family or those we love.  We have a higher calling, a higher purpose, and consequently, a spiritual perspective. We look beyond the immediate to the eternal.  We have  a new heart with different affections.  And our supreme affection is for Christ.

Vs 3 says, “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”  Now we have already discussed this aspect of dying with Christ.  But what does it mean our new life is hidden with Christ? I think it means that the new life is spiritual, and not physical.  Our spirit is made alive, is made new when we are born again. It was made new in Christ.  As He was raised from the dead, so are we.  But from outward appearances, there is very little physically to suggest that.  It’s an inward transformation, not a physical one per se.  Certainly, there will be behavior differences between the old and the new life, but as far as appearances go, there is very little.

But also the word hidden indicates our spiritual union with Christ.  We are now part of His body, the church. He is in us, and we are in Him.  Furthermore the word hidden also indicates security.  We are hidden in Him means that we are safe in Him, we are secure in Him, we are protected in Him. It is a common theme in the Psalms to speak of being under His wings. It’s a place of refuge from danger.  So whatever danger that may lie in  wait for us, we find refuge under His wings,  and we are hidden in Him. In a manner of speaking, we are born again and like the offspring of an eagle who provides for and protects her young until they are mature, so we are kept hidden in Christ, protected, provided for,  until the day of our completion.

In that day we will no longer stay hidden.  In vs 4 Paul says, “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”  There will be a day when Christ will come to earth again, visibly, physically.  He will come in power.  He will come to claim HIs kingdom.  And in that day we that are saved will also be revealed physically in a new body.  

1John 3:2 says, “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.”  When Jesus returns, the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together to be with the Lord.  And this old body will be changed incorruptible and undefiled, and this mortal will put on immortality.. Then we will be revealed in all our glory, for we shall be like Him and share in His glory.

So since this is who we are, and who we will be revealed to be, let us act like the people that Christ has redeemed for His own.  Let us behave as children of God. Let us live the kind of lifestyle that comes as a result of our new life in Christ.  

Let’s look at it this way.  You were dead in your sins.  You were by nature corrupt and vile. But , now you have been washed, cleansed, regenerated.  You are made new.  It’s like when my mother made me take a bath when I was little, and then said, “Son, you have just taken a bath, now don’t you dare put those old dirty clothes back on. Put on some fresh, clean clothes.”  That’s basically what Paul is saying in the remainder of this chapter.  You have been given a bath spiritually.  Now first of all put away the old dirty clothes of the past, and then put on these new clean clothes of righteousness. 

Unfortunately, we are only going to have the time today to talk about what you need to put off.  Next week we will look at what you need to put on.  Here then in vs 5, is what Paul says we need to put to death. “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”

Have you ever gotten your clothes so filthy that there was nothing left to do but throw them away? That’s how Paul describes these sins.  They need to be put to death. Put to death the sinful way of life which belongs to your old nature.  And the first one that you must put to death is immorality.  That word refers to all forms of sexual intercourse outside of God honored marriage. It’s what is called "fornication" elsewhere in Scripture; or adultery, which is sexual misbehavior by a married person with someone other than his or her mate. This is to be "put to death” by all Christians. The Word of God is absolutely clear on this. Eph. 5:5 says, “For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” Anything having to do with fornication outside of marriage cannot be something we engage in in this new life.

I believe all these words that follow immorality in vs 5 are actually just embellishments or variations on the sin of immorality. The second on this list is "impurity." It is the word for "uncleanness." It refers to being corrupted, depraved, indecent.  Then he says put off passion.  Passion is being inflamed with desire for something. The Bible speaks of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Passion is speaking of lust.  Lust consumes, and it is never satisfied. It only craves more and more, often leading to the destruction of that individual.

Evil desire is a lust for evil. Lust leads to even more vileness, which is a desire for evil. And then Paul mentions greed. Greed is covetousness.  Greed is desiring more than what you have, more than what God has given to you.  Ambition is one thing, in your career, or in your business dealings it’s ok to have ambition. But greed is evil desire.  It’s wanting more than is right.  It’s wanting what someone else has.  Its’ wanting something that doesn’t rightfully belong to you. And Paul says all of this immorality is idolatry.  Idolatry is worshipping something evil. 

But as Christians we too often tend to accept those that are immoral or to excuse or overlook the sin of those who fall into it.But Paul says there are two things wrong with that acceptance. First, he says in vs 6, “For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience.”

The wrath of God is the judicial response of God to sin.  In many cases, it is the inherent destruction that such sins carry with them.  If you get drunk, for instance, there is an inherent judgment that is a part of drunkenness.  It might mean that you wreck your car, or lose your life in some drunken accident, or you lose your family.  It’s not always the same thing in every case, but all sin is destructive, and there are inherent consequences to sin that are part of the wrath of God.

But as a child of God, should you revert to your old desires and fall back into sin, then you can expect God to discipline you as a son.  And that too is a part of the wrath of God. The author of Hebrews tells us in chapter 12:6 “FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”  If you’re a child of God and you continue in sin, you can expect Him to discipline you. You will face the wrath of God.

The second reason Paul gives is stated in verse 7: “and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.”   That kind of sinful lifestyle is what God delivered you from.  It’s a part of the past life.  And that past life is one that brings destruction and it caused the death penalty to be placed upon us.  It’s not who we are made to be in Christ.  We are a new creation.  2Cor. 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone [is] in Christ, [he is] a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” We are no longer walking the old paths, but walk in a new way, the way of Christ.

Peter said in 1Peter 4:3 “For the time already past is sufficient [for you] to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.” That time past should have been sufficient for you to realize the end of that life is destructive, and damning.  After being washed and cleaned up and given a new life why would you want to put back on those filthy clothes? You have a new resource, a new power, a new life, a Savior who will help you in every moment of temptation, and by His power you can put that old lifestyle away.  You can put it to death.

Then Paul tells us to die to the sins of our speech, in  Vs 8, “But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, [and] abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its [evil] practices,  and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—“

So Paul gives us a list of speech patterns to renounce. First, he says  we no longer are to give way to anger. Anger is contrary to acting in love.  As believers, we must not speak in anger any more. We must not give way to anger. The Lord said to Cain, “why are you angry?” “Sin is crouching at the door, and it’s desire is for you, but you must master it.” Put anger away. It leads to sin.

The second word is "wrath." This refers to rage. It’s taking your anger to another level. And wrath is closely related to the next word, malice. Malice is the hidden hatred of the heart.  It’s acting in spite. Then related to that is slander.  Slander is speaking ill of someone to injure them.  I think we are guilty of all these sins of the tongue more than we would like to admit.  James says in James 3:6 “And the tongue is a fire, the [very] world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of [our] life, and is set on fire by hell.” What comes out of the mouth reveals the heart.

The next phrase is abusive speech.  I  think that covers a lot of territory. It’s not just cursing.  It’s demeaning someone.  It’s talking down to someone. It’s abusing your authority over someone by what you say to them.  Your words can wound deeper than any sword. 

And then lying. Lying is bearing false witness.  It’s one of the 10 commandments.  It’s representing something falsely.  How often do we do that?  I think we do it without thinking sometimes.  We may even excuse it as a means of trying to protect someone. But as Christians we are to be the ambassadors of truth.  What we say must be trustworthy. We must be able to be believed, because we speak for God. So false witness, lying is something we must put off, and ultimately put to death.

And Paul speaks of that change in a positive way saying, “Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its [evil] practices,  and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—“  Notice the conjunctive “Since” you laid aside the old self.  I pray that is true in your life.  That you have died to the old man with Christ.  You have laid it aside.  You no longer carry with you the remnants of that old nature.  Put it to death.  God has given us a new life, put it on.  He has clothed you in righteousness, wear it.  Practice righteousness.  Practice holiness.  Practice walking in His example day by day, hour by hour.  Keeping your gaze fixed on Him who will keep you, and sustain you, and hold you as you follow Him.

Notice Paul speaks of this new life as a renewal to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him. As we look at Christ, we learn how we can be conformed to His image.  We learn to be like Christ by looking at Christ.  And then in our daily walk we practice what we have learned.  We walk in HIs footsteps. 

Peter said in 1Peter 2:21 “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.”  That is what this new life is all about.  Christ has called us, saved us out of the life we once lived, the life enslaved to sin, by evil passions and attitudes.  And now by faith in Him we have been washed, we have been cleansed, made new, and like children we walk in HIs footsteps, follow in His example in our actions and in our attitudes.  

Next week we will see more specifically those things we are to put on in this walk of faith in Christ.  But for now, I hope it’s sufficient to repent of those sins of the past life that need to be put off and put to death, in light of who we are in Christ.   He is our life. He is our affection. He is our example. He is our Lord.

I trust that you are a new creation in Christ.  I hope that He is your Savior and Lord.  Faith in Him is the beginning of this new life.  He has made salvation available to all who believe in Him and confess Him as Lord.  You can have that eternal life in Christ today.